Best budget black and white film?

[Forest_rain]

I've been looking at film stocks and switching to black and white due to the high cost of 35mm color film these days ($10-$16 per roll). I was wondering what a good everyday b&w film would be.

In the past I've used Ilford HP5+ and liked the results, however Ilford is getting expensive these days. I was looking at the Arista EDU film stocks but I've heard mixed reviews; the film is definitely cheap but I wonder if you get what you pay for with this film stock.

Ultrafineonline has their "ultrafine finesse" film stock in stock for around $5 per roll, pretty affordable, I'm wondering if this would be a better alternative to the Arista film stocks.

Can anyone recommend any of the above films or recommend a good film stock hopefully around $6 per roll for everyday use.

 

[wlewisiii]

XP2 Super.

Especially in 120 format but I'm biased...

 

[wlewisiii]

Hint: Yes, yes that's C41. in the end it's cheaper.

 

[stephen_lumsden]

XP2 is getting expensive in the UK, definitely looking at Fomapan, with 100 probably being the best, in 35mm and 120. 400 is good in 120 though. I plan to develop my own and that going well may bulk load them, especially with Fomapan bulk roll prices.

 

[Rayt]

I have had good results with 135 format Fomapan 200 and the same labelled as Arista.edu 200 shot @125.

 

[dourbalistar]

Bulk loaded Kentmere Pan, available in both 100 and 400 speed. There's a thread here on the forum with Kentmere 400 image samples:

Kentmere 400, latest samples

Tmax 1-4, 6 minutes, 68F:

www.rangefinderforum.com

 

[Coldkennels]

XP2 is getting expensive in the UK, definitely looking at Fomapan, with 100 probably being the best, in 35mm and 120. 400 is good in 120 though. I plan to develop my own and that going well may bulk load them, especially with Fomapan bulk roll prices.

Fomapan 100 is fantastic, especially in Rodinal - which is also cheap as chips per roll, but unfortunately unobtanium in a post-Brexit UK. I've just ordered some Bellini RDL to see if it truly is the same stuff.

Here's a couple of samples of the Foma 100/Rodinal combo:


(Leica IIIg, Summar)


(Leica IIIg, 90mm Elmar)


(Leica IIIg, Canon 35/1.8)


(Leotax T2L, Voigtlander 28mm Color Skopar)

...however, for what it's worth, I've tried developing in LC29 at the same exposure index and get completely blown out highlights, so maybe give that combo a miss.

 

[p.giannakis]

As already mentioned, both the 100 and 200 foma are good. Apparently the Kentmere range is good but I haven't tried it. A couple of times I managed to get some stock of Ilford Pan400 film (not the same as kentmere pan400) and it is also very good but difficult to get.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Get cheapest in bulk. They are all good on darkroom prints.

 

[steveyork]

Bulk rolls are the least expensive. It does mean you have to roll the film yourself, but that's easy and has a few benefits. Some of the less expensive bulk rolls are actually very good film -- Fomapan (100, 200 or 400) or Orwo movie stock in 100 or 400. It costs about $2.55/roll US, and that's 400' bulk rolls of ORWO UN54. Foma and 100' rolls of Orwo is a little more expensive (about +10%). Bulk rolls of Kentmere is just a further bit more expensive. Believe bulk rolls XX can also be affordable, but it has to be purchased directly from Kodak to avoid the markup.

The most economical commercial loads are Fomapan under the Arista EDU Ultra label from Freestyle Photo. Then a little more expensive is Fomapan under its' own name (classic look) or Kentmere (more modern look).

Don't know much about ultrafine. Shot some in the past and it looks sort of like Kentmere. I prefer the classic look of Foma.

Home processing also cut the costs of film drastically -- cheap, easy and fun. Something wish I had done long before doing it.

Currently I'm shooting through 2000' of Orwo UN54. The film has grown on me.

 

[x-ray]

Fomapan 100 is fantastic, especially in Rodinal - which is also cheap as chips per roll, but unfortunately unobtanium in a post-Brexit UK. I've just ordered some Bellini RDL to see if it truly is the same stuff.

Here's a couple of samples of the Foma 100/Rodinal combo:

View attachment 4819797
(Leica IIIg, Summar)

View attachment 4819798
(Leica IIIg, 90mm Elmar)

View attachment 4819799
(Leica IIIg, Canon 35/1.8)

View attachment 4819800
(Leotax T2L, Voigtlander 28mm Color Skopar)

...however, for what it's worth, I've tried developing in LC29 at the same exposure index and get completely blown out highlights, so maybe give that combo a miss.

Very nice images! Beautiful contrast and tone!

 

[Dralowid]

If I wanted to go back to b/w processed with C41 (is it called chromogenic?) what is available these days in 35mm?

I still have a couple of rolls of Fuji Neopan 400CN in the fridge dated Jan 2011....

 

[wlewisiii]

I believe Ilford XP2 Super is the only one left. I have a couple of rolls of Kodak BW400CN left and then it's only Ilford which is good film.

 

[Dralowid]

XP2 Super? Is that the one that claims to have a huge latitude?

 

[Rayt]

XP2 Super? Is that the one that claims to have a huge latitude?

I use it if I have to shoot under harsh midday light. It behaves like any C41 film without the color.

 

[Rayt]

XP1. Straight scan off of a Nikon film scanner. I can pull out more shadow detail with Lightroom. Nikon N50 and consumer zoom AF Nikkor. I have printed this on paper and it’s not as contrasty as displayed here.

 

[Rayt]

XP1. Direct afternoon sunlight. Straight scan. I shoot one over.

 

[traveler_101]

I've been looking at film stocks and switching to black and white due to the high cost of 35mm color film these days ($10-$16 per roll). I was wondering what a good everyday b&w film would be.

In the past I've used Ilford HP5+ and liked the results, however Ilford is getting expensive these days. I was looking at the Arista EDU film stocks but I've heard mixed reviews; the film is definitely cheap but I wonder if you get what you pay for with this film stock.

Ultrafineonline has their "ultrafine finesse" film stock in stock for around $5 per roll, pretty affordable, I'm wondering if this would be a better alternative to the Arista film stocks.

Can anyone recommend any of the above films or recommend a good film stock hopefully around $6 per roll for everyday use.

Fomapan 100 is in your price range. I like it with D-76 stock. Fomapan 200 costs a bit more; I have used XTOL and FX-39. Nice film, Available from Norway at Hovedside Same films are sold in North America by Freestyle under Arista label.

 

[x-ray]

Fomapan 100 is in your price range. I like it with D-76 stock. Fomapan 200 costs a bit more; I have used XTOL and FX-39. Nice film, Available from Norway at Hovedside Same films are sold in North America by Freestyle under Arista label.

Foma 200 is excellent.

 

[Coldkennels]

Very nice images! Beautiful contrast and tone!

Thanks - that combo works very well for me. I was worried about the loss of the original APX 100, but Fomapan has replaced it perfectly. In some cases, I think it's actually even better.

XP2 Super? Is that the one that claims to have a huge latitude?

XP2 claims to have a huge latitude, sure - but I think that's only down to how C41 is scanned. Same sort of arrangement as Portra 400 - you can shoot it at 100, 200, 400, even 800... but it'll look wildly different at each EI.

It's a nice film, but not exactly a "budget" option these days - just easily accessible, as even Boots carried it, last I checked - and it's a bit of a bugger to print in the darkroom due to the purple base. I bought 200ft of it many years back and actually prefer developing it in Rodinal these days; it's cheaper, faster (no 1hr photo labs here, so it's a mail-order job), and I don't have to tell anyone to not destroy the canisters with a can-opener so that I can reuse them afterwards. The results aren't bad, either:


(Leotax T2L, 50mm f/3.5 Elmar)

This one was stand developed in Rodinal 1:100 for an hour, 30 seconds of agitation to start. I find doing it with a more traditional 1:25 dilution for 18 minutes at 20ºC - 15 seconds of agitation per minute - tends to be more consistent, however.