Spur Speed Major

[ericdan]

Has anyone tried this developer yet?
The data sheet claims you can shoot Tri-X at 800 with normal contrast and shadow separation. For HP5+ it says 1000 ISO?
FP4+ comes in at 200 ISO.
I've been able to get 500 ISO out of HP5 with Microphen. At least for what I consider decent shadow separation. 1000 ISO seems extremely high.

 

[howardpan]

Yes, I have tried it, and I like the results a lot. I don't have my negative with me as I am traveling now, but if I recall correctly, the resulting negative has very fine grain. I was able to crop an Ilford HP5 135 negative almost by half and print to 8xx10 without seeing any coarse grain. I believe I used it with the Push Master additive to reach 1600. I shoot with a 120 rangefinder and I find the extra speed gives me the extra depth of field for better handheld shots.

 

[howardpan]

This is the thread where I showed the negative and the prints.

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[ericdan]

Thanks. I think that was using SLD and Push Master. Speed major is a newer developer from SPUR. Supposedly gives half a stop more than the one you used.
I'll try it and post results.

 

[howardpan]

You're right. I confused the two.

 

[ericdan]

Top one was with speed major the rest was in Acurol-N. they are printable and I like the results but these are the most dense negatives I've ever had. SPUR's developing times are way too long. Every roll I developed according to their data sheet was extremely over developed. I'd say as rule of thumb cut Dev time by 30% and also reduce recommended agitation. Very interesting developer that can yield good results but this definitely takes some effort testing.

 

[pentaxuser]

So just to clarify: In your experience Microphen gives about half a stop such that HP5 goes to 500 definitely and might go to 650. Speed Major goes to how many stops more than box speed in your experience?

Thanks

pentaxuser

 

[ericdan]

I print at min time for max black then determine if the print looks too dark or too bright. By that method I get 400-500 out of tri-x with Microphen. The building under construction above was shot at EI 1000 and developed in Speed Major. To my eyes this looks ok. A little on the gritty side but I like it. Other people might want more shadow separation and hence would rate it lower.
if you have the time give speed major a try. It'll definitely take some time getting it right.

 

[Rudeofus]

Has anyone gotten their hands on an MSDS of this SPUR speed major developer, or any other indication what it is made off?

 

[Alan Johnson]

Here is a recent article by Erwin Puts. He plans to test it later.
http://www.imx.nl/photo/blog/files/0855c3e8ee05de8a7b6b2dba616c2206-73.html

 

[pentaxuser]

Here is a recent article by Erwin Puts. He plans to test it later.
http://www.imx.nl/photo/blog/files/0855c3e8ee05de8a7b6b2dba616c2206-73.html

Erwin Putts last paragraph in the article you provide a link for, suggests a real breakthrough if HP5+ then gives no loss of shadow detail at EI 2000. Using the word "incredible"(my word) to describe that kind of an improvement seems reasonably accurate. That's a 3.5 stop increase isn't it?. So a film like D3200 which has say a genuine speed of 1000 will give about 6400 for no shadow losses and based on comment about HP5+ "not a substantial increase in grain".

Sounds great. I wonder when he will test it? No mention of a time scale unfortunately.

pentaxuser

 

[ericdan]

the data sheet that comes with the developer states that D3200 does not work well with Speed Major.

 

[Rudeofus]

If things sound too good to be true, then they probably are. If HP5+ is turned into a real ISO 2000 emulsion by this new soup from SPUR, decades of research into photographic processes would have just been toppled over by some new magic soup. This would be particularly surprising, as this "magic soup" reaches only very moderate ISO speed with Delta 3200. Let's wait and see what credible tests will show.

 

[pentaxuser]

. This would be particularly surprising, as this "magic soup" reaches only very moderate ISO speed with Delta 3200. Let's wait and see what credible tests will show.

I agree. I know nothing of Mr Puts but I was a little surprised that before testing what appears to be a "wonder" speed developer that he appeared to be fairly convinced that it represents a breakthrough

I wonder why it works so well with HP5+ but not so well with D3200. If it gets HP5+ to 2000 without loss of shadow detail and takes us to beyond 3200, presumably with the same HP5+ then as D3200 even in Microphen begins to "run out of steam" a little before EI 3200 will this new developer sound the death knell for D3200. Given the price of HP5+ compared to D3200 and the fact that HP5+ is available in bulk rolls then if it gets HP5+ to EI 2000 without loss of shadow detail I for one would think twice before buying any more D3200

The article was May of this year and it is now almost August. I'd have thought he would have been keen to have tested it by now


pentaxuser

 

[Rudeofus]

I wonder why it works so well with HP5+ but not so well with D3200. If it gets HP5+ to 2000 without loss of shadow detail and takes us to beyond 3200, presumably with the same HP5+ then as D3200 even in Microphen begins to "run out of steam" a little before EI 3200 will this new developer sound the death knell for D3200. Given the price of HP5+ compared to D3200 and the fact that HP5+ is available in bulk rolls then if it gets HP5+ to EI 2000 without loss of shadow detail I for one would think twice before buying any more D3200

This would certainly be a concern of Ilford, but not SPUR's. There is no credible explanation, why this developer (and many other of SPUR's soups) works well with HP5+ but only poorly (in terms of speed) with Delta 3200, a film which was made for extreme pushing.

 

[Craig75]

Cant you shoot tri-x and hp5+ at 800 iso with normal contrast anyway though?

 

[pentaxuser]

Cant you shoot tri-x and hp5+ at 800 iso with normal contrast anyway though?

I don't know as I have never tried this but I can confirm a degree of success doing this with TMY400 at 800 although I have to qualify this by saying it was relatively flat light that day.

pentaxuser