DDX or Microphen for pushing to 6400 and 12800

[igmolinav]

Hi,

I read these two articles I found on the internet.
Have you read anything similar?
You don't have to read them if you don't want to.

My question is very basic. Which developer do
you use to push B&W film to 6400 and 12800,
that keeps the grain very fine or fairly fine? I am
coming back to use film and I wonder about
what developers you guys are using. I used
and developed B&W film some twenty to
twenty-four years ago. Film emulsions and
chemicals to develop may have improved
and or changed.

These two articles 'rave' about the opportunity
to push film to those high ISOs. Moreover, the
shooter(s) also used film like Ilford HP5, and not
necessarily any grainier film like Delta 3200 or
TMZ 3200.

Thank you for your comments expressing your
own personal experience or that of a friends who
may have used any of those two developers.
Even if you have not used Ilford DDX or Microphen,
it would be interesting for me to read your opinion
about possible pushing and chemicals of choice.
I'll work with a group of two more people. Among
us we'll use film with the three formats with Ilford
HP5.

Thank you in advance : ) !!!

Kind regards!

Link 1:
https://emulsive.org/reviews/film-r...hp5-plus-from-ei-800-to-ei-6400-by-daniel-tim

Link 2:
http://120studio.com/film-dev/pushing-hp5.htm

 

[pentaxuser]

You will get a range of views on using DDX and Microphen at both speeds. If there is a group of you I'd recommend that you do what I think you have already suggested which is to use HP5+ on both developers at both speeds. With the results in front of you in the form of prints from the resulting negatives you are in a position to make a better choice than is likely to result from other members' opinions.

pentaxuser

 

[Pioneer]

I don't use either developer, though I have in the past. Right now I use HC-110 and it seems to work pretty well with HP5+.

I will say that, in my experience, pushing any film this far will result in grain. Some films show a little more, some a little less, but it isn't ever too hard to find it. The best way to reduce the grain is to increase the size of the negative. 4x5 sheet film shot at EI6400 will have less visible grain than 35mm film shot at that speed.

 

[Colin Corneau]

I'm a big fan of DD-X and have gotten great results, tone and grain wise, in a variety of films and in pushing.

Grain is inevitable with that much of a push but I do think you'll get better grain with DD-X than Microphen.