Thinking of trying a different film, initial questions.

I am thinking of giving Neopan Acros 100 a try since i've heard good things about it and i like what i see online. However, since it will be my 1st change since i began developing about a year ago (meaning 1st time i change something film/developer/workflow etc) i would like to answer the below questions first in order to avoid any catastrophies.


1. Any recommendations to the developing time needed for this combo? My MassiveDev app suggests 5:30 @ 20c, anyone tried it?

2. Provided that the developer stays the same (HC-110) can i keep the exact same workflow? Meaning 30 sec inversions at first and then 10 sec inversions every minute.

3. What about fixing? I currently use Ilford Rapid Fixer for 10 minutes with TMAX 100 and have no problem. Can i do the same with the Acros?


Many thanks in advance for all the help.

Hi,

in short - yes to all 3 points.

If you want to experiment and to get different results - Acros is not so different from Tmax 100, you could get very similar results.

Acros is technically excellent, very easy to use and difficult to screw up. Really good reciprocity characteristics and quality control(and cheap!). I think it would make a great all-purpose film.

If your development time is that short you may want to agitate once every 30sec. Alternatively you could double the HC-110 dilution and develop for twice the time using your normal agitation. It should be easy to nail a development scheme with this combo very quickly.

Also, 10min is too long to fix. 4-5min should be fine.

my biggest issue with acros 100 is that there is so little grain it is hard to focus using my grain magnifier. Grain?

I develop it as I do all film, d76, 1:1 at 68 degrees for 10.5 minutes, agitation every 30 seconds and for the first and last 30. Never had a problem.

sample shot, super ikonta A:

Neopan 100 Acros: http://www.digitaltruth.com/products/fuji_tech/AF3-083E.pdf
HC-110: http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/j24/j24.pdf

Curious, why the change from T-Max to Acros?

hoakin1981,

I'd hesitate to recommend changing from one 100 speed film to another, I'm afraid you'll solve your original problem and think the film change was responsible.

And that's not just because I work for Kodak. It would be easier to help you solve issues if you stick to the combination you've been working with.

Not to dampen your enthusiasm, since Fuji make some great emulsions, but they are also prone to discontinuing them at the drop of a hat. I had a real liking for Neopan 400 and they withdrew it. Ilford, on the other hand, have a major commitment to support film users and are here for the long term. Why not try FP4+ ? It has loads of character and is very flexible and forgiving.

John Bragg said:

Not to dampen your enthusiasm, since Fuji make some great emulsions, but they are also prone to discontinuing them at the drop of a hat. I had a real liking for Neopan 400 and they withdrew it. Ilford, on the other hand, have a major commitment to support film users amd are here for the long term. Why not try FP4+ ? It has loads of character and is very flexible and forgiving.

Click to expand...

Or for that matter, Delta 100? If you want a fine-grain t-grain emulsion to compare against TMax 100, Delta 100 is closer in look/feel and performance. This is NOT to knock FP4+, it's a fantastic film. I'm still shooting my way through a good 60+ remaining rolls of a bulk lot I bought a few years ago.

TheFlyingCamera said:

Or for that matter, Delta 100? If you want a fine-grain t-grain emulsion to compare against TMax 100, Delta 100 is closer in look/feel and performance. This is NOT to knock FP4+, it's a fantastic film. I'm still shooting my way through a good 60+ remaining rolls of a bulk lot I bought a few years ago.

Click to expand...

Indeed Delta 100 is a great choice. That is the key here. Ilford give you a choice, not a contracting portfolio of.... how many mono films ? Oh yes... one !

As an aside, I shot and developed my first roll of Delta 100 this past week. Beautiful stuff.

Ansel Adams warned that changing film/paper should not be done until one has thoroughly investigated their current product. If you are thoroughly familiar with your current film and find it wanting then change. However frequently changing things in you process is counter-productive. It is hard or impossible for most people to determine which film was used to produce a print.

John Bragg said:

Not to dampen your enthusiasm, since Fuji make some great emulsions, but they are also prone to discontinuing them at the drop of a hat. I had a real liking for Neopan 400 and they withdrew it. Ilford, on the other hand, have a major commitment to support film users and are here for the long term. Why not try FP4+ ? It has loads of character and is very flexible and forgiving.

Click to expand...

I agree with this and have removed 100% of Kodak films from my purchase list and am working down my Fuji Neopan stock, moving over all to Ilford. My interest in color films will pick up once Ferrania film can be bought. No more support to those companies abandoning film with reckless abandon.

To the OP, fixing for 10 mins?? Waaaay too long.

Wow, the OP has been using the same film/developer combo for a year and people are giving him a hard time for considering changing film.

I must have tried 4-5 films in my first year of processing B&W, although I stuck with the same developer. I know the suggestion is to get to know one combo and this is good advice but looking around for something different after a year sounds like a good idea.

I would second the idea that Acros may be quite similar to T-Max 100. I would also highly recommend FP4+ as a lovely flexible film that I've had great success in HC-110

Simonh82 said:

Wow, the OP has been using the same film/developer combo for a year and people are giving him a hard time for considering changing film.

I must have tried 4-5 films in my first year of processing B&W, although I stuck with the same developer. I know the suggestion is to get to know one combo and this is good advice but looking around for something different after a year sounds like a good idea.

