Ilford Delta 3200 in Diafine - Advice, please.

[chrism]

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I have a good deal of long-expired Delta 3200 in 120 size. It has been frozen since purchase, so the expiry is probably not an issue. I have developed it in Diafine before after exposure at ASA3200 (Can't quite stand all this ISO and EI stuff). The 35mm film came out wonderful. The 120 film was grainy enough to be sold as a Surform.

Thinking I will try it at 1600 next. Has anyone any experience to offer?

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[chrism]

So it's time to find out. I used up a roll, duplicating six shots one at 1250 and one at 1600 for each pair. Used my Polaris meter that I bought for flash and incident readings (it is smaller, lighter, less intimidating and more accurate than the Sekonic L-758DR!) Processed 3+3 in Diafine, with a pre-wash as I couldn't remember if Delta 3200 has a thick black AH layer like XP2 - you don't want to be pouring nasty black contamination back into the Diafine bottles - but it turned out it didn't. And just to mix things up, I did it in the motorized Lab-Box for the first time. That worked smoothly. The reel is sitting in my ancient Honeywell film dryer and later this afternoon we shall see. I took a sneak peak at the last neg on the reel, a 1600 one, and it looked decidedly thin. Maybe 800-1000 next time, but I shouldn't theorize in advance of the evidence as a smart colleague once wrote.

[otto.f]

Yes but Delta is always thinner than average. 
I do not understand the part with the 35mm film, I thought we were talking about 120 frozen only. Can you explain what you compare with what?

[chrism]

I have both frozen, 35mm and 120. Results in the past varied by film format, even though same exposure and development.

Today's film has been scanned. The 1250 exposures are better than the 1600, but still require a good deal of playing around with curves to become usable. I think I shall sacrifice another roll at 640/800, and I expect negatives that will be easier to use. Obviously, if I want to shoot 1600 I ought to be using XP2 and developing it for 18 minutes in HC-110, but the contents of the freezer must be used up! Over the next few days there will be posts in the "I Like Film" thread showing the 1250 results.

[250swb]

I'll be interested in the outcome when you post some photos. I'd have never thought to try Diafine with Delta 3200, my default position with any of the fast films (Neopan 1600 etc.) is to halve the ISO stated on the box, so 1600 at least for the Delta 3200, and embrace the grain or at least use Ilford DD-X as a halfway house between tone, grain and speed. But by the time you get to 800 ISO you may as well start pushing a slower film instead and look for a different developer for Delta 3200. I agree with Otto that Delta 3200 can look thin anyway.

[chrism]

I know - if I find 640 is right I might as well be pulling a roll of HP5+ out of the freezer, which likes 640 in Diafine. I'm just enjoying the convenience of Diafine, which along with the motorized Lab-Box and Kleen Dri film dryer are making film development very easy and quick. I do have quite a lot of HC-110 and clones, along with lots of Rodinal clones. If I'm stuck at 640 I'll probably try HC-110 next, as I would expect less grain than with Rodinal, and likely at 1250 as this is the reputed true speed of the film.

[chrism]

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But.....a little research shows me some rather appealing results from exposing at 3200 and developing semi-stand in Rodinal 1+100. That could be fun!