A black and white film to stick with for a year?

[NLewis]

If you want just one film for indoors and out, night and day, it should probably be a 400 speed film, which can be pushed and pulled a bit either way.

I would just throw a dart and pick one, either Tri-X, Tmax, Neopan 400 or HP5. I like Tri-X for its dramatic look, Tmax is a little more "neutral." The point is really choosing a specific tool and then figuring out how to get the results YOU want out of it. For example, you might eventually learn to use more dramatic lighting with Tmax to "pump up" a shot, or maybe less dramatic lighting with Tri-X to keep it from being too contrasty, or something of that sort. Your technique will adjust to the film. Any half-decent film will do. After you shoot twenty straight rolls of one type of film, you might try one roll of another just to get an idea of what it is. Or, just forget about it, be happy with what you have. Any film today is worlds better than what was available in 1955, and they didn't do too badly with it did they?

 

[damien.murphy]

I like Tri-X, which I develop in D-76 when I shoot it at 200, and in Diafine when I shoot it at 1250/ 1600. If I had to stick with one film and one developer, and could live with ˜iso800 I would probably choose Tri-X and a developer like Xtol/ DDX which seems to give a bump in speed to many films.

I used to use DDX and quite liked it when I shot HP5, but found it a pricey developer. Xtol seems to be Kodaks top of the line equivalent in the modern wonder-developer category, and is relatively inexpensive, but is a powder if that's a factor for you.

You'll get a lot of recommendations, but there are no bad films really these days.

 

[astrosecret]

I will echo what others have said. tri x and d76 is the most user friendly pair you could ask for.

 

[Roger Hicks]

You'll get a lot of recommendations, but there are no bad films really these days.

Dear Damien,

Well, very few, anyway. But:

First, some films are better than others, depending on the application you have in mind, and

Second, some people get on with some films much better than others. Any film is 'bad' for you if you don't get on with it.

That's why I recommended that the OP try several films for himself. The following may be of some use in narrowing down the choice: http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/choosing bw films.html. It's based on 40+ years of trying LOTS of films and nearly 30 years of being married to Frances Schultz, who covered film for Shutterbug for many years (and still covers B+W when there's anything new to cover).

Cheers,

R.

 

[paulfish4570]

Roger has sage advice. i recommended what works for ME, and ME alone. ap 400/tri-x is still very inexpensive here from freestyle. i use tmax or d-76 because the only photo shop in a county of 750,000 people always stocks those two developers, among a very few others ...

 

[robbeiflex]

I'm in the middle of a similar exercise. I started with choosing a developer, in my case I tried XTOL and decided I liked it better than the LC29 I've used in the past. I've been testing various types of film in XTOL now. I like Rollei RPX400. Tri-X and T-Max are both excellent. Fomapan in 35 mm I didn't like, although I do like it for 120. I like to look of the Kodak but don't seem to have the patience to wait the multiple days to flatten it. The RPX is growing on me and it has the benefit of being cheap. However, somehow I keep coming back to my old standard HP5+ and I have a feeling that when I've burned through my various stock there will be a big bulk order of HP5+ coming my way. We'll see. All I can say at this point is that I am happy with my choice of XTOL, and eventually will find the film that matches it for me.

By the way, the days are short here in winter and most of my photography is evening and indoors, so I go for ISO 400 that can be pulled to 200 and pushed to 800 or 1600. You have to make similar considerations yourself as part of this.

Cheers,
Rob

 

[lbenac]

Hello,

I have been trying out several (many) films both in 35mm and MF (from 645 to 6x9) and I settled for the following which you might want to try as only yourself will be able to give a definite answer.

1) On a tripod
Across 100 developed either in Rodinal 1+100 stand or in divided Pyrocat HD (beautiful accutance but tricky in terms of uneven development). As a bonus this film can be used for long night exposure with very little reciprocity failure.

2) Hand held
Kodak TriX shot @ 1250 and developed in Diafine 3'+ 4'. This is a simple no fuss process that gives low grain, nice tonality and I ASA 1250 is very handy for hand held.

Cheers,

Luc

 

[semilog]

I personally would have to pick TMY and Xtol, because I love the flexibility of the combination.

