my 1st. diafine experience

back alley · 06-05-2005

very easy to use.

i liked the tri-x@1600 but the hp5@1600 was way too grainy for me.

too bad i used the 'new' 28 with the hp5 - too many variables...
the tri-x was shot with the 35/2 in very contrasty light. (the bar)

whatcha think?

joe

1,2,3, tri-x

4,5, hp5

ray_g · 06-05-2005

Good looking shots, Joe. I, too, like the Tri-X shots better. I may need to get some Diafine, too.

Too bad B&H refuses to ship it.

rover · 06-05-2005

I am a TriX guy so of course....

peter_n · 06-05-2005

I like the Tri-X, especially the bloke drinking a pint (wish I was doing that right now). Ray, Adorama has Diafine cheaper than B&H and will ship it and if you click to Adorama through RFF Jorge gets a little cut too!

doubs43 · 06-05-2005

Maybe you're seeing something in your scans that I'm not but the HP-5 looks pretty darned good to me!

Walker

back alley · 06-05-2005

walker,
i just think the tri-x is better and it's at 1600 while the hp5 isn't as good at 1600.
i'm guessing it would be better at 800 as prescribed.

joe

Todd.Hanz · 06-05-2005

Of course the lighting is a bit different between the two, hard to say which is better, nice pics Joe, 35mm in the first 3? You were in real close eh?

back alley · 06-05-2005

sitting right next to him.
edges are cropped for a trim that's all.

joe

Nick R. · 06-05-2005

Really like the look of the tri-x compared to the hp-5. I hope it's the lens or the speed or the lighting 'cause I just ordered a 100' roll of hp-5 and my favorite developer is Diafine.

T_om · 06-05-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick R.

Really like the look of the tri-x compared to the hp-5. I hope it's the lens or the speed or the lighting 'cause I just ordered a 100' roll of hp-5 and my favorite developer is Diafine.

HP5+ is one of my favorites too. I love the look in Diafine. You can only get about 800 out of it though, it needs more exposure than Tri-X to do well.

Tom

FrankS · 06-05-2005

Beautiful, Tom!

rover · 06-05-2005

I processed 5 rolls in Diafine today and have posted some shots from the two I have gotten to scan in my gallery and a couple threads.

It is just an easy developer to use and with the summer coming I know that it will keep me going without having to worry about the temp of the soup.

back alley · 06-05-2005

no more hp5@1600 for me.

i have 100 feet of tri-x soon to be in the bulk loader.

and apparently enough diafine to last for years...

joe

Marc Jutras · 06-05-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by peter_n

Ray, Adorama has Diafine cheaper than B&H and will ship it and if you click to Adorama through RFF Jorge gets a little cut too!

I wasn't planning to jump into the home processing thing but reading all that stuff about Diafine makes me believe it mght be a perfect tool for me as most of my shoots are in very dark and extremely contrasty conditions (if you've seen my gallery, you know what I mean).

I visited Adorama's site. Unfortunately, they say the small size packages are B.O. They only have the gallon size. My (probably very newbie) question is can I use only a part of the package to make a small quantity and save the rest or do I have to make the full gallon. Since I only have a small tank (2 spirals Patterson), a gallon of that stuff is ridiculous.

Thanks.

Roman · 06-05-2005

It is generally not recommended to only mix part of a powder developer - you can never be sure that all the active ingredients are well distributed (e.g. due to differences in specific weight, chemical A might be more abundant at the bottom of the package, and chem. B at the top).

Roman

T_om · 06-05-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marc Jutras

I wasn't planning to jump into the home processing thing but reading all that stuff about Diafine makes me believe it mght be a perfect tool for me as most of my shoots are in very dark and extremely contrasty conditions (if you've seen my gallery, you know what I mean).

I visited Adorama's site. Unfortunately, they say the small size packages are B.O. They only have the gallon size. My (probably very newbie) question is can I use only a part of the package to make a small quantity and save the rest or do I have to make the full gallon. Since I only have a small tank (2 spirals Patterson), a gallon of that stuff is ridiculous.

Thanks.

Please DO NOT try and 'evenly divide' the chemicals. In my experience, it just never works.

