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Current Film and Developer Recommendations

© 2005 H. Lynn Jones for Black & White World

What's the optimal combination of film, developer, processing time and temperature for your favorite currently available film? Based on months of exhaustive research, the following charts should answer all of your questions.

How to use this feature:

  • Carefully select the film and developer combination you desire.
  • The agitation is assumed to be, one cycle each 30 seconds unless otherwise stated (See the section on agitation when special effects are desired).
  • If using a drum processor or sheets in a tray with continuous agitation, find the time for your temperature and multiply by .8 for the new time.
  • In the left hand column, the descriptions (Shadowless, Flat, Normal, etc.) are lighting contrasts in the original scene.
  • The exposure indices are appropriate for those conditions and the development times stated. In most cases there are recommendations for different temperatures for photographer convenience.
  • In films made since the early 1950’s, there is no difference in quality based on temperature adjusted developing times.

Charts list the following columns: film, developer, subject, contrast, exposure, and time/temperature. (Assumes a condenser or condenser emulating enlarger, minor changes may be required for your personal use)

Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
NEW Plus X Pan, D-76 Full Strength
Shadowless 640 9.5 8.5 8 7
Flat 320 5.5 5 4.5 4
NORMAL 160 5 4.5 4 3.5
Contrasty 50 4 3.5 3.25 2.75
Very Contrasty 40 3.5 3 2.75 NR


 
Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
NEW Plus X Pan, Acufine Full Stength
Shadowless 640 8.5 7.75 7 6
Flat 400 6 5.5 5 4.5
NORMAL 200 4.5 4 3.75 3.25
Contrasty 100 4 3.75 3.25 2.75
Very Contrasty 50 3.5 3.25 2.75 2.50


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
Kodak Technical Pan Film, Roll & Sheet; Rodinal 1:100 agitate ea. 1 minute
Shadowless 125 11 10 9 8
Flat 80 8.5 7.5 7 6
NORMAL 64 7 6.5 5.5 5
Contrasty 40 6 5.5 5 4.5
Very Contrasty 32 5 4.5 4 3.5


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
NEW Plus X Pan D 76 Full Strength
Shadowless 640 9.5 8.5 8 7
Flat 320 5.5 5 4.5 4
NORMAL 160 5 4.5 4 3.5
Contrasty 50 4 3.5 3.25 2.75
Very Contrasty 40 3.5 3 2.75 NR


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
NEW Plus X Pan Acufine Full Stength
Shadowless 640 8.5 7.75 7 6
Flat 400 6 5.5 5 4.5
NORMAL 200 4.5 4 3.75 3.25
Contrasty 100 4 3.75 3.25 2.75
Very Contrasty 50 3.5 3.25 2.75 2.50


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
New Kodak T MAX 100 (TMX) Rodinal 1:50
Shadowless 250 17 15.5 13.5 12.5
Flat 160 13 12 11 9.5
NORMAL 100 11 10 9 8
Contrasty 50 8.5 8 7 6.5
Very Contrasty 16 6 5.5 5 4.5


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
New Kodak TMAX 100 (TMX) Rodinal 1:25
Shadowless 250 8 7 6.5 5.5
Flat 160 6 5.5 5 4.5
NORMAL 100 5 4.5 4 3.5
Contrasty 50 4 3.5 3 NR
Very Contrasty 16 3.5 3 NR NR


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
New TMax 400 - TMY D76 Full Strength
Shadowless 1000 11 10 9 8
Flat 640 8 7.5 7 6
NORMAL 400 7 6.25 5.75 5
Contrasty 200 5.5 5 4.5 4
Very Contrasty 125 5 4.75 4.5 3.75


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
New Tmax 400 - TMY; Acufine Full Strength
Shadowless 1250 9.5 9 8 7
Flat 800 7.25 6.75 6 5.5
NORMAL 400 6 5.5 5 4.5
Contrasty 250 5.5 5 4.5 4
Very Contrasty 125 4.5 4 3.75 3.25


