Perhaps a bit of an old chestnut this one but I'll ask the question anyway. I've used Delta 100 for a while, I rate it at 100ASA develop it in ID11, 1+3, for the Ilford. recommended time. Results are ultra sharp and the negs are quite contrasty. However I have recently been advised that there is an opinion that better results (particularly shadow detail) can be achieved by rating at 64 ASA and reducing development time accordingly. Does anyone have any further opinion on this or experience of using Delta 100 in this way?.

-- Jonathan Cordle (jcordle@paston.co.uk), September 28, 1999

Answers

I rate Delta 100 @ ISO 25, develop in PMK for 6-7 minutes @ 70F. Shadow detail is, of course, much improved. You can also work this trick with Delta 400, rated at 100, developed the same way.

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-- Peter Hughes (leonine@redshift.com), September 28, 1999.

I have used Delta 100/PMK for years. It is my favorite combination for blazing sharpness and vanishingly low grain. I rate D100 at 50 and develop for 14 min @ 68F. EI 64 would most likely be fine. I wouldn't change the dev time for such a small difference in EI. The negatives are easy to print and have a special 'beauty' quality to them. Good luck.

-- Michael D Fraser (mdfraser@earthlink.net), September 28, 1999.

Are you getting sufficient shodow detail? You need to adjust your personal EI to your equipment and metering style. Overexposing traditional B&W film just increases grain and reduces sharpness.

-- Tim Brown (brownt@ase.com), September 29, 1999.

I personally don't much like overexposed t-grain films, even when underdeveloped. However, Delta 100 is very tolerant of overexposure, and I like underexposure far less. The idea then is to use the minimum exposure that captures all the shadow detail I want. Rating it at 100 works for me. For your metering technique, etc, you might (or might not) find that rating it at EI 64 is better. Similarly, you might or might not find that changing the development time is beneficial. Try it and see.

-- Alan Gibson (Alan.Gibson@technologist.com), September 30, 1999.

This is the first time I have ever replied on the net to anything.

I've found that developing in Perceptol 1:3 for 14.5 minutes at 20deg gives fabulous results at an EI of 80. Lots of shadow detail, a printable range from zone 1 to zone 9 and useful contrast. I generally use Bromophen diluted 1:3 at 22 deg to give very fine, warm prints.

I'm interesting in meeting other enthusiasts of B/W so if anyone is out there, I'd love to compare notes and get some advice.

-- David Owens (david@rador.co.uk), December 11, 1999.

I do Delta 100 in D-76H 1:1 and 1:3 at EI 100, Xtol 1:1 EI 100, Rodinal 1:50 w/25g/L sodium sulfite EI 100 and Rodinal 1:50 (no sulfite) EI 50.

If you have _insufficient_ shadow detail, then of course try EI 64 or so, reducing development time by maybe 10%.

-- John Hicks (jbh@magicnet.net), December 12, 1999.