Ilford Delta 100 is everything they say it is! Let's try it out with the Pentax K1000 Film Camera

I would have expected this film to be more costly than it actually is, especially compared to other 'professional' films like Kodak Portra 160, 400 and 800 in either 35mm and 120 formats.

But to the contrary, as of this article, I can buy it locally for about $8.50 US, while Kodak Portra 160 is over $12. Even Ilford's own sister-black and white 'consumer grade' film FP4 is only .50 cents per roll less than the Delta 100.

What the manufacturer says:  “Delta 100, medium speed, exceptionally fine grain, black & white film. Ideal for uncompromising image makers who want to capture maximum detail and sharpness."

GRAIN

One of the characteristics you'd expect from a 'professional' film like Delta 100 is clarity, sharpness and fine grain. As I'll explain below, my Cinestill DF96 developer is known to enlarge grain slightly (even though I haven't come to a definitive conclusion that it does), it still came out very fine in my 35mm experimental roll.

I like to capture a clear blue sky on a sunny day in order to judge grain patterns and clarity. This film definitely passes the test in both regards. The grain is visible, but only enough to let the viewer know it was shot on film. Other than that, it's a consistent grain across the frame, and does add a nice pro touch to the images.

SHARPNESS

Starting with my usual disclaimer that the lens is more apt to decide sharpness in regards to film, the film certainly plays a role in it as well.

Delta 100 is one of the sharper films on the market, and it comes through spectacularly when zooming in to power lines, or brick/roofing patterns.

It's a given that Delta 100 would be an excellent portrait film due to the sharpness and fine grain, however, I don't do portraits so for me, it's all about how an urban setting will appear in the final image. Is there such a thing as 'too perfect' regarding fine grain film in a gritty, urban setting? No. The more info you can capture, the better, but is it necessary in this sort of setting, or wildlife/nature? No. It's all preference.

DEVELOPMENT

For development of this film I used my usual Cinestill DF96 Monobath. As I say in most of my reviews, I like this developer because it's quick and does not need a separate fixer to finalize the development.

Many reviews will say using DF96 brings out slightly more grain than usual in most films. That may be the case, but I like film grain so it's not an issue with me. And in regards to Delta 100, it was still incredibly smooth and I didn't notice amplified grain.