Harman Technology has released a limited run of Ilford Delta 400 Professional in 35mm, coated on a clearer base with anti-halation protection and dressed in an all-black cassette and carton.
Ilford Delta 400 Professional has been one of our go-to black-and-white films for years, a reliable all-rounder that copes with everything from street work in poor light to pushed documentary shooting. So a new version of it is worth paying attention to, even if it only turns up in small numbers.
The Delta 400 Professional Collector’s Edition uses the same emulsion as the standard film, but Harman has coated it on a clearer roll film base with anti-halation protection. This is the first time Ilford has used this type of base on a 35mm black-and-white film.
According to Ilford, the change brings improvements in dynamic range, shadow detail, sharpness and scanning, and reduces halation around bright highlights. The film speed, characteristics and processing times stay the same as regular Delta 400 Professional, so you can drop it straight into your existing development routine without adjusting times or chemistry.
The limited edition also has a new look, with an all-black cassette and carton that will appeal to collectors as much as shooters.
A test run for a new base
Ilford has been open about why the film is being made in such small numbers. Speaking to PetaPixel, the company described the release as a test to see whether there is a market for it. If enough photographers like the results, it could go into regular production, although Ilford says the price would likely be higher than the existing film because of the extra cost of the anti-halation layer.
This follows limited-edition runs of HP5 Plus and XP2 Super earlier this year, and it’s good to see Harman experimenting with its established films rather than just repackaging them. The clearer base should make a noticeable difference for anyone who scans their negatives, and reduced halation is a welcome improvement for night and high-contrast scenes where Delta 400 is often used.
Our advice is simple: if you shoot Delta 400 regularly, pick up a few rolls while you can and compare them with a standard roll shot on the same day. Your feedback could decide whether this becomes a permanent option.
Ilford Delta 400 Professional Collector’s Edition specifications
- Film type: Black-and-white negative
- ISO: 400
- Format: 35mm, 36 exposures
- Base: Clearer roll film base with anti-halation protection
- Processing: Same as standard Ilford Delta 400 Professional
- Packaging: All-black cassette and carton
Ilford Delta 400 Professional Collector’s Edition price and availability
The Ilford Delta 400 Professional Collector’s Edition is available now in very limited numbers, priced at £13.08 per roll from the Ilford Photo shop in the UK. In the US it sells for $15.19 per roll through selected retailers.
