ILFORD Delta 400 LE - Film Review

Ilford Delta 400 Limited Edition (LE) Review

Ilford Delta 400 Limited Edition (LE) is a unique version of Ilford’s popular Delta 400 black-and-white negative film. While it uses the exact same emulsion as standard Delta 400, this limited release features a different film base, resulting in a slightly different negative with some potential technical advantages. Despite these differences, photographers can expect essentially the same image quality, tonal characteristics, and versatility that make Delta 400 one of the most reliable 400 ISO black-and-white films available.

Like standard Delta 400, the Limited Edition delivers exceptionally fine grain for its 400 iso speed, impressive sharpness, and medium to low contrast with a beautiful tonal range. It is arguably the most versatile film in the Delta lineup, performing exceptionally well in everything from bright daylight to overcast conditions, artificial lighting, and low-light environments. Its ability to retain detail in both highlights and shadows makes it particularly well suited for high-contrast scenes, while its wide exposure latitude gives photographers plenty of flexibility when metering.

What makes Delta 400 LE different is its film base. Rather than using the traditional 35mm base, Ilford coated the same Delta 400 emulsion onto its 120 film base and cut it into 35mm rolls. This base is clearer and features an anti-halation backing that is not present on the standard 35mm version. The result is a lower minimum density (D-min) of approximately 0.12 compared to 0.30 for standard Delta 400. According to Ilford, this difference has the potential to subtly improve dynamic range, shadow detail, and even perceived sharpness when scanning or making traditional darkroom prints.

In practice, however, the differences between Delta 400 LE and standard Delta 400 are extremely subtle. When looking at properly exposed and developed images, it can be difficult to distinguish one from the other. Both produce the same fine grain, sharp detail, and excellent tonal separation. The most noticeable difference is actually in the negatives themselves, as the Limited Edition’s clearer base gives them a distinctly different appearance compared to standard Delta 400 negatives.

The Limited Edition base is also slightly thinner than the standard 35mm version, although both use triacetate. While this could theoretically make the film slightly less robust, Ilford tested it in cameras and reported no issues. Because the emulsion remains unchanged, Delta 400 LE retains the same ISO 400 speed, exposure characteristics, and development times as standard Delta 400. No special processing adjustments are required.

Interestingly, this Limited Edition was an intentional experiment rather than a manufacturing mistake. Ilford took a portion of a master roll originally coated for 120 film production and cut it into 35mm rolls to evaluate how the different base would perform. Because only a small portion of the original coating was used, production was limited from the beginning.

Ilford Delta 400 LE is available exclusively in 35mm, and while it is a limited release, it is still available for purchase at the time of this review. Availability will naturally become more limited as supplies sell out. If Ilford makes this version more widely available in the future, we’ll update our Film Index with additional purchasing information.

Here at The Darkroom, we develop, scan, and print Delta 400 regularly, and it remains one of our favorite versatile black-and-white films. After comparing the Limited Edition with the standard version, we found that the actual photographic results are remarkably similar. The clearer negatives are certainly interesting, particularly for photographers who scan their own film or make traditional darkroom prints, but the familiar Delta 400 look remains largely unchanged.

If you’re already a fan of Delta 400, the Limited Edition is absolutely worth trying, especially if you’re interested in the technical differences between film bases. Just don’t expect an entirely different look. Delta 400 LE is essentially the Delta 400 you already know and love, with a unique clear base and some subtle potential improvements to an already excellent black-and-white film.