Film, Film, and more Film. (Travel Light Part II)

[raid]

I want your collective wisdom wo advise me [and others who may read this thread] which type of film to get and/or use in my [yes again] upcoming one week long trip.

My past photography adventures have been based on very slow slide film,and I somehow inherited my preference of ISO100 film. Many people here use ISO400 film in B&W film.

I don't want to spend more money on film now.

I have plenty of XP2 Super C-41 film as my fast film, and I have plenty of ISO50~ISO100 film as my slow film. Do I really "need" Tri-X? I go with cheap film. I'm a cheap guy, I guess. My wife won't buy this argument, but I really hate spending more money on film.

Is cheap film such as the ones that Freestyle sells under the Arista EDU label OK? Is Tri-X really "better"? How?


Consider that Al Kaplan and not I will develop the film. He has only been using Tri-X for most of his photography life.

What about color film?


Raid

 

[back alley]

no problem, use the xp2 and you can change the iso as you go inside to outside and vv.

joe

 

[ray_g]

I agree with Joe. XP2 should suffice. With that you can bring just one body!

I guess part III will be what bag to bring? 😉

 

[raid]

ray: I don't think that a "bag thread" is needed here.

Joe: Yes, XP2 then will suffice.

Raid

 

[RdEoSg]

Go with XP2 it will do fine, but "someday" do yourself a favor and try a roll of Tri-X. It is truly my favorite film! 😉

 

[rovnguy]

Try Fuji Reala. It is a great color negative film that desaturates into very good B&W.

 

[raid]

I have tried Tri-X maybe twice in my life. Last time was last week.
I have Reala and I use Reala often for color.

Raid

 

[amateriat]

Another vote for XP2. One of my favorites, truly versatile, and you've got a lot of it already.

Next question? 🙂


- Barrett

 

[MadMan2k]

There's nothing at all wrong with the Arista film, I've shot quite a bit of it and the results are good. It doesn't feel like the plastic is quite as good quality as Kodak or Ilford film, but it's a lot cheaper... By quality I mean resistance to curling, less tendancy to collect dust (maybe my imagination), and less tendency to get sticky after developing. Take that with a grain of salt though, I'm new to developing and don't really use a scientific process.

This was shot on Arista 100:


This was Arista 400 pushed to 1600:

 

[RdEoSg]

I *drool* for trix 😉

 

[raid]

Another vote for XP2. One of my favorites, truly versatile, and you've got a lot of it already.

Next question? 🙂


- Barrett

Barret: No questions left here. I am benefiting from very useful tips in this forum. I will take the XP2 with me, with the hope that Xray will not damage it in Europe.

Raid

 

[raid]

There's nothing at all wrong with the Arista film, I've shot quite a bit of it and the results are good. It doesn't feel like the plastic is quite as good quality as Kodak or Ilford film, but it's a lot cheaper... By quality I mean resistance to curling, less tendancy to collect dust (maybe my imagination), and less tendency to get sticky after developing. Take that with a grain of salt though, I'm new to developing and don't really use a scientific process.

This was shot on Arista 100:


This was Arista 400 pushed to 1600:

I will throw into the camera bag a few rolls of ISO 50 Arista film for landscapes.

Raid

 

[kaiyen]

My only recommendation is to not bring too many different types of film. keep the camera loaded with XP2 in general, and if you know you're going to blow a whole roll with the Arista 50 (which should be Pan F+), then load some of that up. Otherwise you'll find yourself winding the film up before it's done (though nothing wrong with that) or stuck with 50 in the camera.

The only reason why many of us bring TXT as our one and only is because it's so versatile. But if I didn't want to go out and buy a bunch of it and ESPECIALLY if I haven't personally tried it at EI 250-6400, I wouldn't switch to it just for this trip.

allan

 

[nightfly]

Neopan 400 is like $3 a roll at B and H and Tri-X is like $3.50. I would shoot some of all the films you want to take that you haven't shot and see what look you prefer. I prefer Neopan 400 to Tri-X because it looks slightly sharper and more modern to me but retains the curves and feel of Tri-X but I use them interchangeably.

If you like the texture that grain offers to your photos, either of these is a good choice but as you have chosen slow films and C-41 films in the past, it doesn't seem like grain is something you desire so you are probably better off with what you have.

To me the problem with C-41 black and white or de-saturated color is the lack of grain. If you're OK with this or prefer it than the XP2 or Reala are both good choices.

 

[raid]

nightfly,

I like to have some grain in some photos, and for those I like to use EFKE film. For some reason, when having it developed commercially in the past, the resulting negatives were stark looking. Maybe it was wrong developing for EFKE. Since I switched to having Al Kaplan do the developing, I have gotten back EFKE like other types of film.

Raid

 

[raid]

My only recommendation is to not bring too many different types of film. keep the camera loaded with XP2 in general, and if you know you're going to blow a whole roll with the Arista 50 (which should be Pan F+), then load some of that up. Otherwise you'll find yourself winding the film up before it's done (though nothing wrong with that) or stuck with 50 in the camera.

The only reason why many of us bring TXT as our one and only is because it's so versatile. But if I didn't want to go out and buy a bunch of it and ESPECIALLY if I haven't personally tried it at EI 250-6400, I wouldn't switch to it just for this trip.

allan

Allan,

I may have XP2 most of the time loaded in the camera, and when I see opportunities for shooting an entire roll of ISO 50 film, I simply take a whole roll. I am used to shooting a roll in a few minutes when the photo opportunies are good.

Raid

 

[sirius]

no problem, use the xp2 and you can change the iso as you go inside to outside and vv.

joe

Hi Joe, what do you mean about you can change the ISO. Can you explain?

 

[kaiyen]

sirius,
Joe is referring to the ridiculously wide latitude of XP2. It can't _really_ be shot at 200-800, in reality, since you'll get best results at 200 and decreasing shadow detail and increasing noise as you up the EI. But you can realistically take 1 roll, change the EI from 200 to 800, and have it go through standard C41 processing and get prints from each frame that are probably acceptable to most people.

Not all people. But most.

allan

 

[sirius]

Do you have to shoot the whole roll at one speed or can you change the ISO? Isn't it a 400 speed film? You can shoot it at 200?

One more question, what would a discriminating person have against what XP2 does?

Thanks very much for your response.

 

[venchka]

Let me just say this...

Let me just say this...

...about that.

Here is a list (from memory-always a risky business in my case) of film available 24/7 around my neighborhood:

CVS Pharmacy: Kodak Chrome of some flavor, Kodak Ultra 400 UC (great C-41 film), Kodak BW 400 CN, Kodak Tri-X.

Walgreen's Pharmacy: Fuji C-41 color in a variety of speeds (Walgreen's brand film comes from Fuji), Kodak Gold & Max in various speeds, Kodak BW 400 CN.

Wal-Mart: Kodak Ultra 400 UC, Kodak T-max (not sure which speed), Kodak BW 400 CN, Kodak Gold & Max & High Definition (I don't like any of those) and some Fuji maybe.

Kroger Supermarket: Kroger brand C-41 film from Itally. Ferrari (grin) or something like that. I didn't know that film was still being made. Kodak Gold & Max & High Def.

The only film I can't get 24/7 are Kodachrome, Reala, Fast Fuji color neg., and XP2 Super. I get those from Wolf Camera during more normal hours. Wolf also stocks traditional B&W from Ilford and Kodak.

What's your point Wayne? If you are out and about and need some film it's everywhere! 😀 Even if you have to use Kodak's horrid Max film, sometimes any pictures are better than no pictures!

Bon voyage!

ps, One week is not a long trip. 😱