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
Professional TMZ P3200
T MAX 1:4 (NOT RS) 3200 11 10.5 9 8.5
D76 3200 12.5 11.5 10.5 9
HC110B (1:31 from concentrate) 3200 10.5 9.5 8.75 7.5


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
FUJI NEOPAN 400 D 76 (Full Strength Replenished)
Shadowless 1,250 14 13 12 10.5
Flat 800 11 10 9 8
NORMAL 500 8.5 7.5 7 6
Contrasty 400 7 6.5 5.5 5
Very Contrasty 240 5.5 5 4.5 4


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
FUJI NEOPAN 400 Acufine (Full Strength Replenished)
Shadowless 2,400 12 11 10 9
Flat 1,250 9 8 7.25 6.5
NORMAL 650 6.5 6 5.5 5
Contrasty 500 5.5 5 4.5 4
Very Contrasty 320 5 4.5 4 NR


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
Fuji Neopan 100 in D76 Full Strength; Agitate 5 sec per minute
Shadowless 250 13 12 11 9.5
Flat 125 9 8 7.5 6.5
NORMAL 64 7 6.5 5.5 5
Contrasty 50 6 5.5 5 4.5
Very Contrasty 25 5 4.5 4.25 3.75


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
Fuji Neopan 100 in Rodinal 1:50 Agitate 5 sec per minute
Shadowless 200 13.5 12 11 10
Flat 160 10.5 9.5 9 7.5
NORMAL 100 8.5 8 7 6.5
Contrasty 64 7.5 6.5 6 5
Very Contrasty 50 6 5.5 5 4.5


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
Fuji FUJI NEOPAN 400; ILFORD Microphen (Full Strength)
Shadowless 1,250 11.5 10.5 9.5 8.5
Flat 1,000 8 7.5 6.5 6
NORMAL 640 6 5.5 5 4.5
Contrasty 320 4.5 4 NR NR
Very Contrasty 160 3.5 NR NR NR


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
ILFORD PAN F PLUS, Rodinal 1:50
Shadowless 64 11 10 9 8
Flat 50 8.5 7.75 7 6
NORMAL 32 7 6.5 6 5
Contrasty 25 6 5.5 5 4.5
Very Contrasty 16 5.5 5 4.5 4


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
ILFORD DELTA 100; Rodinal 1:25
Shadowless 125 9.5 8.5 7.75 7
Flat 80 7 6.5 6 5.25
NORMAL 64 5 4.5 4 NR
Contrasty 40 4 NR NR NR
Very Contrasty 24 3.5 NR NR NR


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
ILFORD DELTA 100; D 76 (Full Strength Replenished)
Shadowless 160 11.5 10.5 9.5 8.5
Flat 125 9 8 7.5 6.5
NORMAL 80 7.5 6.5 6 5.25
Contrasty 50 5.75 5.25 4.75 4.25
Very Contrasty 32 4.75 4.25 4 NR


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
ILFORD DELTA 100; HC110 1:50 (from concentrate)
Shadowless 160 9.5 8.5 8 7
Flat 125 7.5 7 6 5.5
NORMAL 64 5.5 5 4.5 4
Contrasty 40 4.5 4 3.75 NR
Very Contrasty 32 4 NR NR NR


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
Ilford Delta 100; Kodak Xtol 1:1, 5 sec each 30 seconds
Shadowless 200 14 13 11.5 10
Flat 125 10 9 8.5 7.5
NORMAL 50 7 6.6 5.5 5
Contrasty 25 5.5 5 4.5 4
Very Contrasty 16 4.5 4 NR (3.5) NR (3.0)


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
Ilford Delta 100, Kodak Xtol 1:2, 5 sec each 30 seconds
Shadowless 160 25 23 21 18
Flat 125 15 14 12 11
NORMAL 50 11 10 9 8
Contrasty 25 9 8 7.5 6.5
Very Contrasty 16 8 7.5 6.5 5.5


