Development

Ilford Delta 3200(6400 ISO)	Ilford Ilfosol 3
Format:	35mm
Exposed at:	6400 ISO
Developer dilution:	1+9
Development time:	18 minutes
Temperature :	20°C
Agitation:	30 seconds initially, then 10 seconds every minute

Limited Results Inherent to Using a 3200 ISO Film in 35mm

I have shot with Delta 3200 in 35mm many times using a wide range of developers (Ilford DDX, LC29, Perceptol, and Ilfosol 3 among them).

And I have never been fully satisfied with the technical results – both because of the grain, which I find far too pronounced, and because of the somewhat limited tonal range.

No matter which developer is used, there is not much to expect in terms of acutance when shooting 35mm. Unlike the cover image, which is underexposed and increases visible grain, the exposure here is technically correct.

Of course, these results can still be appreciated. Especially when photographing unusual night subjects.

Much Better in Medium Format

However, there is a significant performance gap between 35mm and medium format when using a film with this level of sensitivity. I also find medium format negatives much easier to work with in post-processing.

Photo taken with Ilford Delta 3200 and a medium format camera. The grain becomes less pronounced in medium format, although it never fully disappears. The tonal range, however, is far richer.

L’utilisation de l’Ilfosol 3

As for using this developer, I find the results quite good within this context (35mm Delta 3200 pushed to 6400 ISO).

From memory, the tonal rendering may be slightly softer or flatter than with some other developers, but that ultimately comes down to personal taste.

The grain is inevitably present, but it does not become overly intrusive.