120 Ilford DELTA 400
Product information
120 Ilford DELTA 400| Manufacturer | Ilford |
| Film | Delta 400 |
| Type | Black and White |
| ISO | 400 |
| Format | 120 Medium Format |
Ilford Delta 400 120: Extreme Speed and Sharpness in Medium Format
Shooting with medium format cameras means seeking the maximum possible resolution. The Ilford Delta 400 120 delivers that clinical sharpness without sacrificing speed. This film roll is the ultimate tool for photographers who need to freeze motion or work with changing natural light. It is indispensable for documentary photography, outdoor fashion and studio portraiture with a purely modern look.
What makes the Ilford Delta 400 film roll in 120 special?
The magic of this emulsion lies in its architecture. It does not use traditional silver crystals. It uses the avant-garde Core-Shell technology. This tabular grain structure allows light to be captured immensely efficiently. The result on the huge 6×6 or 6×7 negative is absolute visual cleanliness, with an absence of grain that seems to defy the laws of physics for an ISO 400.
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Tabular cleanliness also in 35mm.
If you love the clinical sharpness and agility of this technical emulsion, load it every day. Get this same chemical miracle in standard 35mm format to make the most of your SLR lenses on the street.
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Technical Specifications and Basic Comparison
Mastering a film of this sophistication requires knowing its technical data sheet down to the millimeter. We break down the exact chemical profile of this British gem.
- Format: Medium Format (120).
- Nominal sensitivity: ISO 400 / 27°.
- Emulsion type: Panchromatic black and white (Core-Shell Tabular Grain).
- Base support: Clear acetate (0.11 mm).
- Development: Standard B/W chemistry (Ideal with solvent chemicals).
| Feature | Ilford Delta 400 120 | Ilford HP5 Plus 120 |
|---|---|---|
| Grain Technology | Core-Shell (flat tabular) | Cubic (classic traditional) |
| Visual Look | Clinical, hyper-sharp, modern | Textured, soft, vintage |
| Exposure tolerance | Strict (Requires careful metering) | Massive (Forgives almost everything) |
Technical Variables of the Film
- Contrast and Tonal Range: Medium-high contrast. Its response curve is surprisingly linear. It separates midtones with surgical precision, avoiding muddy transitions.
- Spectral Sensitivity: Standard panchromatic. It responds predictably to daylight and tungsten, performing excellently with yellow and orange contrast filters.
- Grain Structure: Flat Core-Shell crystals. Grain is almost invisible in the large size of 120 format. It provides a clean, commercial aesthetic.
- Acutance: Brilliant. Architectural edges and skin textures are defined with a micro-sharpness that fully exploits the best lenses on the market.
- Resolution (Resolving Power): Extremely high. It far exceeds classic films of the same speed. Perfect for very high-resolution scans.
- Push/Pull Flexibility: Very good. It tolerates clean pushes to ISO 800 and 1600. At 3200 contrast spikes, but it keeps edges structured.
- Base Support and Antihalation Layer: Premium acetate base. It includes an effective antihalation layer that protects your highlights from unwanted halation.
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Why buy your Ilford Delta 400 120 at Camera Market?
We have been getting the most out of Ilford's Core-Shell technology in our lab for over ten years. We are a team of real, active analog professionals. We know that modern tabular emulsions demand rigorous chemical control. We keep our entire stock in optimal conditions to guarantee its stability. We ship your rolls within 24/48 hours with absolute safety. If you have questions about which developer to use with this technical beast, a specialist will advise you by phone with pleasure.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Ilford Delta 400 in 120
| Advantages (Pros) | Disadvantages (Cons) |
|---|---|
| Unbeatable speed/sharpness ratio; it looks like a giant ISO 100. | Very demanding with light metering; it does not forgive underexposure. |
| The acetate base dries wonderfully flat and straight. | It lacks the "soul" and vintage texture of classic films. |
| It responds excellently to moderate pushing (Push to 800). | It devours the fixer bath; it requires longer fixing times. |
Comparison Table: Delta 400 versus similar 120 film rolls
| Medium Format ISO 400 Film | Visual Profile and Grain | Tonal Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Ilford Delta 400 120 | Imperceptible tabular grain, clinical, modern | Perfect linear transitions |
| Kodak T-Max 400 120 | Ultra-fine T-Grain, aggressive acutance | Slightly higher contrast |
| Ilford HP5 Plus 120 | Classic cubic grain, very evident texture | Soft, organic, pictorial |
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The classic giants Top sellers in 120.