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
ILFORD FP 4 PLUS, Rodinal 1:50
Shadowless 250 15 13.5 12.5 11
Flat 200 10.5 9.5 8.5 7.5
NORMAL 64 7.5 7 6.5 5.5
Contrasty 40 6 5.5 5 4.5
Very Contrasty 25 4.5 4 NR NR


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
ILFORD FP 4 PLUS, HC110 1:31 (From Concentrate)
Shadowless 250 9 8 7.5 6.5
Flat 160 6 5.5 5 4.5
NORMAL 100 5 4.5 4 NR
Contrasty 64 4 NR NR NR
Very Contrasty 50 NR NR NR NR


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
ILFORD HP 5 PLUS, RODINAL 1:25
Shadowless 1,200 10 9 8.5 7.5
Flat 800 8 7.5 6.5 6
NORMAL 400 6 5.5 5 4.5
Contrasty 200 5 4.5 4 NR
Very Contrasty 100 4 NR NR NR


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
ILFORD HP 5 PLUS, D-76 (Full Strength, Replenished)
Shadowless 1,200 13 12 11 9.5
Flat 800 9 8 7 6
NORMAL 400 7 6.5 6 5
Contrasty 200 5.5 5 4.5 4
Very Contrasty 100 4.5 4 NR NR


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
New Delta 400 in D76 Full Strength, Agitate 5 sec per minute
Shadowless 1600 15.5 14 13 11
Flat 800 10.5 9.5 8.5 7.5
NORMAL 400 7 6.5 6 5
Contrasty 250 6 5.5 5 4.5
Very Contrasty 160 5 4.5 4 NR


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
AGFA APX 25, Rodinal 1:50
Shadowless 50 20 18 16.5 14.5
Flat 32 12 11 10 9
NORMAL 16 8 7.5 6.5 6
Contrasty 12 6 5.5 5 4.5
Very Contrasty 8 4.5 4 NR NR


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
AGFA APX 100, Rodinal 1:25
Shadowless 160 12 11 10 8.5
Flat 100 8 7.5 6.5 6
NORMAL 50 5.5 5 4.5 4
Contrasty 32 4 3.75 (NR) NR NR
Very Contrasty 25 NR NR NR NR


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
AGFA APX 400, Rodinal 1:25
Shadowless 1,200 10.5 9.75 9 7.75
Flat 800 7.75 6.5 6 5.25
NORMAL 320 5 4.5 4.25 3.75 (NR)
Contrasty 250 4 3.5 (NR) NR NR


Film, Developer, Subject Contrast ASA/ISO 68° F 70° F 72° F 75° F
AGFA APX 400, Microphen (Full Strength)
Shadowless 1,250 13 12 11 9.5
Flat 640 8.5 7.5 7 6
NORMAL 320 6 5.5 5 4.5
Contrasty 160 4 3.75 (NR) NR NR

TECHNOLOGICAL BASES:

The Average Gardients [Gbar] (sometimes called Contrast Index) are assumed to be based on condenser or condenser emulating enlargers (as would be found in color heads).

Shadowless Lighting 1:1: Gbar .70
Flat Lighting 1:2-1:4: Gbar .59
Normal Lighting 1:6-1:10: Gbar .49
Contrasty Lighting 1:16 +/-: Gbar .43
Very Contrasty Lighting1:32+/-: Gbar 36


For the above Avererage Gradients & exposures, the net densities will be .70 (grey card).

For true diffusion enlargers, increased exposure and development will be needed.

During his illustrious carreer, H. Lynn Jones spent 28 years as Contributing Editor for The Rangefinder magazine, and has written for View Camera Magazine, PhotoGraphic, Sminthsonian, Sky and Telescope, and Photo Lab Management magazines. He is the former Chairman of Photographic Technology, Austin Community College, Austin, TX.

The contents of this article may not be reproduced without Prof. Jones's written permission.

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