Anyone read the recent newsletter from defenderphoto.com? The author writes fascinatingly on film and development. I'll try to paraphrase some of it here. He says that 400 speed random grain film does not have more grain than 100 speed film, simply more silver. Therefore that increased grain is primarily due to the use of active developers that dissolve smaller grains thereby leaving only larger grains intact - hence a grainier film.
"Large grain is a product of development action (in a random grain film) whether it's too much agitation, or temperature, or the formula itself - a large grain is always a product of development, not film speed."
His formulated developer uses restrainers and claims to not increase grain size over comparable 100 speed films. This is very interesting to me and I'd like to hear from others on this phenomenon. The PDF newsletter is available through the website.
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