i was loading a roll (my first) of delta 3200 on the reel and it started feeling like it was misaligning so i tried to pull it out and start over when it just tore right in half about the middle of the roll, i do not believe i put much pressure on the film, it just tore very quickly with little force... anyway i loaded it on in two pieces and developed it and the negatives look fine (except the nice frame that was torn in half).... i was just wondering if delta 3200 is known for tearing easily or being extremely fragile? there are a couple of frames on that roll i would have been very upset about if they were the ones that ended up in two pieces...

thanks

joe

ps- thanks ed and everyone for the suggestions on developing this film, i used the xtol 1:1 and think the negatives are great, i'm confident i'll be able to make some nice prints (hopefully tonight) from my first roll

-- Joe H (joe1013_@excite.com), May 18, 2001

Answers

Joe...I've processed about 100 rolls of 35mm & 120 D3200. I've never found it at all "fragile". I usually tear the film off a 35mm cartridge spool. D3200 was just as tough to tear off as any other film. I stopped the tearing when I noticed all sorts of static marks on the 3200. As an aside thanks Ed & John Hicks for your invaluable information on processing the D3200.

-- Jim Vanson (p645n@hotmail.com), May 18, 2001.

Funny you should raise this as I think the film base is a bit flimsy. Why? Well my neg carrier is glassless and I've never experienced any problems with any films except 120 Delta 3200. I could not get a focused print. Eventually I watched the film under a grain magnifier when making an exposure and saw the film base move out of focus with the very minimal heat the enlarger bulb was putting through it. A bit like a tranny popping in a projector but less so.

Bri

-- Brian W. Thomas (brit@bwphoto.freeserve.co.uk), June 14, 2001.