Huron Camera may have the smaller size, but really, the price difference is negligible and a gallon kit will last you a LONG time.

Tom

Doug · 06-05-2005

Looking good, Joe! I do like that first shot best. And T_om I think yours is great!

I certainly agree about dividing powdered chemicals. That's one of the advantages of liquid.

back alley · 06-05-2005

thanks doug.

joe

taffer · 06-06-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marc Jutras

I wasn't planning to jump into the home processing thing but reading all that stuff about Diafine makes me believe it mght be a perfect tool for me as most of my shoots are in very dark and extremely contrasty conditions (if you've seen my gallery, you know what I mean).

I visited Adorama's site. Unfortunately, they say the small size packages are B.O. They only have the gallon size. My (probably very newbie) question is can I use only a part of the package to make a small quantity and save the rest or do I have to make the full gallon. Since I only have a small tank (2 spirals Patterson), a gallon of that stuff is ridiculous.

Thanks.

I asked the exact same question when starting, and got the same wise answer

I wouldn't worry about having it stored in liquid form, been using the same 1 litre batch for almost one year, and even if the thing is damned ugly by now, it just keep going and going strong and I have it in plain clear plastic coke bottles.

Those are some really good shots Joe ! I'm so happy you joined the Diafine train

2,3 and 4 are my favs. As for HP5, it was the first roll I processed with Diafine and must say it didn't convince me. To my taste, it had a sort of too uniform grain in all areas that gave me an overall sandpaper or grittyness feeling, I pretty much go with Tri-X or Neopan 400 nowadays.

But these are just my tastes...

PS: And btw, #2 is a nice homage picture

Marc Jutras · 06-06-2005

Thanks for the help guys.

I thought it was a waste to have 4 times the quantity I need but I guess it'll only last longer.

peter_n · 06-06-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by taffer

I pretty much go with Tri-X or Neopan 400 nowadays.

Oscar I saw the Neopan 400/Diafine shots you posted over on PN. I'm curious about your own sense of the contrast this combination provides. I'm impressed with the fine grain, but I do wonder about the "punch" that I definitely get with Neopan 400 and XTOL development.

Nick R. · 06-06-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by T_om

HP5+ is one of my favorites too. I love the look in Diafine. You can only get about 800 out of it though, it needs more exposure than Tri-X to do well.

Tom

Tom,
Thanks for the reassurance. I Love that photo. Now I can't wait to get my 100' of hp5.
-Nick

FYI, I find it very convenient to buy two one gallon containers of distilled water from the supermarket and mix up a gallon of solutions A & B each. I don't store it in those containers, though --too flimsy.

back alley · 06-06-2005

remember nick, my hp5 was shot at 1600 against recommendation.

i think at 800 will be much better.

but hey, now i know...

joe

taffer · 06-06-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by peter_n

Oscar I saw the Neopan 400/Diafine shots you posted over on PN. I'm curious about your own sense of the contrast this combination provides. I'm impressed with the fine grain, but I do wonder about the "punch" that I definitely get with Neopan 400 and XTOL development.

Peter, I only tried Neopan 400 in Diafine... in fact Diafine is the only developer I use, so I try to stick with films which I like souped on it. I know that I could try some other developers and sure some of them could give outstanding combinations of film/dev, but with the summer already here I'd had a hard time trying to control chemical temperature, and I'm just plain lazy

So, currently it's the developer that dictates my film choice. Before that, when the lab processed my rolls, I used HP5+ and liked the results much better than when I processed it in Diafine.

But as Tom proves, you can use that combo for some outstanding shots, as always it's just a matter of personal choices.

As for those images, the ones from the park were quite hard to scan and adjust properly as they were quite overexposed. For more Neopan/Diafine examples, well, almost all my shots on the gallery come from that combination

Do you have some Neopan400/XTOL examples ?

peter_n · 06-06-2005

Thank you Oscar I will look in your gallery tonight.

I do have plenty of Neopan 400/XTOL examples in my gallery from a recent trip to Madrid. Most of the shots are NP400, a few are Acros 100 or NP1600. All were developed in XTOL (there are 20-25 of them total).