advice requested -- high contrast film, low ISO films?

[traveler_101]

Could anyone give me some advice on a low ISO film for high contrast shots? Going to New York in a few days and can pick up a couple of rolls of film to experiment with. I'm thinking of Rollei tech pan ATP1.1, Ilford Pan+ or Rollei RPX 25?
I am attracted to images like these http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2203915&postcount=11
shot with old Kodak tech pan. Or this one, shot with Ilford Pan F+
http://realrealityproductions.wordp...n-fplus-50-l-brady/sandyneck_ilford_lbradyvf/

Big limitation are films that work with the developers on hand: Xtol, R09/Rodinal, D-76 and D-72. My understanding is to avoid being overwhelmed by contrast you must use a low contrast developer--Xtol?

Also I intend to scan the negatives; no wet printing capacity yet. Much appreciate any help.

 

[FrankS]

Use any film and under-expose (optional) and over-develop (necessary).

 

[Turtle]

Efke 25 will make high contrast easy, as will Pan F plus (albeit to a lesser extent).

Both are readily availalble. Just don't heavily overdevelop either film too much because you will end up with bulletproof highlights that are very hard to print through. It generally takes experimentation to get the balance right. Efke 25 is quite sensitive to development time and you have to be very precise as highlight density builds very quickly indeed. Same is true of Pan F, but to a lesser extent.

 

[traveler_101]

Efke 25? I though that was no longer made.

 

[johannielscom]

Use a yellow filter to boost contrast more

 

[Mablo]

Efke 25 is no more, unfortunately. For very high contrast and high sharpness I'd probably use Rollei Retro 80S in Rodinal.

 

[f16sunshine]

^^^
Retro 80s in Tmax Dev is quite sharp as well. Excellent high(ish) contrast film.

Fuji 690iii Retro 80s @80, TmaxDev 1:4, 6min.s @20c normal agitation. Scanned w/Epson V700

Retro80S011 by Adnan W, on Flickr

 

[johannielscom]

Or try Agfa PolyPan+. Rate at 50, stand develop in Rodinal 1:100 in the fridge.
I bought three bulk rolls of it off eBay, expired but ridiculously cheap, IIRC I paid EUR 17 a roll.

 

[traveler_101]

^^^
Retro 80s in Tmax Dev is quite sharp as well. Excellent high(ish) contrast film.

Fuji 690iii Retro 80s @80, TmaxDev 1:4, 6min.s @20c normal agitation. Scanned w/Epson V700

Retro80S011 by Adnan W, on Flickr

Thanks for advice so far. Some of the suggestions for films and developers are not available to me at all or at a reasonable price, unfortunately. Rollei Retro 80 = $12.99 / 2 pack -- not too bad.

Great image sunshine! T-Max developer is not available at a reasonable price. Anyone know how Retro 80 does in Rodinal -- maybe stand development? Or Xtol?

 

[Mablo]

Rollei Retro 80S in Rodinal 1+50, 20C, 12min. Normal agitation. Even at box speed (ISO80) it's very contrasty and extremely sharp. Stand development in dilution 1+100 reduces contrast so I wouldn't go that way when maximum contrast is needed. This film is VERY sensitive to red. This means you can use a deep red filter to further add contrast but instead of adding three stops more light as usual you only need to add one stop.

You can also use this film for IR photography. You need a suitable IR filter, 720nm or so. Use ISO 3 and 6 for IR exposures.

 

[Fotohuis]

If you need a higher contrast the Agfa Aviphot aviation type films are a good choice. Retro 80S iso 50 or Retro 400S iso 200. You can develop in R09/Rodinal but with a sharp S shape developing curve. Because these films are super panchromatic you can use a Red filter with adding only 1F stop to have higher contrast.
Normally you have to develop these films in a more semi compensating or low contrast type developer. (A-49, AM74/Supergrain, TDLC-103, Film Low Gamma/Rollei Low Contrast)

 

[Skiff]

Big limitation are films that work with the developers on hand: Xtol, R09/Rodinal, D-76 and D-72.

Then forget about the rollei ATP film. It does not work properly with these developers.
You can make your life easy:
Just use Ilford Pan F+ and push it a little bit. Gives you the wanted increased contrast.

