Film choice.

John Bragg

John Bragg

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Just out of interest, how did you choose the film/films that you currently use. Was it a conscious choice based on rigourous testing, or was it more a case of liking what someone else used ? Was it purely an economical choice, or was there some magical quality in a certain emulsion that made the choice an obvious one ? Please share your reasons/reasoning here.
 
For me the choice was based on wanting to replace Kodak with an Ilford equivalent. I ended up choosing HP5+ and liking it equally to Tri-X. Film speed, sharpness and tonality are more important to me than fine grain and smoothness. I like a film to have character.
 
Looking into my refrigerator,

Tri-X is what I like,

But truth be told, ill shoot anything if its priced right.
 
Chance. I'd been shooting XP2 and Tri-X and Alpa gave Frances and me a handful of HP5 to shoot when we first reviewed the Alpa12-series. I liked it and stuck with it.

Cheers,

R.
 
I liked using Kodak film but the price of it just got too expensive so I looked at other companies and found Fuji...I tried the Neopan 400 and Acros 100 in 35mm and 120 formats and liked both...I do like the look in the finished print so I'm going stick with this for now...
I also have a bunch of 100' rolls of film from Freestyle that I like too...the price is right and the look is what I want...
I did more testing with film and print developers...I'm using Rodinal and HC-110 for film and Ilford Harmon Warmtone for prints...I just bought some Tetenal Variospeed W for prints but haven't tried it yet...
 
400 speed black and white, conventional processing. I have used Fuji, Ilford, and Kodak. I prefer Tri-X, but Ilford will do. I miss Fuji. The only one I don't like is Foma.
 
B&W :I shot various common films, than I discover that Delta 100/400 scan well and I stay with them. Like the tones. I'm not so deep interested in the "technical" quality. Not yet found a preference for when I need higher iso...I guess delta 3200@1600 should do the work.
Color: I have not (yet?) a strong preference. It seems me that the hybrid workflow reduce the need of "that" specific film, you can do so much with post processing. Just my idea.
 
my film choice depends on availability and price, my freezer has atleast 6 different kinds of film
through the years, i have come to like tri-x (finally got a hand on development), portra and provia
 
I tried a few types before finding two that I like: Ilford FP4 and Agfa APX 400. Then, Agfa died and Arista came to the rescue... until they stopped selling the Arista II. Now... I've been playing with HP5 and I find it OK.

I'll probably repeat the entire oddysey to find a slower film... wait, I already have a favorite! :) Never mind...
 
My favourites were the Neopan films, 400 and 1600. I was looking for a replacement and didn't like TriX because it curled so much, I tried HP5 and liked it, been using it since
 
nikon_sam said:
I liked using Kodak film but the price of it just got too expensive so I looked at other companies and found Fuji...I tried the Neopan 400 and Acros 100 in 35mm and 120 formats and liked both...I do like the look in the finished print so I'm going stick with this for now...
I also have a bunch of 100' rolls of film from Freestyle that I like too...the price is right and the look is what I want...
I did more testing with film and print developers...I'm using Rodinal and HC-110 for film and Ilford Harmon Warmtone for prints...I just bought some Tetenal Variospeed W for prints but haven't tried it yet...
Click to expand...

Variospeed W is my favorite Sam. It keeps really well too !
 
I use Kodak because it was always available in the USA. I started with Plus-X and TriX, then when Plus-X was dropped I went to Tmax100 (TMX) which I liked better than Plus-X. If I lived in England or Europe I probably would have started with something else. Way back I loved Verichrome Pan by Kodak, it was a two or three layers of different speed film so you couldn't miss on exposure. It was designed for box cameras with one f stop and one shutter speed. Its drawback was it wasn't as sharp as other films, but you got tones everywhere.

This is from an unknown box camera by a unknown photographer. And I think you would agree not a easy metering situation. I scanned the print because I liked the frame, but bright sun on snow still shows detail as does the interior of the car:

found foto by carter3john, on Flickr

Tmax100 comes close to this but I still miss that film.
 
My film choice has evolved and depends in part on what I'm shooting. It's also the result of trial and error, and testing, and what remains available. I've found that basing a choice on what others doesn't work for me.

So.... I've come to love TMax 100 for fine grain and tonality; it's my go-to landscape film. But for street or general use I'm more likely to go with Tri-X because of its versatility. I also love Plus-X (still have some in the 'fridge), and I've been searching for a replacement for several years. I think I've landed on Fomapan 200 for when I want a more "vintage" look; in fact, I like both Fomapan 200 and 100 films.

And then there are the films I've tried and couldn't make work for me, like HP5+ and Neopan 1600. The only Ilford film I've shot and liked (and will shoot again) is FP4+.

I'm still waiting to try Rollei Retro and Eastman Double X.
 
I choose bulk b/w film from BH, all good except overpriced TriX and fake Rollei.
Color is from local Walmart for now, will switch to cheap one from BH.
I'm robbed by local regime Ontarian.
 
I will unashamedly admit to price being my primary driver. Hence the current stuff I have: Kodak Gold 200 for colour 35mm, Arista Premium 400 for B&W in 35mm, and Fuji Superia X-TRA in 120.

However I am not averse to trying things "for fun", a roll here and a roll there. Hence the Fomapan in the fridge (200 in 35mm, 100 in 120) and the various other films I've used over the years.

Like Ko.Fe, I also live in Ontario and frequently rely on Walmart for the cheap colour stuff, although Amazon.ca has had the Gold 200 dead cheap recently. I don't roll my own though, so no bulk rolls for me. When the Arista Premium 400 goes away forever I will probably switch to the next cheapest locally available, which would be the Kentmere stuff. However I love the Arista so much that I might just end up spending more on real Tri-X instead. :)
 
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I've tried most major black and white films in several developers. Honestly, anything made by Kodak, Ilford, or Fuji is capable of first class results, and I've gotten great results with Foma films, too. Each film/developer combo has its own look, and I have chosen those I really like best for my day-to-day work.

Here's an article I wrote on choosing films and developers:
http://crawfordphotoschool.com/film/choosing-film.php
 
I started shooting TriX in the late 50's and have always had a weak spot for it. Unfortunately the price is now almost $7/roll in Canada. I used to buy either 500 rolls or 1000 rolls at a time. Usually cost me $ 2/roll. OK even $ 2000 hurt when you bought it - but $ 7000, no way. I try out other films, Neopan Presto 400 is also very good, as is the latest Fomopan 400. I am also devoted to the Kodak Double X - again I buy bulk 4000ft at a time. Great flexibility as to exposure - and it dries flat!
 
Once I saw the results I could get using Neopan Acros, I was hooked. I use that film anytime the light allows for an ISO100 speed film.
 
Your question is incomplete, because you do not mention if it is colour or B&W.
In colour, I feel the only reason to use film is the negative print film like Portra, which is probably the most appealing, but last time I shot colour was many years ago.
In B&W, I feel the main reason for using film is the tonality. Some also do not disdain the grain. If you can stick to MF, you might as well limit your choice to HP5+ or Tri X for a combination of beautiful tonality, good edge sharpness, great exposure tolerance, and a hint of grain. In 35mm there is scope to look at some good delta grain films, as well as at old style ISO 100 films that go well together with Rodinal development. A mention apart would be Acros, for it's reciprocity benefit up to 1 min exposure.
I would say, that before you experiment, stick to one film and developer for a year or two, in order to learn well the basic tricks.
 
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