Ilford film and Fuji chemicals

I've just started developing my own film. I live in Tokyo so my chemicals are Fuji. The developer is Super Prodol in powder form. I decided to run a roll of Ilford HP5 Plus 400 through my newly acquired Mamiya Press. The problem is that Ilford's charts give development times for their own chemicals. Fuji charts don't mention film besides their own. Where can I find accurate info for this combination of film and chemicals?

The usual good source these days doesn't have anything so you might need to test it. My guess would be 1+1 for 7:00 to start.

http://www.digitaltruth.com/devchart.php?Film=&Developer=SPD&mdc=Search

You can use the massive development chart to search on your developer - you will get times for a number of other films, including at least one Ilford film - Delta 100 Pro. That indicates 1 + 1 for 7 minutes at 20C.

You can then compare those times with the times that Ilford gives for Delta 100 in various developers, to determine which developer is closest to your developer. The Ilford chart indicates 7 minutes for Delta 100 Pro developed in stock ID11 at 20C - so I would use stock ID11 as the comparable.

The Ilford chart recommends 7.5 minutes for HP5+ developed in stock ID11 at 20C - so I would use that as my starting point for tests.

Here is the link to the Ilford chart: http://www.ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/20114271219521241.pdf

Warning: this is a rough and ready approach which is only really useful to find starting points.

Harry and Matt, thank you very much for the great resource links and helpful information. I will forge ahead!

I ran a roll of the HP5 through the Mamiya Press this morning and developed it as recommended about, at 7.5 minutes. I also was unsure about the fixer but did it for about 7 minutes and the results seem okay. But I must confess, people keep saying that you learn the fine points of developing through trial and error etc., but at this point I have no idea if things I see in the final product are a result of the film, my technique, the camera and lens, or the developing. I don't even know where to begin, but so far I have been pleased with the results.

First roll of 120 to home develop!

The area where I feel most inadequate is just basic photographic skills when it comes to black and white. I still don't have the eye to be able to spot scenes and lighting situations with the naked eye and imagine how they will look in B&W. My hunch is that lighting is even more important in B&W than color, simply because that is more or less the only variable. Anyway, I keep trying!

I'd say you did very well for your first roll. The car tho, you really should have that one looked at.

revdocjim said:

First roll of 120 to home develop!

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Looks very good. My favorite is the double exposure of the signs, I think. Everything about the processing looks fine as far as I can tell from glancing over the scans.

The area where I feel most inadequate is just basic photographic skills when it comes to black and white. I still don't have the eye to be able to spot scenes and lighting situations with the naked eye and imagine how they will look in B&W.

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That ability develops with practice, I guess. I still feel like I'm awful at it, but if I look back at my older photos I can see the improvement. I'd agree with you about the importance of lighting in b&w especially; it also takes some experience to understand when something that looks good in color is going to turn to grey mush in b&w (this happens to me all the time with foliage, where the subtle shades of green don't end up well differentiated in the photo).

The good news is, the required practice is fun.

-NT

Dear Revdocjim...

It looks pretty good to me, well done...

I am sure everyone felt as you do when they started.. I know I did, from now on you can learn and get better in your craft and many people on APUG will be able and happy to help.

At APUG you do have some rather special people, incredibly knowledgeable regarding photography and the science and art it encompasses, but willing to share it to help others and to promote analog photography, and I bet not one them would say they have now learnt it all and do not need to conyinue to gain knowledge. So in reality you are now just one of us...

Simon ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited :

revdocjim said:

I still don't have the eye to be able to spot scenes and lighting situations with the naked eye and imagine how they will look in B&W.

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There's nothing wrong with visualizing the result if that comes naturally, but there's no obligation to work that way. I don't see that way myself, even after more than 30 years at this game.

Good luck, and enjoy!

Thanks for the encouraging words. The double exposure was unfortunate, but I guess I've just been spoiled by cameras that won't let you make that mistake... Nevertheless I have found many double exposures in my father's old photos from the early days in Japan that are actually quite fascinating in their own right.

Oren, you have piqued my curiosity. How do you see your subject when selecting and composing, especially for B&W?

And one more beginner's question. I'm trying to figure out the meanings of "1:1" and "stock". My SPD developer comes in powder form. One packet makes 1 liter. Should that solution be considered stock or 1:1 or something else?

Mixed from powder it will be stock (1+0). Then to make 1+1 you mix with an equal part of water just before developing the film.

Thanks again Harry!!! This is a great resource for crucial information!