I would like to know which developers work best for 1) Fuji Neopan 400 and 2) Ilford HP5+. I have used D-76 1:1 at the recommended time (9.5 min.) for the Neopan 400 which has resulted in underdeveloped negs. I have not had any experience with the HP5+. I appreciate your contributions...Thanks.

-- Marcy Kutok (makjed@attbi.com), March 25, 2002

Answers

The most important thing is how do you want your prints to look. THe film/developer combo influences the final image. We have been using HC110 solution b with HP5 for years with great results. Are your negatives underdeveloped or under exposed? Increasing development time will effect the contrast and highlights but only increased exposure will help the shadow detail. What speed index are you using? All of these items effect the quality of the negative.

-- Ann Clancy (clancya@attbi.com), March 25, 2002.

I have had good luck recently experimenting with Fuji Neopan 400 shot at 200 and then developed with Microdol-X as if shot at 400. Very nice shadow detail and little grain. With HP5+ it's probably best, and most reliable, to stick with D76 or ID11 diluted 1:1, at least in my limited experience.

Dennis

-- Dennis Couvillion (couvilaw@aol.com), March 25, 2002.

Marcy, I love using Rodinal 1:100 with both Neopan 400 and T-Max 100. Try 20 minutes at 70 degrees, agitation for the first two minutes and then 5 seconds every minute.

For T-Max, I use an EI of 75, and for Neopan 400 an EI of 320 when using the Rodinal.

chris

-- Christian Harkness (chris.harkness@eudoramail.com), March 26, 2002.

I have been shoting Neopan 400 and HP 5+, both rated at 400 ASA, in Xtol 1+2. Neopan 400 is very good (although I think my development time is longer than the one suggested by the massive dev chart - maybe I agitate less), little grain (on 5x7 enlargments), good contrast, decent shadow detail. HP 5+ in Xtol has great tonality, but very harsh grain - I've had problems getting a pleasing female portrait out of it (in 35mm format with a 5x7 final print).

-- Peter Langfelder (plangfel@insti.physics.sunysb.edu), March 26, 2002.

35mm HP5+ at ei 320 developed in 5 roll paterson tank in fg7, 1:15,for 6 minutes. agitation 5 seconds every 30 seconds. Agitation by hand. 120 HP5+ at ei 320 in 3 roll Jobo tank on Beseler Drum for 8 minutes devolped in FG7, 1:15. Devolped by rotation. Net Zone VIII is between 1.25 +1.35 for both methods. Zone 1 is about .11 or .12. 35mm camera is Leica M6. 120 cameras are TLR Rollei and Mamiya RB7ProS

-- John Elder (celder2162@aol.com), March 26, 2002.

Forgot to add that for 35mm I add 9% sodium sulfite solution. I do Not use sulfite for 120 film

-- John Elder (celder2162@aol.com), March 26, 2002.

....for landscape photography in medium format, i used to process my fuji 400 in rodinal, at maybe a 1:50 dilution...for the past three years i've used xtol in a replenished solution (1 gallon size) to process 120 delta 400 and the ocasioinal 120 roll of fuji 400...if under developement is your problem, i think extol could help solve this issue for you...

-- tom gage (tomonly@optonline.net), March 30, 2002.