Ilford Delta 400 Professional 120 B&W Film

Choose Ilford DELTA 400 Professional in 120 format when you want the convenience and speed of ISO 400 without sacrificing too much fine detail. Compared with more traditional grain films, DELTA 400 has a cleaner and finer-grained appearance, making it particularly attractive for photographers who plan to make high-resolution scans or larger prints. Its ISO 400 speed also makes medium-format photography more practical in changing light. You can use faster shutter speeds than with ISO 100 or 125 films, which is especially useful when shooting handheld or photographing people. The combination of a large 120 negative and DELTA’s fine-grain emulsion makes it an excellent choice for photographers who want professional-quality black & white results with a modern, refined look.

Start at ISO 400. Box speed provides an excellent balance of detail, tonal range and grain. Give the shadows enough exposure. Accurate exposure helps maintain useful information in darker areas and produces easier-to-print or scan negatives. Try EI 200 for generous exposure. Giving the film additional exposure can improve shadow detail, with development adjusted if required. Push to EI 800 or 1600 when needed. DELTA 400 responds well to extended development when extra speed is required. EI 3200 is possible. This can be useful in very low light, although grain and contrast will increase and shadow detail will decrease. Tell your lab the exposure index used. If you shoot at anything other than ISO 400, let the lab know so development can be adjusted appropriately. Use a tripod when necessary. Although ISO 400 is relatively fast, medium-format cameras can still require slower shutter speeds in poor light. Focus carefully. The larger 120 negative records a lot of detail, so focusing errors are more noticeable, particularly with portraits at wider apertures. Remember frame count depends on your camera. A roll of 120 film produces different numbers of photographs depending on whether your camera shoots 6×4.5, 6×6, 6×7, 6×9 or another format. Use coloured filters creatively. Yellow, orange and red filters can darken blue skies and increase tonal separation. Remember to compensate for the filter factor. Scan at high resolution. DELTA 400 in 120 format can produce excellent detail and smooth tonal transitions when professionally scanned. Ilford DELTA 400 Professional requires conventional black & white development.