As requested, here are two photos taken yesterday using my Super Ikonta (f3.5 Tessar) - one image made on Adox CHS 100 II and the other on Ilford Delta 400. Both films were developed in Mytol 1:1 for the recommended times for each. (CHS100 processed for 8 minutes and the Delta 400 for 9 minutes) Images linked to are from the scanner, no Lightroom edits other than adjusting the histograms to match overall placement of shadow and highlight values. (Basically just matching for overall brightness and shadow/highlight presence) No sharpening applied.
This one is
the Adox image. (click link)
And this one is
the Delta 400 image. (click link)
This is a screen shot comparison of the two at 50% of full file size (11,000 x 7500 pixels)
My comments:
The Adox CHS100 II gives the
impression of superior sharpness, but I would say that this is due in part to the greater separation of the high values. At 100% enlargement, they have very similar
acutance, but very clear differences in the separation of values from middle to highest values: the CHS100 II has very clear, distinct high value separation, whereas the Delta 400 presents softer looking high values. But the Delta 400 has much better separation of the lower values. You can see both of these properties in this 50% magnification screen shot.
These differences can be manipulated to generate a similar finished image.
The grain of the Delta 400 is larger and more conspicuous than the CHS100 II, as expected. But the difference is not as great as I would have expected. The Adox film is a "classic grain" film and the Ilford film is the modern "T grain/core shell" type of emulsion, which no doubt accounts for the difference. Both are very fine grained images (these are 6x9 cm negatives)
Here is a section of each image at 100% magnification, where you can see the grain characteristics:
Click here to see this grain comparison image at full size.
Both films will easily make excellent images in the darkroom or processed in a digital editor (I use Lightroom).