I haven't used HP5+ in 35mm in years, but I do use it in 120 all the time and developed in Xtol 1+1, 1+2 or my now standard Xtol-R it is, to my eye anyway, perfect. In extremely high-contrast scenes I do switch to Pyrocat-HDC on occasion, but 95% of my HP5+ 120 is souped in Xtol-R.I have a series of three 11x14 prints framed and matted hanging beside each other in the house. One negative was 35mm HP5, one is 6x9 Delta 400 and one is 4X5 Delta 100. All developed in Xtol. Brought experienced photographers into the room and asked them to look at the prints and tell me which negative is which. So far no one has got it correct. To me that means the HP5 grain is perfectly acceptable!
I have a series of three 11x14 prints framed and matted hanging beside each other in the house. One negative was 35mm HP5, one is 6x9 Delta 400 and one is 4X5 Delta 100. All developed in Xtol. Brought experienced photographers into the room and asked them to look at the prints and tell me which negative is which. So far no one has got it correct. To me that means the HP5 grain is perfectly acceptable!
HP5+ shot in 4x5 developed in HC110, and is drying.
Meanwhile this crazy op... ah.. allowed cause its a new year, checked into Tmy400.. my goodness its expense in 4x5.. but wondered how is it in MF?
Lies! I love that 1970/1980's tri-x roasted in Rodinal documentary look. It's not pictorial, but it suits its purpose quite well and with gentle agitation the quality of the grain is its own reward.Rodinal in 35mm does not look very good in anything faster than ISO 100
Lies! I love that 1970/1980's tri-x roasted in Rodinal documentary look. It's not pictorial, but it suits its purpose quite well and with gentle agitation the quality of the grain is its own reward.
Wouldn't recommend continuous agitation of that pairing to any but my worst enemy, though
It has it's place, I use it on film that's gritty to begin with. If you already have massive grain why not up it farther?
HP5+ in LF looks really nice. I was referring to 35mm. It looks awful to me in 35mm. Not that I would refuse a few rolls ya know...
I am not finding HP5+ to be gritty with 4"x5" sheet film.
HP5 has large grain, but not gritty - that would be Tri-X. A lot depends on the specific developer, of course.
I've used DD-X a few times and thought it to be the best store-bought liquid developer for me, but like you say, a little expensive. Neil, are you shooting HP5 in 35mm or medium-format? JohnWHP5+ is my preferred film stock at the moment, I've settled on shooting it at 800 as standard - at 400 I think it's a bit dull and uninteresting and at 1600 I think the grain is usually a bit too much (unless you stand develop). I think there's generally fairly smooth grain and nice contrast at 800 when using DD-X at 1:4 for 10 minutes as my standard development regime - I've tried HC but I'm not a massive fan of it. I just wish DD-X wasn't so expensive (relatively)! I've also stand developed in Rodinal on occassion, but I'm a bit too impatient for that.
I've also often descibed excessively enlarged HP5 grain as "mushy". But this film has superb edge effects Dev in pyro, so can have outstanding edge acutance combined with smooth non-distracting "watercolor" grain. I only shoot it in 8X10, enlarged to 20X24 maximum - in other words, 3X or less. Even 4X5 film comes out too mushy for me.
Drew,I've also often descibed excessively enlarged HP5 grain as "mushy". But this film has superb edge effects Dev in pyro, so can have outstanding edge acutance combined with smooth non-distracting "watercolor" grain. I only shoot it in 8X10, enlarged to 20X24 maximum - in other words, 3X or less. Even 4X5 film comes out too mushy for me.
Usually it is best to determine your own development times. It is actually pretty easy to do and you may find that what others prefer is not what you like for your own work.You guys shooting HP5 at ASA 200.....are you pulling the development at all, or are you pretty much using the 400 speed times for whatever developer you have chosen.?
Thank You
Sheet film - I meter at EI 200 and process normal for HC-110 effectively moving shadows from zone 3 to zone 4 and getting enough contrast boost to not be mushy. But I still feel HP5 was not best film for me and prefer FP4.You guys shooting HP5 at ASA 200.....are you pulling the development at all, or are you pretty much using the 400 speed times for whatever developer you have chosen.?
Thank You
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