My choice, too, but the OP asked for a forgiving combination. 2TMY is more forgiving than the original TMY, but it is still a relatively demanding emulsion compared to Tri-X or HP5. Of those two I prefer the latter. XTOL or D-76 or ID-11 are all fine.

Too forgiving a combination, though, and you won't acquire the technique that you should, in my opinion. The above options are perfect.

 

[Tom A]

My advice, for what it is worth:
You are going to be shooting in different light over the next 365 days. A medium speed film can handle that. Any decent 400 iso film will do - though for "flexibility" I would recommend something like TriX/HP5 - which can be pushed or pulled if needed.
Developer is more of your own taste. D76 works everywhere and is easy to keep in stock - as is Rodinal.
The trick is to stock up on supplies now. Do an estimate of how many rolls you anticipate using - add 50% to that and get the film. Projects like this are "film heavy" and Murphy's law applies. If you start running low, you will find that the supplier is out of stock or the stock has changed.
Also estimate the amount of chemistry you will need and stock up. Again, nothing worse than running out and supplies drying up.
The key rule though is : NEVER leave home without the camera! Even a quick run to the corner store for milk or whatever has a potential shot in it. After a while people start getting used to you and the camera and ignore it - and that's when the pictures happens.
The initial outlay for film/chemistry might be a bit heavy - but just abstain from buying any lenses and bodies for 12 month (unless something breaks) and you will come out ahead in the end.
There is a certain "liberation" in settling for a couple of lenses and cameras and a freezer/fridge full of film. You shoot more and yes, it can be a bit obsessive, but that is good as it is now about pictures, not film and lenses/cameras.

I am doing something similar at the moment - my "Back to Basics" project. TriX/Arista Premium 400 and D76 1:1 for 10 min. I have enough film for a year (5-600 rolls - but I am a heavy shooter) and slowly cleaning Vancouver out of D76 1 gallon pouches (though I probably will go back to mixing my own from scratch after another 75 rolls).

Everyday you wake up with an idea of what to shoot - sometimes it works, other times it doesnt - but dont fret - there are pictures everywhere. As with everything - there will be times that nothing seems to work and others when you just cant miss! The trick is to persist and keep on shooting. What is boring today - might take on a new meaning in 25 years.

Set up a simple negative file system, number and "tag" the files with location/ date/camera (one way to keep track if something has gone wrong), lens - and keep a small note book were you jot down names of people or non-photographic date (historical facts, streets etc).

I would also get a set of yellow/orange/red filters for the main lenses used. The sun will come out eventually!

In 1982/83 we lived in Paris and I spent a year taking pictures. Not an organized effort - just for fun. Every morning I set out with a couple of M's and, usually 21 and 35 or 28 and 50 mm lenses. A couple of rolls of TriX in the pocket and a Metro "carnet" (monthly pass). Once I had 5 or 10 rolls shot - I would process them in D76 in our small "studio's" bathtub. Lots of coffee, lots of croissants and no stress.

 

[Gumby]

I tend toward two films in both B&W and color -- a 400 speed and a slower one. Tri-X or HP-5+, and Plus-X or FP4+ are my typical B+W films. Outdoor day time light in my area varies between EV12 in winter and EV 13-15 in summer. There are also times when I just don't want the grain of Tri-X, or the "small aperture and fast shutter speed look". One film emulsion is just too limiting for me.

 

[MCTuomey]

Tom, your advice is top-shelf. And I especially like the Paris anecdote, a warmly regarded slice of photographic life.

 

[semilog]

...He offered to sell me his Acros 100 in 120 for a buck a roll. 80 rolls of it.

I loved it.

I "get on with it," as Roger says.

So yes, experiment. But I will say this: Don't "test". This forum has a lot of people who are testers rather than photographers. Shoot subject matter. Shoot content. Shoot lots, make notes, close the loop, the keystone of which is consistency in processing. Varying only deliberately (being cognizant of happy mistakes is important also) and exploring. Because that's what one does as a photographer - explore. Good explorers keep notes of where they've been so they can get there again.
If you test you can do so endlessly. Better to spend the time and effort on content while simultaneously exploring the medium.