Find out which ISO 400 film rolls professionals are loading into their backs. Explore our section of black and white in medium format 120 to discover the most foolproof films from the lab.
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Development Times for Ilford Delta 400 120 (at 20°C)
This cutting-edge technology requires precise processing. We show you the verified lab times to get the most out of your emulsion at home.
| Developer | Dilution | Exposed ISO | Time (Minutes) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ilfotec DD-X | 1+4 | 400 | 8 min (Highly recommended!) |
| Kodak D-76 / ID-11 | Stock (Pure) | 400 | 9.5 min |
| Kodak XTOL | Stock (Pure) | 400 | 7.5 min |
| Kodak HC-110 | Dilution B | 400 | 7.5 min |
Camera Market Pro Tip: The perfect pair
We frequently see customers disappointed after developing Ilford Delta 400 with Adox Rodinal seeking “maximum acutance.” The result is usually coarse, sharp and unattractive grain.
The master lab technique: Modern tabular emulsions (Core-Shell) were designed industrially in parallel with solvent chemicals. Rodinal is a classic surface chemical that does not get along well with these flat crystals. To extract the true technical magic of this roll (absence of noise and stunning sharpness), you must invariably process it with Ilfotec DD-X or Kodak XTOL. These modern liquids will protect the fine structure of its crystals, delivering a 120 negative so pure it will look digital.
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Physical Behavior and Scanability
We address the greatest ergonomic triumph of this British brand, being a blessing for those who digitize at their own desk.
Planarity (Film Curling)
The acetate support used by Ilford is astonishingly noble. After drying it properly with a wetting agent, the wide 120 strip lies exquisitely flat and straight. It lacks the maddening lateral bowing suffered by other polyester films. Positioning these enormous negatives on your Epson scanner or digitizing camera will be an agile process, ensuring clinical focus in all corners.
Inversion Profiles (Scanning)
Inverting Delta 400 in Negative Lab Pro is a piece of cake. Its clean base and impeccable gray linearity make it enormously easy to nail the white point. Apply linear or Frontier emulation profiles. Lacking intrusive grain, the resulting TIFF file withstands digital sharpening masks very well without the image filling up with noisy artifacts.
To the Limit: Extreme Exposure and Zone System
Know the inflexible photochemical red lines of this technical film roll to protect your frames.
The Reciprocity Failure
It suffers a standard light fatigue. From 1 second of exposure, it requires applying Ilford's mathematical compensation table ($p=1.33$). If your light meter dictates 10 seconds, the film will demand about 25 real seconds of exposure. The use of a robust tripod and cable release is mandatory when the sun goes down.
Extreme Push and Pull
It responds brilliantly to controlled pushing. Pushing this film to ISO 800 or 1600 with DD-X is a delight; contrast rises cleanly isolating the subject. In the opposite direction, Pulling to ISO 200 will tame any high-contrast outdoor scene, offering infinite tonal transitions in the sky.
Dynamic Range Map
It offers asymmetric tolerance. It retains sublime detail in the highlights (Zone VIII and IX). However, it punishes underexposure without mercy. If the deep shadow area falls below Zone III, it will plunge into an unrecoverable solid black. Always meter by exposing generously for the shadows.
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Expert Technical Management Medium Format Lab.
We measure the DD-X times and the extended fixing for you. Send us your exposed 120 film roll for an immaculate artisanal processing and a hyper-sharp TIFF scan that will amaze.
Request Professional 120 Processing
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Camera Market Pro Tip: The pink trap in the negative
A recurring headache when removing the spiral from the Ilford Delta 400 120 is discovering that the negative support retains a strong pink, magenta or purple tint, which hinders the visual evaluation of the shadows.
The chemical secret of fixing: Tabular grain or Core-Shell films (the entire Delta and T-Max family) contain specific sensitizing dyes that are stubborn to remove. Additionally, these emulsions exhaust the fixer bath (Rapid Fixer) much faster than classic films like HP5. To obtain a crystalline and transparent base, you must double the usual fixing time (for example, from 4 to 8 minutes) and make sure your chemical is not too used. If the pink tone persists, a prolonged final wash in running water will finish dissolving it.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Ilford Delta 400 120 (FAQ)
What technical difference is there between Ilford HP5 Plus and Delta 400?