 

[Fixcinater]

I'd go with PanF+, anything else is going to be quite a large deviation from your known working methods and thus quite unpredictable. PanF+ in my experience builds contrast quickly but it's not exceedingly different in that regard than any of the 100ASA "modern" films. I haven't shot with Efke 25 enough to say whether it would be appropriate or not.

If you're OK with being disappointed or perhaps excited by the unknown results of any particular combination (I would not be with my personal travel images), then go for whatever is easiest to find, and bracket each shot.

 

[FrankS]

Regardless of film used, the key is to push development to increase contrast.

 

[Ronald M]

12" or 6 exposures is enough for a test.

 

[traveler_101]

12" or 6 exposures is enough for a test.

I guess you could do that with a large roll suitable for self-laoding as opposed to a cartridge -- just cut off a short Piece. I have often whether you could do it with a cartridge but don't see how.

 

[ashfaque]

I guess you could do that with a large roll suitable for self-laoding as opposed to a cartridge -- just cut off a short Piece. I have often whether you could do it with a cartridge but don't see how.

Hi Traveler,

If you're using a changing bag, and have access (or planning to buy) some reloadable cassettes, perhaps you can buy 17.5 meters of Rollei Retro 80s and Rollei RPX 25 from Maco Direct. I did that few months ago. The only problem is that they have a minimum order of 40 Euros.

One thing about Rollei Retro 80S: make sure you load your cassette into the camera in subdued lights.

However, Ilford Pan F+ 50 is the safest bet.

In case you're interested, Henning Serger's posted some of his results - ranking of various films in terms of resolution, grain, etc. starting in post # 19 in here. He does them in various sets - 20-100, and 400 for B&W, colour negatives and slides. Fascinating read. 🙂

Bests,

Ashfaque

 

[traveler_101]

Hi Traveler,

If you're using a changing bag, and have access (or planning to buy) some reloadable cassettes, perhaps you can buy 17.5 meters of Rollei Retro 80s and Rollei RPX 25 from Maco Direct. I did that few months ago. The only problem is that they have a minimum order of 40 Euros.

One thing about Rollei Retro 80S: make sure you load your cassette into the camera in subdued lights.

However, Ilford Pan F+ 50 is the safest bet.

In case you're interested, Henning Serger's posted some of his results - ranking of various films in terms of resolution, grain, etc. starting in post # 19 in here. He does them in various sets - 20-100, and 400 for B&W, colour negatives and slides. Fascinating read. 🙂

Bests,

Ashfaque

Thank you very much for the link! I have bookmarked it.

OUTCOME OF THE THREAD
Thanks to everyone for sharing their advice! I ordered two rolls each of Rollei Retro 80 and Ilford F Pan 50 and will pick it up in the states in two weeks. With darkness closing in on us here in Scandinavia I will probably have to wait until spring to use the film (lol).

RED FILTER ISSUE
Robert's important point about using a red filter for dramatic effects went unheeded. $50 for a 39mm B + W red filter is a bit rich. I have an orange filter--not as good as the red, I've read, but better than nothing. The other issue with the 39mm only fits my Voigtlander lenses -- the 25/4 and 35/2.5 skopars. These are not particularly high resolution lenses. My best lens is the 5cm 3.5 Elmar -- but I don't have a filter solution for 36mm.

BULK LOADING
No changing bag, but I have a light proof walk in closet that I use for loading my development tank with film. I would consider buying bulk. The new government in Norway has announced that we can mail order imports worth up to circa 60 EURO in January, up from 24 EURO now. If this happens it will mean that buying from continental Europe and the UK is now conceivable.

 

[BLKRCAT]

If you have some time and are able to bulk load I would reccomend Kodalith. Very slow, iso of 6. Grainless and high in contrast. Meant as a graphic arts film it can have little to no grey tones. Stand development in Rodinal can even that though. It does however have no red sensitivity and the emulsion is quite sensitive to scratches.

Here are a few examples shot with a CV 50mm F1.1 on an M5.

 

[znapper]

Rollei Ortho 25 ISO, shot at 25, and then developed in Rodinal 1:50 must be the most contrasty film I've ever tried.

Zero red sensibility too.

IMO a very cool film, but the one I tried, also curled like crazy, it may have been my film-drying regime though

Merry Rollei Christmas by znapper74, on Flickr