Shooting Ilford Delta and developed as iso 400

[PatrickMarq]

At this time I only have Delta 100 and I would like to do some portraits but the exposure times are a bit long.
So I was thinking to exposure for iso 400, but I don’t know how to adapt the develop time.

I develop in Ilford DD-X

Patrick

[GoodOldNorm]

http://www.darkroomdave.com/tutorial/process-times-for-ilford-fp4-sfx-and-delta-400/

[Pere Casals]

So I was thinking to exposure for iso 400, but I don’t know how to adapt the develop time.



You can't expose D100 at ISO 400, D100 won't deliver that ISO speed, you may shot it EI 400 with a 2 stops loss of shadow detail, at least you will loss 1.5 stops in the shadows if you are able to increase true speed by 0.5 stops.

You may overdevelop to make the film toe more printable, here you have the table: https://www.digitaltruth.com/devchart.php?Film=%25Ilford+Delta+100%25&Developer=%25Ilfotec+DD%25&mdc=Search&TempUnits=C&TimeUnits=D

...but I would not waste film in that way, as it is D100 and shooting it EI 400 will degradate image quality in the shadows. If your scene don't have shadows then EI 200 my be acceptable, but at EI 400 you won't be able to avoid a pushed look, if you want that look then it's another thing.

[Drew Wiley]

Indeed. Unless the lighting is very flat, the portrait would come out quite harsh due to losing at least two entire zones of shadow gradation to sheer blackness. I state, "at least" two zones because I don't regard Delta 100 as even a true 100 speed film for crisp shadow separation, but more like half that speed.

[PatrickMarq]

So it seems I have to wait until my HP5 plus 400 arrives.
Getting quite frustrated over here. Missing a lens, wrong bellow lengths, wrong film....

I’m used to shoot landscapes and architecture and now when confined at home, I’m out of my conform zone.

[GoodOldNorm]

So it seems I have to wait until my HP5 plus 400 arrives.
Getting quite frustrated over here. Missing a lens, wrong bellow lengths, wrong film....

I’m used to shoot landscapes and architecture and now when confined at home, I’m out of my conform zone.Buy some Delta 400.
Shoot Delta 400 at EI500 develop in DDX

[Pere Casals]

wrong film....

Wrong film ? Why ?

D100 is excellent, don't complain because my dry plates are ISO 6 :)


Use a longer exposure or an strobe, or be creative by finding unconventional illumination sources. Most powerful recent LF portraiture has ben made with TXP at ISO 80.

[MAubrey]

You could use a compensating developer like Diafine. Typically you increase the EI by ~2 stop with that.

[Drew Wiley]

You can't "compensate" into existence what isn't even on the film to begin with! Compensation might or might not rein in the highlights. It won't do a darn thing for gross underexposure except muddy up what's left of the upper tones.

[Pere Casals]

You could use a compensating developer like Diafine. Typically you increase the EI by ~2 stop with that.

But you won't gain a 1 stop real speed increase...

[Huub]

So it seems I have to wait until my HP5 plus 400 arrives.
Getting quite frustrated over here. Missing a lens, wrong bellow lengths, wrong film....

I’m used to shoot landscapes and architecture and now when confined at home, I’m out of my conform zone.

When using wet plates and such with speeds like 6 iso and slower, it is still possible do make good portraits, even inside. When the model can be placed in a position where he or she can sit comfortably and movemnets can be kept at bay, speeds as long as a 1/4 of sec ain't that much of an issue. Use the fastest lens you have and see what you can do wide open with the camera on a tripod. Also think about using flash lights or a strong lamp, or try to place the model near a large window, using a reflector at the other side. And when you don't have a reflector: cardboard covered with alufoil are a good home build substitution.

[Jimi]

I’m used to shoot landscapes and architecture and now when confined at home, I’m out of my conform zone.

Build a model house or other structure out of cardboard or something ... look up Frank Kunert, although he is a good bit past the cardboard stage, I think. :)

[Bill Burk]

Indeed. Unless the lighting is very flat, the portrait would come out quite harsh due to losing at least two entire zones of shadow gradation to sheer blackness. I state, "at least" two zones because I don't regard Delta 100 as even a true 100 speed film for crisp shadow separation, but more like half that speed.

Wait! You're onto something there Drew Wiley.

Studio Lighting can be controlled. With a specific flat lighting ratio maybe 10 to 1 (or about 4 stops difference between darkest and lightest), portraiture could be successful by developing to gamma infinity (a phrase not really infinity but where the film just doesn't seem to develop any further) about 45 minutes in straight ID-11.

So there you have it. Super flat lighting. Nothing more than 4 stops difference in any reading in the scene that you want to see in the print.

Set your spotmeter at 400. Meter a subject's face. Don't "Place on Zone VI" just use that meter reading directly. The extended development will bring up the density of the metered spot near where Zone VI would have been with a 400 speed film exposed properly.

[Bill Burk]

p.s. If you get great results thank William Mortensen. That's what he'd do.

[MAubrey]

You can't "compensate" into existence what isn't even on the film to begin with! Compensation might or might not rein in the highlights. It won't do a darn thing for gross underexposure except muddy up what's left of the upper tones.
Thanks for stating the obvious in a condescending manner. It's the whole reason that I come to this forum.

Diafine creates a certain look. It isn't a good choice, but its a better choice than just trying pushing the film with a normal developer and letting contrast run wild.