The difference lies in the silver structure. HP5 uses traditional crystals that offer a classic, smooth look with a lot of latitude against errors. Delta 400 uses modern tabular technology, delivering superior sharpness and almost invisible grain, although it demands more precise light metering.
Is Kodak T-Max 400 or Ilford Delta 400 better in medium format?
Both are the pinnacle of tabular grain technology. T-Max 400 usually offers somewhat more biting micro-contrast. Delta 400 stands out for a more docile tonal transition in the mid-grays, which makes scanning and editing easier. The final choice depends on each photographer's personal taste.
Which chemical developer is most suitable for this film?
Ilford formulated the Ilfotec DD-X liquid developer specifically to maximize the performance of the Delta family. Using it at 1+4 dilution ensures the best relationship between sharpness and shadow detail. In powder form, Kodak XTOL is an excellent alternative with very similar results.
How much does it cost to process this technical film roll at Camera Market?
We apply our standard laboratory rate for manual black and white processing in 120 format. As it is a demanding tabular film, we use high-end solvent chemicals and guarantee exhaustive fixing. You can add the TIFF scanning service on our website.
Can I push Delta 400 120 to use it at night?
Yes, it responds very well to pushing to ISO 800 or 1600; contrast will increase cleanly and grain will become somewhat more present. However, if you need to shoot in extreme darkness at ISO 3200, we recommend going directly for Ilford Delta 3200.
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The native ecosystem Ilfotec DD-X Developer.
Don't ruin Core-Shell technology with basic chemicals. Use the Ilfotec DD-X liquid developer, formulated by Ilford expressly to extract perfect shadow density in your Delta films.
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Combine speed and optical resolution without compromises
The Ilford Delta 400 120 represents the pinnacle of photochemical technology applied to photojournalism and fashion portraiture. Its Core-Shell tabular structure annihilates the visual noise of high sensitivities, crowning it as the mandatory ammunition for creators who demand the sharpness of an ISO 100 with the versatility of an ISO 400. Do not let classic grain cloud the precision of your medium format crystals. Add several rolls to your basket right now and benefit from our insured and fast 24/48-hour shipping. Remember that our lab masters are eager to apply the exact DD-X chemistry that will unlock the brilliance of your immense negatives.
120 Ilford DELTA 400 is in <strong>perfect working condition</strong>. Each unit has been rigorously inspected by our specialized technical team, guaranteeing optimal performance.
The specific cosmetic condition (possible signs of use, superficial scratches, etc.) is detailed in the actual photos of the product and in the full description.
The purchase includes the 120 Ilford DELTA 400 and a <strong>warranty</strong> against manufacturing defects. As this is a second-hand product, accessories (caps, lens hood, case…) <strong>vary by unit</strong>.
Want to know exactly what this specific unit includes before buying? <strong>Message us via the website chat</strong> and we'll confirm right away.
All our products include a <strong>warranty</strong> covering any manufacturing defect or technical failure.
<strong>You can extend the warranty of your item:</strong>
- <strong>12 months</strong> of full coverage for only <strong>{price_12}</strong> (one-time payment)
- <strong>24 months</strong> of maximum peace of mind for <strong>{price_24}</strong> (one-time payment) — <em>recommended</em>
We also offer <strong>14-day no-questions-asked returns</strong>. If you're not completely satisfied, you can return it for a full refund.
At Camera Market, most of our items are imported from Europe, so orders can take up to <strong>14 calendar days</strong> to arrive at your address.
However, we offer expedited delivery of <strong>4 to 5 business days</strong> for selected products with immediate availability. All shipments include a <strong>tracking number</strong> so you can track your order in real time.
Comprar the 120 Ilford DELTA 400 reacondicionado y certificado en Camera Market te ofrece <strong>múltiples ventajas</strong>:
- <strong>Significant savings:</strong> Prices up to 40-60% lower than new, without compromising quality or performance
- <strong>Guaranteed quality:</strong> Each product is inspected, tested and verified by specialized technicians
- <strong>Warranty included:</strong> standard coverage, extendable with the optional extension
- <strong>Sustainable purchase:</strong> You contribute to the circular economy and reduce the environmental impact of electronics
- <strong>Accessible professional equipment:</strong> Get high-end models at more competitive prices
Our refurbished photography equipment maintains the same optical and technical performance as new. Depreciation does not affect image quality or performance, only the price.
