Best inexpensive film to use?

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nervetonic

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Please tell me which is the best film to use for the Yashica GSN. I'm looking for something with less grain, clear images, and a nice color balance. I'm sorry if I don't have the professional terms that you might be familiar with, because I'm not a schooled photographer. I'm learning as I go along, so your suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Brian
 
You don't say whether colour or b&w. If colour, I'd say Fuji Reala 100 or Kodak Portra 160. For b&w I'd say Agfa APX 100 (discontinued but still available), Kodak Tri-X or Fuji Neopan 100.

For cheaper, I'd say almost anything since most are Fuji or Kodak emulsions.
 
For b&w I'ld suggest Fomapan films. I've tested the 400 and it's awesome in Diafine (if you want to see an example, take a look at #2 among the finalists of the current FSU contest). I've got a brick of Fomapan 200 with me after having seen brilliant pictures and rave reviews made by very good people (you have to process in Rodinal), but haven't got around to testing it myself.
 
I'll second Fomapan. It's what I shoot 90% of the time. Inexpensive and I like the results. It is a traditional B&W film not a T-grain film. I develop it in Rodinal or Diafine. Freestyle sells Fomapan rebranded as Arista.EDU Ultra on their website http://freestylephoto.biz for $1.79-1.99/roll of 36. Also in 120 and sheets.

If you develop with Diafine, don't shoot it at the pushed ISO on the Diafine box, shoot it at the normal speed or you'll get very thin negatives. Fomapan does not get a speed push in Diafine like some films do. You might be able to scan the negatives just fine, but if you want to make prints in the darkroom you'll have a tough time. This goes for 120 and sheet film as well.

My other favorite film is Efke 25 ISO. Freestyle sells this as well.
 
Not really any bad print film nowadays. Even the drugstore branded stuff is pretty good. Since your learning as you go, buy some cheap priced film and have fun. Find a good processing lab to do your developing for you. Even the best professional grade films are only as good as the processing lab if you and camera have performed your task right. The Kodak bw400cn is a fav. of mine, and it's c-41 processing so you can get it dev. anywhere. So if your going to send your film out to be processed, finding a good lab is more important than film selection. I will add that I think Fuji color films give a more natural skin tone than Kodak.

BTW Welcome to RFF Brian

Greg
 
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Low speed color print - Kodak Gold 100
Walgreen's 200 speed is now Fuji (used to be Agfa).
Medium Speed color print - Fuji (from a pure price stand point. Kodak UC professional is the best in 400 but it's a little higher priced. Try to stock up if you catch a sale on it...)

Black and white -
In addition to those mentioned, you might try Ultrafine brand from Photowarehouse, which is rebadged Ilford FP4+ at $2.19 a roll of 36 (a beautiful film, love it in Rodinal or at ISO 200 in Diafine)
Check it out here: http://www.ultrafineonline.com/ulbwfiiso125.html

400 ISO here I think is Ilford Delta, another fine film at $2.39 a roll of 36.
http://www.ultrafineonline.com/ulbwfiiso400.html

Another consideration, which is what I do, is by 50' or 100' rolls of film, load it into a loader which are cheap and commonly available on eBay, and roll your own onto spent cartridges given to you for free at your local photo store (some don't give them away as they recycle them, others are glad to give them to you...)

I have 100' of Agfa Optima 400 color, 100' of Tri-X, and 50' of FP4+, and 50' of XP2 Super loaded into bulk loaders in the fridge. I'm fixed for film for a while, comes out to about $1.50 a roll, guessing.
 
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For colour: Solaris comes to mind. Made bu Ferrania, one of the largest colour film producers in the world.

For B&W: Lucky and Era film come to mind. From China.
 
cmth said:
...

If you develop with Diafine, don't shoot it at the pushed ISO on the Diafine box, shoot it at the normal speed or you'll get very thin negatives.

...
Click to expand...

Does this go for all three {1,2,4}00 speed films?
 
kully said:
Does this go for all three {1,2,4}00 speed films?
Click to expand...

I'm not quite sure about the 400, because I rated the film at 800 during exposure, and after development in Diafine it came out looking good. However, I don't have a densitometer, so take this with a pinch of salt. Diafine + Fomapan 400 is a sterling combination IMO. I've inquired about the possibility of using Diafine with Fomapan 200, and it appears that Diafine is not so good as Rodinal (if you're interested in precise values, just look up some of the discussions at the group Foma Films in Flickr). Fomapan 100 I've never tried, and perhaps I'll not try it, for it's better to rate Fomapan 200 at ISO 125 and pulling a stop during development.
 
kully said:
Does this go for all three {1,2,4}00 speed films?
Click to expand...

I would say yes. In my experience, shooting at the film's nominal ISO yields the best printability when developed in Diafine. However if one primarily scans their negatives, it might be okay to push them one stop. But I don't own a scanner so I can't say authoritatively.

Edit: This is for Fomapan only. Diafine works differently for every film. When I shoot Tri-X, I rate it at 1000 when developing in Diafine. This works quite well with the GSN since that's as fast as the meter will allow.
 
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I use fuji superia iso 100. for color.

I use fuji superia iso 100. for color.

I get this from wal-mart a four pack for $4.86 plus there is coupon inside the box for .50 off next four pack.I have them processed at cosco and tell the techs "no adjustments" and the turn out great.
 
As seems quite common in this thread, I'll say Fuji & Foma/Arista as well. I especially love Fuji Reala 100 as a color print film. Simply marvellous.

Kodak is ok, but be careful if you're shooting non-caucasians as I've had color issues with shots of my son (adopted from Vietnam) with Kodak but never with Fuji.

William
 
Not necessarily the cheapest but I love Fuji Reala as a print negative film. Great and natural colours, fine grain and "soft".
Jon
 
I learned yesterday that Sam's no longer sells 35MM film. What a shame. Not that I purchased film from them, but it's like putting another nail in the 35mm coffin.
 
Here the drogerie shops are selling, using their own brandname for example dm colour film, rossmann film, schlecker film but the best buy was a 200 iso kodak retina with 3 cartridges package also in a drogerie.
 
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