Go forth and photoply,

Shane

This is terrific advice. I had the same revelatory experience with ACROS, though for me it's really a summertime film since Seattle is pretty dark half the year (short days, dense clouds) and a 400+ film is mandatory for most of my shooting then. And the truth is that I keep going back to my 2TMY/XTOL pictures nad being stunned at the overall image quality that this combination offers.

 

[Sonny Boy Havidson]

I would say either Kodak Tri-X or Ilford HP5.

 

[sepiareverb]

DON'T buy any one film on anyone else's say-so, and DON'T believe anyone who says, "You can't go wrong with..." YES YOU CAN!
Cheers,

R.

Agreed 100%. I'd spend a few weeks trying a couple of different films in a few different developers where you shoot on what you shoot, then make the choice.

A friend makes incredible images using Neopan 400 in HC-110 dil H. I tried my best to get anything remotely useable from this combo without success. Even got his agitation schedule from him. No go. Partly light? Partly subject matter? Partly the water? Probably maybe. It just never was the same look- or even close. Rather than struggle with it I sent him the rest of my Neopan 400 and went back to HP5+ in HC-110 and Microphen (and now Studionol) the 400 film that works best for me.

Try a few likely suspects and make an informed choice that you'll know is right.

No need to spend the year testing- but better to spend a few weeks exploring and the rest of the year getting better results than "getting by".

 

[Rezultz]

I recently went through the same experiment. Wanted to chose one film but wasn't sure if Neopan 400, Tri-x, or HP5 was the best for me. They are all great films and have their nuances but it boiled down to one thing for me:
HP5 seems like the thickest emulsion film of the bunch. As a result after developing and drying the film, it did not curl as much as Tri-x or Neopan did. This means I am able to get much better scans from my Epson because the film lays completely flat in the scanner's 35mm negative holder. Also, because it's thicker, its also easier to load onto developing reals and it's easier to sleeve once dry. Plus, it has great tonality.

 

[jbielikowski]

get something expensive and sophisticated, Adox CMS 20 with dedicated Adotech or T-max 3200 in Diafine. Dont be average.

 

[julio1fer]

There are broad categories of film - slower and faster, traditional grain and tabular grain. Same with developers, only there are many more of them. If you answer a few questions we might be able to help:

What subjects will you be shooting?
How much light you have?
Do you use tripod for your shots?
Typical lens focal lengths you use?
What apertures (DOF) and speeds you'd want to have?
What grain would you tolerate, or want? Classic look? Easy to scan? Size of prints?

Would you rather have flexibility and simplicity, or do you want optimum technical performance in a more narrow range of situations?
Would you prefer a liquid concentrate or powder developer?

And last but not least, what film is available in your area?

Do not try too many combinations of film and developer. Too many variables tend to take your mind out of photography. You will have to experiment a bit, but try to limit the experiment to at most two films and two developers. Ideal is one film, one developer.

I've done similar exercises with HP5+ in ID-11 1:1, but that's just what worked for me.

 

[barnwulf]

There are a lot of great film out there. I have settled on Tmax 100 & 400. If you want only one film, it's Tmax 400 (TMY). You really have to try a few different brands before you will really know what you want. There is just not a simple answer. Jim

 

[damien.murphy]

Dear Damien,

Well, very few, anyway. But:

First, some films are better than others, depending on the application you have in mind, and

Second, some people get on with some films much better than others. Any film is 'bad' for you if you don't get on with it.

That's why I recommended that the OP try several films for himself. The following may be of some use in narrowing down the choice: http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/choosing bw films.html. It's based on 40+ years of trying LOTS of films and nearly 30 years of being married to Frances Schultz, who covered film for Shutterbug for many years (and still covers B+W when there's anything new to cover).

Cheers,

R.

Good advice, to be true, Roger.

I agree with you about getting on with films or not, although in the case of the original poster, he did state a desire to stick with one film so as to learn it.

In this case, surely even if you didn't get on with a film initially, it would be possible to change that with a different developer and/ or change in exposure technique ?

I am curious more than anything, in the absence of experience as extensive as yourself and Frances 🙂

 

[wlewisiii]

For me:

If you're scanning - Tri-X & Diafine
If you're printing - Tri-X & D76

For you:

???