Ilford Delta 3200 .
Ilford claims Delta 3200 is the fastest black and white film available and that appears that could be the case. Both it and Kodak’s T-Max/Ektapan line have an effective exposure of 3200 when pushed. What does this mean — basically a film that is left longer in the developer to create a brighter image. What this gives is a film that can shoot in all low light situations: concerts, parties, events and any situation where you need the maximum sensitivity a film can give you.
But it’s not a one trick pony. It’s good whenever you need to freeze action — sport, fast-moving subjects or you’re hand-holding a heavy telephoto lens that you can’t keep still. 3200 film held at the same aperture means something you would shoot at 1/15sec with 100 rated film becomes 1/500sec with 3200 rated film. That’s the difference between a blurry shot and a sharp one.
With speed comes a few caveats: less detail and more grain than film rated 800 or below. Some photographers love chasing grain, others see it as something to be limited. What Delta Professional 3200 does provide is something few other films can — the ability to shoot in very low light and the ability to freeze action.
Because it’s a 3200 film it comes with a warning: do not put this in your luggage or carry-on when flying. Ask for it to be hand checked. Better still, buy it after you fly if you can.
- + Concert photography and other low light situations
- + Fast moving action like street, sports and wildlife
- + Cityscapes and urban architecture
- − When you want finer grain — choose Delta 100 or 400
- − Situations with good available light — choose Delta 100
- − When you want shallow depth of field — choose Delta 100 or 400
more from their film.
Delta 3200 is rated at EI 3200 by Ilford but its measured ISO is 1000 — the "3200" designation reflects the recommended meter setting for extended-development processing, not the emulsion's baseline sensitivity. In 35mm, the grain is visible and present — Ilford's Core-Shell crystal technology keeps it smoother and more compact than you'd expect from a conventional emulsion at this speed, but expect a noticeable, smooth grain structure that contributes to the tonal character rather than working against it. In 120, the larger negative makes the grain noticeably more forgiving at standard print sizes. The exposure latitude is wide for a high-speed film: Ilford documents usable results from EI 400 through EI 6400, and overexposure tolerance extends to four stops with clean highlights.
At box speed, Delta 3200 renders with moderate contrast — even and grey in mixed lighting, closer to HP5 Plus than to the crisper Delta 400. Pushing is well-documented: EI 6400 adds one stop and is straightforward; EI 12500 adds two stops with a noticeable contrast increase and some grain penalty. EI 25000 is possible with testing. Extended development times are required at every EI step, so the choice of EI must be made before shooting. Pulling is equally well-supported: development times are tabulated down to EI 400, giving three full stops of pull from box speed. The emulsion scans well — the smooth Core-Shell grain structure holds detail and scans with consistency.
Store Delta 3200 in its original packaging in a cool, dry place. Refrigerator or freezer storage is fine — allow the sealed roll or cassette to come fully to room temperature before opening. This film is more sensitive to environmental radiation than standard-speed stocks. Request hand inspection at airports rather than x-ray. Process exposed rolls promptly.