Development
| Rollei RPX 100 (100 ISO) | Ilford Perceptol |
| Format: | 35mm |
| Exposed at: | 100 ISO |
| Developer dilution: | Undiluted (stock) |
| Development time: | 9 minutes 30 secondes |
| Temperature: | 21°C |
| Agitation : | Continuous agitation for 30 seconds, then 10 seconds every minute |
Rollei RPX 100
Rollei RPX 100 is a low-to-medium sensitivity film with a traditional grain structure.
Ilford Perceptol
Ilford Perceptol is known as one of the developers that produces the finest grain. It is, of course, a solvent developer – a type generally recommended for tabular-grain films.
Tabular grain and highlights
As you can see with the can on the right, highlights tend to “blow out” quite easily.
Otherwise, the gray tones are soft and pleasing.
Further dilution would likely have helped preserve the highlights a bit more.
However, given the overcast conditions, this might have resulted in images that were too flat and lacking in contrast.
Wide grayscale and good dynamic range
It is possible to retain details both in the shadows under the arcade and outside, even if the sky is blown out.
The tonal range is broad and pleasant to look at.
A very fine grain at the expense of acutance
The grain is clearly very fine. However, personally, I would have preferred a bit more bite and sharpness in the edges – though this is subjective.
You may also notice that the lens used does not fully match the resolving power of the film.
Convincing results
Overall, I am quite satisfied with the images. When properly exposed, this film can deliver excellent results.
That said, while the grayscale is pleasingly smooth, a bit more acutance would be welcome.
Trying a different developer – perhaps a non-solvent one – could be worth exploring.
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