New HP5 user

[jevidon]

I am returning to film after 10 years in digital. Don't get my wrong. Digital is great. It's just that film offers a different media to work with and to add to my photographic tools and experience. Years ago when I was doing my own B&W processing, pre-digital, my standby was Rodinol with every film.

My first roll of B&W film will be HP5, and I want to try something else besides Rodinol. I have read various opinions on what developer to use. I am interested in trying Diafin, because I read that it is insensitive to time and temperature. I have even read that it makes no difference what ISO rating you choose to shoot at and you can change ISO mid roll to compensate for changing lighting conditions. I would like to know if this is correct.

I would appreciate your thoughts on the above mentioned claims as well as any opinions regarding this combination of film and developer together with any recommended techniques that should be used.

[Keith Tapscott.]

There are fact sheets for all popular B&W films from various manufacturers. You should experiment to find your optimum exposure index for your chosen film and developer.
http://www.ilfordphoto.com/products/pro ... onal+Films

[Ornello]

I am returning to film after 10 years in digital. Don't get my wrong. Digital is great. It's just that film offers a different media to work with and to add to my photographic tools and experience. Years ago when I was doing my own B&W processing, pre-digital, my standby was Rodinol with every film.

My first roll of B&W film will be HP5, and I want to try something else besides Rodinol. I have read various opinions on what developer to use. I am interested in trying Diafin, because I read that it is insensitive to time and temperature. I have even read that it makes no difference what ISO rating you choose to shoot at and you can change ISO mid roll to compensate for changing lighting conditions. I would like to know if this is correct.

I would appreciate your thoughts on the above mentioned claims as well as any opinions regarding this combination of film and developer together with any recommended techniques that should be used.

Though HP5 is great film, I do prefer Fuji Neopan 400 overall among 400 speed films. It's not the grain or sharpness in particular that distinguish it sharply from TRI-X or HP5, it's the color sensitization. Greens are noticeably lighter in tone than with other films.