Ilford Delta 100 Review (35mm & 120 B&W Film Portraits)
A short Ilford Delta 100 review to share some example images using this impressive B&W film. Delta 100 black and white film is one of my favourites, both 35mm and 120 film format and you will see why –
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Ilford Delta 100 Film – About (What Ilford Say!)
Ilford Delta 100 – “ISO 100, medium speed, exceptionally fine grain, black & white film. Ideal for uncompromising image makers who want to capture maximum detail and sharpness”.
Ilford Delta 100 Film Developing
As with all the black and white film I shoot I currently develop Ilford Delta 100 film in Kodak Xtol developer (sometimes with Rodinal added to the solution). I’ve always been happy with the results obtained with the film /developer combination so have not looked to change.
For the 35mm Leica film cameras (plus Nikon cameras and others) I enjoy shooting Ilford Delta 100 35mm film. If I want to obtain as much detail as possible from a 35mm film negative then I usually consider Delta 100 as a strong contender. Ilford Delta 100 film gives me a near perfect balance of sharpness, detail and contrast for my taste. Ilford Pan F 50 film offers finer grain but it is easy to lose highlight detail (for me). Ilford Pan 100 film gives 80-90% of the Delta 100 quality for a slightly lower price (if you can find it for sale). (For my taste).
Ilford Delta 100 120 Film
If i’m using a Hasselblad camera or any of my other medium format film cameras I often go to Ilford Delta 100 120 film if I feel the subject is worth this premium priced film. The detail captured on 6×6 / 6×7 film negatives is amazing with 120 Delta 100. The Delta 100 film scans are a joy to edit. For much of my medium format film photography I now use Fomapan 100 Classic film. Foma 100 film gives the “best bang for your buck” performance (for me) but I do treat myself to Delta 100 film now and again.
Ilford Delta 100 Flickr Images
Here are a sample of some of my Ilford Delta 100 Flickr photos to give a taster of what this film can achieve. (Click each/ any photo to see the camera / lens / developing used).
35mm Ilford Delta 100 Sample Photos
120 Ilford Delta 100 Sample Photos
Ilford Delta 100 Review Summary
You may have guessed from this short Ilford Delta 100 review that I like this film. Definitely up there with the best black and white films available. If money is no issue and you have lots of light to shoot in I would recommend trying some Delta 100 film. It wont disappoint. If you wanted a cheaper option in 35mm format you could try Kentmere 100 film which is also an Ilford film.
Ilford Delta 100 Price
You can usually find the Ilford Delta 100 price on Amazon to be quite reasonable. Here are a few links to the multi-pack film bundles I normally get:
More Ilford Delta 100 Photos
- Leica M3 vs Nikon F4 Shoot Out (using Ilford Delta 100 35mm film)
- Hasselblad vs Mamiya Shoot Out (using Ilford Delta 100 120 film)
More Film Photography Blog Posts
- How to Process Film to Digital (Develop, Scan, Edit)
- How to Develop Film at Home (Step by Step Guide)
- Rodinal Stand Development / Semi-Stand (Guide)
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