Best "All Around" 400-ISO B&W Film & Developer for 35mm B&W Leica "M" Street Shooting

[LeicaVirgin1]

Best "All Around" 400-ISO B&W Film & Developer for 35mm B&W Leica "M" Street Shooting

Dear Sir-

I am a fan of your book. I have written you once before.

My question is what the best "All Around" 400-ISO B&W Film & Developer for 35mm B&W Leica "M" Street Shooting.

I get confusing responses that are also conflicting from other forums on this site. People mean well, it's just that I am looking for just 1 film & 1 developer to use in most situations.:bang:

I look forward to your response.

Best & Respect,

DM Brown/LV1

 

[Al Kaplan]

Tri-X and D-76 at 1:1 dilution.

 

[Ducky]

Can't argue with Al. That's what I would recommend.

 

[Mephiloco]

I was going to say the same thing. Tri-X/Arista Premium with D76 1:1 or Rodinal.

 

[abenner]

I like the convenience of Rodinal and the look it gives Tri-X. You buy a bottle of the solution and when you want to develop some film you draw about 5 ml out (a syringe works great) and mix with water and you're ready to go. And you can push if you need. Just my thoughts.

 

[Haigh]

Tri-X and d76 for a really smooth look or Rodinal for that beautiful grainy look and also convenience since it is a liquid.

 

[Ronald M]

What Al said

 

[Mackinaw]

Tri-X and D-76 at 1:1 dilution.

Yuppers. A marriage made in heaven.

Jim B.

 

[hans voralberg]

As one who live in England and love Ilford I'd like to recommend HP5 and Ilford DDX. Tri-X is cool too!

 

[Roger Hicks]

There is no one best: there is only personal preference.

I use HP5 in DD-X; my wife used Tri-X in the same developer (for the same time, fortunately).

Cheers,

R.

 

[Chris101]

Hi DM,

First off, my lawyer will be in touch regarding your user name. 😉

On a serious note, it is hard to disregard the sage and nearly universal recommendation you have gotten here. Trix/D76 is a standard and a classic combination, which has many good characteristics that make it an easy choice.

I like to be different though, so I prefer to use hc110. I like the somewhat harsher look it imparts. The contrast is not quite as well controlled and the grain is a bit clumpy. This supports my vision of photography as something that happens fast. It compliments the way I shoot - pre-meter, pre-focus, shoot from the hip, etc.

If you seek a purist modernism, perhaps something like Delta 400 is the way to go, but for my grunge style, I like it fast and active. Trix + HC110 dilution B, agitated for 5 seconds every half minute. Six and a half minutes at 20°C on stainless reels/tank, water stop, rapid fix for 4 minutes, HCA and a 15 minute wash, hang to dry for an hour, contact scan and print the keepers on 11x14 MGIV matte fiber paper.

Bam!

 

[David_Manning]

Great minds think alike. Tri-X, HC-110, 6 minutes for me(!) dilution B at 20C. Solid, easily printable negs.

 

[mark-b]

Tri-X in Rodinal 1:50...the grain is fabulous. I changed over to Rodinal out of convenience. I'd go back to D-76 if they still made the liquid concentrate equivalent.

 

[FrankS]

HP5+ in HC110 at 1:100 for 19 min. at 21C.
Agitate continuously for 1st minute, then 10 sec every 3 minutes.

HC110 keeps forever like Rodinol but gives less grainy results. Use a syringe to measure the developer syrup.

 

[Matus]

One anti-recommendation: do NOT get HP5+ with Pyrocat HD - for some reason you will get white spots (pinholes, whatever, they have sharp edges and tiny black spot in the middle). I am not the only one who experienced this.

 

[martin s]

HP5+ in XTOL 1+1 at 20°C. So, so beautiful.

martin

 

[helen.HH]

TriX + Rodinal 1:50 ----> A Manly Man's film/developer combination 😉

with a Touch of Girliness....😛
since I like it Too

for street Grittiness /tres atmosphere neopan 1600 & rodinal

🙂...-Helen

 

[Fraser]

trix and xtol

 

[Carlsen Highway]

Does no one use T-max?

(Sudden horrified thought.) They do still make Tmax?

 

[Florian1234]

Tri-X, what Al said 😀

I used Hp5+ (or Adox CHM 400) also for some time, but Tri-X rules... :angel: