Favourite 400 speed B+W film?

[arbib]

I use Kodak's BW400CN.....For convience and I like the way it scans from my commercial Lab...Low noise and great detal.. They scan at just above 3600x2400 Pixels...Equals a 9.5mp sensor.....for $8.00 HR Scan + $3.00 Develope only.

 

[MISH]

Tri-X rodinal 1:25

while purchasing the above at Provident Camera in Cincinnatti 20 or so years ago

the clerk told me "hey, thats the combination God shoots"

never found reason to doubt that

 

[nikola]

My fav is Ilford PAN400 (the one and only I have... once tried efke100)... never laid my eyes on that fancy trix nor neopan nor that cool rollei... or any other for that matter!

(semi stand in Rodinal 1+100 for 1:30h)

 

[minoltist7]

Overwhelmingly 75% of RFF users favour Ilford's HP5+ or Kodak's TriX. I wonder if it is based primarily on aesthetics? I had thought the results would be more evenly distributed and based more on the film price. My favourite 400 speed film

My choice is HP5+ becouse of stability of results. I found appropriate development workflow for it. When you switch to another film, you'll need to "learn" again . I tried Delta 400 once, and I screwed up something .. so switched to HP5 back.

 

[TheHub]

Tri-X for grain, TMAX for smoothness and Presto just because.

 

[telenous]

Go HP5, go!!

 

[mr_phillip]

$200 worth of film and $25 worth of chemistry always has a more positive impact on the quality of my work than any new lens or camera body, regardless of their cost.

That, sir, is the sanest thing anyone has said on this forum in months

 

[semrich]

I started into film recently with HP5+, bought 100 rolls while in the States (cheaper there than Istanbul) and am still working my way through it. Just started using 120 HP5+ and it is easier to get that here from the Ilford dealer.

 

[40oz]

My fav is Ilford PAN400 (the one and only I have... once tried efke100)... never laid my eyes on that fancy trix nor neopan nor that cool rollei... or any other for that matter!

Nice shots.

Personally, I don't think it matters all that much what one uses as long as they can get out of it what they want.

Preference is based on so many factors that are not objective. Or even rational

 

[nikola]

Thanks 40oz!

being subjective and quite irrational... I'm really satisfied with my results!

 

[PaulRicciardi]

When I was first starting I liked the Kodak 400 BW CN as I didn't know how to develop film...it's a good film and takes nicely to being shot a 320.

These days, however, I shoot almost exclusively HP5 plus. Nice latitude, I like the rendition of tones, and it is easily pushable. I've pushed it to 3200, the results were surprisingly usable.

 

[fbf]

Simply trix and hp5, somtimes tmax. My favorite has to go to hp5.
Nowadays I'm trying to play with c41 monochrome films (bw400cn mostly) with conventional b&w processing. I'm satisfied with the result. Never tried the apx 400 but I am sure it's a fun film to play with just like my beloved apx 100.

 

[mfogiel]

fbf
What type of developer and technique do you use for the BW 400 CN ? And is it as smooth as when developed in C41 chemistry? This is my portrait film of choice with the C Sonnar...

 

[tedwhite]

I'm curious, too. How does one develop a C41 film in B&W chemistry?

 

[haagen_dazs]

curious
price check
for a roll of xp2 36exposures at 4usd.
is that cheap or kind of expensive?

 

[maggieo]

HP5 printed onto Agfa paper was my favorite combo.

 

[amateriat]

curious
price check
for a roll of xp2 36exposures at 4usd.
is that cheap or kind of expensive?

Seems reasonable to me. Adorama has it for $5.35/roll at the moment, much cheaper–for a change–by the 50-roll Pro Pack ($234, or $4.68/roll). More or less the same at B & H.

My 50-roll Pro-Pack of HP-5 is running low. Need to make a note of that...


- Barrett

 

[Russ]

I have to 2nd this. I use BW400CN mostly and find it to have great latitude and process C-41, means I can get it done fast and cheap. I develop Only @ my local processer and scan the film with a Nikon LS-5000. A nice film for scanners.
I shoot it @ 320 instead of 400 and really like the results.

As for the B/W C-41 films, I love the Neopan 400CN. With Ilfords XP-2 being a close second. Every time I've tried the Kodak version, I've been very disappointed with it.

Russ

 

[tedwhite]

Neopan 400CN is not listed in the Freestyle catalog. Where do you get this film?

 

[haagen_dazs]

Neopan 400CN is not listed in the Freestyle catalog. Where do you get this film?

i think i read somewhere that it is sold in the UK only??
perhaps someone can clarify...