I would second the idea that Acros may be quite similar to T-Max 100. I would also highly recommend FP4+ as a lovely flexible film that I've had great success in HC-110

Click to expand...

I second that, I have tried about 10 different BW films and 4 developers. Now I've settled on few.

But unlike all the ilford fanboys who hold a grunge against kodak and fuji. I will say try acros, it's my choice for ISO 100 film. Smaller grain than tmax 100. I have not tried it in hc110, since I develop it in Fuji Microfine or Rodinal. It's one of the few films that I like in rodinal.

Also no other film comes close for long exposures if that is your thing.

Nuff said:

I second that, I have tried about 10 different BW films and 4 developers. Now I've settled on few.

But unlike all the ilford fanboys who hold a grunge against kodak and fuji. I will say try acros, it's my choice for ISO 100 film. Smaller grain than tmax 100. I have not tried it in hc110, since I develop it in Fuji Microfine or Rodinal. It's one of the few films that I like in rodinal.

Also no other film comes close for long exposures if that is your thing.

Click to expand...

I've developed tons of Acros in HC-110, dil E, 7 mins at 20 C. Very nice results that leave me entirely satisfied (mind you I dont print- yet).

Nuff said:

I second that, I have tried about 10 different BW films and 4 developers. Now I've settled on few.

But unlike all the ilford fanboys who hold a grunge against kodak and fuji. I will say try acros, it's my choice for ISO 100 film. Smaller grain than tmax 100. I have not tried it in hc110, since I develop it in Fuji Microfine or Rodinal. It's one of the few films that I like in rodinal.

Also no other film comes close for long exposures if that is your thing.

Click to expand...

Third that, although my films changed as I went to larger formats (and went with those that have better accessibility).
Also, it is good that Ilford supports film - others do too, including Foma, and Fuji undoubtedly is, too.

I am not a big fan of the "pick a film and stick with it" approach. I have learnt more by tinkering, by experimentation than otherwise and IMO you need to get the process right, than fixate on a single film.

Simonh82 said:

Wow, the OP has been using the same film/developer combo for a year and people are giving him a hard time for considering changing film.

Click to expand...

The fact that one uses a film for a year really says nothing about whether one is completely familiar with the film under all conditions. In addition how may rolls were exposed during this time. The OP has the right idea about keeping his process as consistent as possible. But often comments must be designed for all readers some of whom may not be as wise.

The point being made is that frequently changing films serves no useful purpose. The mistake that those new to photography usually make is to constantly search for the best film, paper, and developer. They lose sight that it is the final image that counts and not the materials used to create it. This is not to say that shouldn't make a change but that a change be made only after careful comparisons between the two films. To do this usually involves more work than many people are wiling to commit to. The result is that they cannot make a proper evaluation.

Some years ago one of the popular photography magazines did a survey of some professional photographers. It was found that each photographer used a surprisingly small number of B&W films, usually only one or two. Once they found a film that they liked they seldom changed to another. Film was their bread and butter something that they depended on every day. When a change was made it was often only done when a film was discontinued.

Thanks!

Great advice as always guys, much appreciated. To answer one of the questions posed, i decided to give Acros a shot because i like the tonal gradiations i see online and i have the impression that i will be able to achieve better results by scanning it, especially in the 135 format.

I shoot both 135 and 120 and for the later one i am sticking to TMAX 100. I am achieving really nice results without too much effort for long exposures as well which i really like shooting.

On 135 though, i cannot say the same. I know that 135 is much more difficult to scan, especially with a not-top-of-the-line scanner like my V600but nevertheless i am hopefull that perhaps i will do better with Acros.

TLastly i cannot deny that i like exploring/experimenting/trying new stuff all the time and photography (being my greatest passion) could not be left out. I respect the opinion of all folks here but i see no problem in trying out a few rolls of Acros just for the fun of it.

Good on you for sticking with one film+dev for a year, but at this point it's totally reasonable to try new stuff; I didn't wait that long for sure! I shoot a lot of Acros and personally like it better than TMX. I find that it has a teeny bit more grain - though still invisible in a 16x20" print from my 6x7 negs - but more edge-sharpness. Also easier to get uniform development from Acros in a Jobo; for some reason I struggle with unevenness on TMX. Of course, Acros is far better in the reciprocity department too, if you like shooting at night.

Since both TMX and Acros are so fine, it's worth trying them in Rodinal. It has no smoothin effect but the films are so fine as to not need it. It gives a quite different look that's worth seeing, though you will about 1 stop more exposure (i.e. expose at 50 if you're developing in Rodinal).

Since you're experimenting, I recommend that you be rigorous. Shoot a couple of IDENTICAL scenes on at least 2 or 3 different emulsions (more if you got 'em! means you only need to experiment once), and develop each scene with 2 or 3 developers. You're used to HC-110 which is kind of a middle-of-the road flexible-but-not-high-performance developer. You should try comparing the results you get from HC-110 with both Rodinal and Xtol, IMHO; I think you'll find both sharper than HC-110, the Rodinal will be grainier-but-beautiful and the Xtol will be less grainy despite the increased resolution.

PS 10 minutes in Rapid Fixer is a bit long and you risk bleaching the image a little. 5:00 is plenty with freshly-mixed fixer, and 8:00 is quite enough with T-grain films even as the fixer is reaching the end of its nominal life.