Recommendations for pushing HP5+ or Delta 400

[rjhelms]

Hi all,

I'm off in a little bit to shoot (and play at) a "Garage Rock Jubilee". I wasn't smart enough to plan ahead and stock up on Delta 3200, and there's not much by way of B&W film available in town especially on a Saturday, so I'm limited to what I have on hand. The best results I've gotten for low-light concert photography so far is shooting Delta 3200 at 6400 and developing for 12500, but since that's not an option today...

I've got 4 rolls each of HP5+ and Delta 400, and was wondering if any of you had suggestions for how to shoot and or process it. From my past experience at this venue, I'll likely have to shoot at 3200 once the sun goes down, and I've had very mixed results with pushing ISO 400 film that far in the past. Which of those films will work better at a 3-stop push?

At the moment the only developer I've got is ID-11, but could look at buying another if that'd make a big difference.

Any and all suggestions are appreciated.

[Colin Corneau]

3200 is more do-able with HP5+ although I've had great luck with Delta 400 (an underrated film, IMHO) at 1600.

The main thing that will determine success or not is your developer. I'd definitely wait for another developer (ID-11 is a fine one but not for this particular task).

Look for Microphen or DD-X to do the trick for you. They're speed-increasing developers and well-suited to push processing.

Once again: your choice of developer will be the most important factor when pushing film. Some are well suited to it, others aren't.

[Argenticien]

Ilford have a PDF somewhere on their site saying which developer is best for which applications (slow, fast, sharpness, push processing, economy, etc.). I have stumbled upon it before and cannot now seem to find it. Anyway, it recommends DD-X for just about everything to do with push-processing, last I looked (a few weeks ago).
--Dave

[Slixtiesix]

Yes Ilford does recommend DD-X or Microphen for this.

[markbarendt]

Here are the appropriate PDFs.

http://ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/2010628953322222.pdf

http://ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/20106281054152313.pdf

I've used both at 3200 nicely with DD-X.

With ID-11/D-76 Delta 400 was fine.

[hoffy]

I have tried Microphen and D76 Stock - Microphen is definitely better, but I wasn't disappointed by Stock D76

[Argenticien]

Here are the appropriate PDFs.

http://ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/2010628953322222.pdf

http://ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/20106281054152313.pdf

Yes, thank you Mark, those were the ones I meant. When I posted yesterday, I was mis-remembering that those tables of developer applicability were in some PDF to do with developers, not in the ones about the films. I have a hard time finding most of those PDF data sheets on Ilford's site; I swear there are many that are not directly linked from any film or developer page on the site, but are found by Google when you search for the right terms. Ilford really ought to get that sorted, as they have got some good technical information up there but it's not much use if it's hard to find.

Anyway, R. J., I have not tried pushing films with ID-11. I can say, don't get Ilfosol 3 for push processing. I've used it that way on both of these films when I had nothing else in the house. The grain gets out of control and the extreme contrast -- already a hazard when pushing films -- is made even worse than it needs to be.

--Dave

[Aristotle80]

I've had great luck with HC-110 in pushing both of those films to 1600. I don't see why it wouldn't work for another stop. In my experience using glass jars HC-110 keeps just as well in "stock" solution as it does for the factory concentrate. I use dilution A for push processing to keep developing times reasonable.

[rjhelms]

Thanks for the suggestions, y'all. The shoot went pretty well and I'm eager to get developin'.

I have done push processing in ID-11 before, but mostly with Arista Premium and Kentmere 400 which have done well up to 1600, and Delta 3200 which like I said in my first post got good results exposing for 6400 and developing for 12500. My one attempt at a 3-stop push of HP5+ in ID-11 didn't go well, but I'm pretty sure that was because the exposures were bad in the first place, rather than bad development.

From the sounds of the feedback you've given and Ilford's own data, I'll grab some Microphen when I'm in Toronto at the end of the month and give that a whirl. I am curious to see how ID-11 performs with these films, because it is my go-to developer, but I'll save those tests for rolls I don't care about as much.

[luizjorgemn]

Do some water bath (3 minutes without agitation) or borax bath after developing and you will see some gain at shadows.


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