This black box may end up in one of two places: a collector's shelf or a camera. I would pick the camera — and if you want to keep the edition, buy two.
ILFORD Delta 400 Professional Collector's Edition is a limited run in all-black packaging, and the packaging is not the whole story. ILFORD says this batch uses a clearer roll film base with anti-halation protection, promising slightly more dynamic range, more shadow detail, higher sharpness and easier scanning. The ISO 400 rating and the development times are unchanged. It comes in 135/36 only, in very limited numbers.
The short version
| Property | ILFORD Delta 400 Collector's Edition |
|---|---|
| Type | Black-and-white negative film |
| Format | 135/36 |
| Box speed | ISO 400 |
| Technology | ILFORD Core-Shell |
| What changed | A clearer roll film base with anti-halation protection, per ILFORD |
| What stayed | ISO 400 and the standard Delta 400 development times |
| Packaging | All-black carton and cassette |
| Availability | Very limited run |
Regular Delta 400 vs the Collector's Edition
| Regular Delta 400 in 35mm | Collector's Edition 135/36 | |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | ISO 400 | ISO 400 |
| What is claimed about the emulsion | Core-Shell | No new emulsion announced; the stated change is the base |
| Base | Datasheet: 0.125mm acetate | Announcement: a clearer roll film base with anti-halation protection, exact thickness not published |
| Processing | Standard Delta 400 times | The same times |
| Formats | 135 and 120 | 135/36 only |
| Livery | Standard | All-black cassette and carton |
| Availability | Regular product | Very limited run |
ILFORD announced a change of base, not a new emulsion. The familiar Delta 400 look is not going anywhere, and the difference will be subtler than switching to a different film.
What anti-halation protection is for
Some of the light passes through the emulsion, reflects off the base and comes back. A halo appears around street lamps, windows and speculars, and fine detail next to them softens. The anti-halation layer absorbs that stray light and clears during processing.
For the Collector's Edition, ILFORD claims a clearer base and small improvements in shadows, sharpness and scanning. Until I have shot my own rolls, that is the manufacturer's claim — do not expect a different look.
What Delta 400 looks like
Fine, even grain for an ISO 400 film, and high sharpness. ILFORD builds it on its Core-Shell controlled crystal growth technology — not the same thing as Kodak T-Grain, though both films get chosen for detail without deliberately coarse grain.
Next to HP5 Plus the trade is clear: Delta has finer grain and more sharpness, but it wants more accurate exposure and more careful development. HP5 Plus is grainier and far more forgiving.
Hence a simple rule. Where fine detail and a clean scan matter, take Delta. Where it is easy to miss the exposure — handheld reportage — HP5 Plus is usually the safer roll.
Who it is for, and who can skip it
The edition makes sense if you already like Delta 400 and want to try it on a different base. Or if you scan a lot, often have bright sources in frame, or collect unusual film. It also makes a good gift for a film photographer: the black cassette genuinely looks different rather than carrying a different sticker.
You can skip it if what you need is the cheapest ISO 400, the 120 format, or a genuinely different look. ILFORD promises subtle gains from the base, not a change of character.
The run is very limited. In comments under the announcement ILFORD called it a test of demand: if the response is good the company may bring the version back — at a higher price than regular Delta 400, because of the extra anti-halation layer. A repeat is not guaranteed.
How to shoot it
Start at EI 400 and meter carefully, especially in contrasty scenes. Exposed accurately, Delta 400 gives a rich tonal scale, but it forgives mistakes less than HP5 Plus.
When light runs short you can rate it at EI 800, 1600 or 3200 and develop for the index you chose. Mark the real EI on the cassette and tell the lab. For a heavy push ILFORD recommends developers designed to hold effective speed — DD-X or MICROPHEN.
ISO 400 covers an overcast street, an interior by a window and an evening walk, so you rarely have to change film mid-day. If you are still choosing a speed, there is a separate guide: Film ISO: how to choose 100, 200, 400 or 800.
Development times at 20°C
Starting times from ILFORD's datasheet — spiral tank, intermittent agitation.
| Developer | Dilution | EI 400 | EI 800 | EI 1600 | EI 3200 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ILFOTEC DD-X | 1+4 | 8 min | 10½ min | 13½ min | 18 min |
| ID-11 / Kodak D-76 | stock | 9½ min | 11½ min | 14½ min | 19 min |
| MICROPHEN | stock | 6½ min | 8½ min | 10½ min | 14 min |
| ILFOSOL 3 | 1+9 | 7 min | 14 min | — | — |
| ILFOTEC LC29 | 1+19 | 7½ min | 10 min | 13½ min | — |
| Kodak Xtol | stock | 7½ min | 10 min | 13 min | 17 min |
A dash means ILFORD publishes no time for that combination. The table is a starting point: the result depends on your tank, agitation, the state of the chemistry and the contrast you want.
With continuous agitation, and in a rotary processor with no pre-soak, reduce the times by up to 15%. ILFORD advises against a pre-soak: it can lead to uneven processing.
You do not have to develop it yourself — development and scanning can be ordered from me, push processing to a stated EI included.
Where to order
The page for ILFORD Delta 400 Professional Collector's Edition 135/36 carries the current price, availability and lead time. If the edition sells out, or you need a different speed, see the film catalogue; if you are choosing your first roll, start with how to choose your first roll of film.
Keep one cassette on the shelf if you like, but put the second one through a camera — otherwise the most interesting thing about this edition stays a promise printed on the carton.
Frequently asked questions
How does the Collector's Edition differ from regular ILFORD Delta 400?
The carton and cassette are all black. The technical difference ILFORD claims is a clearer roll film base with anti-halation protection, with small gains in shadows, sharpness, dynamic range and scanning. ISO 400 and the development times are unchanged.
Is the Collector's Edition emulsion new?
ILFORD has not announced a new emulsion. The announcement describes a change of base, while speed and development times stay the same. It is a special version of the familiar Delta 400 rather than a new film.
Is it the same base as regular Delta 400 in 120?
ILFORD's wording is "a clearer roll film base with anti-halation protection". The datasheet describes the 120 base as 0.110mm clear acetate, but ILFORD has not published the exact thickness or make-up of the Collector's Edition base. Equating the two would be premature.
Which formats is it made in?
135/36 only. No 120 or sheet film version has been announced.
Can I rate it at EI 800, 1600 or 3200?
Yes. The Delta 400 datasheet allows EI 200–3200 with matching development. Tell the lab the real EI, or pick the time and developer yourself.
Does it need a different process?
No. ILFORD states the development times are the same as regular Delta 400. Account for temperature, agitation and the EI you chose.
Will scans be noticeably better?
ILFORD claims a small improvement from the clearer base, but how much depends on the scene, the development and the scanner. Without a paired test, it is the manufacturer's promise rather than a measured difference.