Film Floozy or Faithful ?

[John Bragg]

Are you one who likes to stick rigidly to one film stock and wring the very best you can out of it, or do you enjoy a broader range of films, maybe choosing according to the needs of the moment ? Do you like to try everything once, or are you faithful to your chosen emulsion no matter what ? Do tell 😀

 

[Rayt]

It is important to be consistent and that means the same film the same way of metering, developer, time and agitation. I tend to get good negatives when using all manual cameras like Rolleiflex TLR and large format and sticking to that formula.

Recently I went on a long road trip and shot 150 sheets of HP5. My go to film TMY is not made in 5x7. I had to sacrifice 10 sheets of it to get the processing right, ie time and agitation.

 

[Prest_400]

I tried to be the former, by sticking to one film and I do mostly follow in Medium format, HP5 in 120.

But then the diversity is always fun to play with. I am more experimental with the 100 films where I switch between Foma and the T-grain types. This actually bit me once in 35mm, where I am much less standard, and overdeveloped some Adox silvermax, oops.


I might do an order of FB paper and this question was pressing me, probably will get Ilford MGFB as standard, but then the other diverse options seem fun to have.

 

[retinax]

I was planning to be faithful to TMY-2, but the last price increase was too much for me. There's no other film that does everything I want like TMY-2 did, so now I have to use two or three different films. I try to limit it there, too many is difficult. Not because I can't get good enough results from a range of materials, but because a) I get paralyzed deciding what to use and b) I'd like a somewhat consistent look in my pictures.

 

[Bill Clark]

Depends on the situation, the camera and format.

I do move around with different films, all black and white.

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

Entirely promiscuous. Chi a una sola e fedele, verso l'altre e crudele.

By trying different films and developers I've happily found ones that give me what I want and which offer different solutions to the wide ranging things I shoot and the lenses that I have.

 

[John Bragg]

Over the 35 years that I have been developing black and white, I have moved from Ilford FP4 to Agfa APX100 and then to Tri-X for the greatest part of that time, and finally with the huge increase in Kodak prices, back to Ilford, with HP5+ being my choice above Delta400. I do tend to stick with a formula that works, as I like to really get to know my materials inside out.

 

[Out to Lunch]

In Vietnam, 35 mm film used to be widely available. Not anymore, and so I'll buy whatever film I can lay my hands on.

 

[Brian Atherton]

Working, it was always Tri-X and FP4 with D76, simply because there were a number of working photographers so we all kept to the same working practices.

For myself I was initially all over the place trying everything that came my way, but settled on Tri-X for a long time. Then I saw output from Neopan 400 and fell in love with it and continued with it for years until it was discontinued.

Lately, though in limited terms, I have been enjoying results from Fomapan 200: it’s a firm favourite.

 

[css9450]

I have a favorite film (Delta 100), but use others too on occasion.

In a perfect world, I'd have more than one roll ready to develop at a time; most I've done at once is three (two 35s + one 120 or 127). Usually can't do that if they aren't all the same film.

Where my consistency lies is in my developer. Always Rodinal, always 1:50, always 68 degrees. It is dilute enough to give me a comfortable long developing time, and it is easy to remember the times for each film: Delta 100 is 14 minutes, Acros is 13-1/2, GP3 is 15 minutes, etc.

 

[Michael Markey]

Probably the odd one out here in as much that I don`t really enjoy the process of developing film.
I try and keep things simple and stick to HP5 .
I have tried others including bulk loading APX400S which I understand was used in the speed trap cameras.
TriX of course ,and black and white motion picture film (which by far the nicest) .
I like XP2 not the other chromogenic film BW400.
Both too expensive these days anyway .

 

[huddy]

I'm faithful to a wide range of films:

35mm
- Tri-X at 400/800 or 1250 with Cal's Diafine Slackers Brew. Scans are nice, can't wait to wet print some one day. MPix True B&W prints look fantastic.
- Old Acros at 160 with the above development and printing when the light/situation calls for it. Not sure if I'll get around to picking up Acros II though as I shoot slow 35mm film VERY rarely.

120
- Portra 160/400 - For occasional color portraits or family outings when I think the light/colors will be worth the look for the cost.
- Ektar - A few rolls per year for outdoor trips that are more landscape focused with great color but too much contrast/dynamic range for slide film.
- Ektachrome 100 VS - For outdoor/family photos with brilliant spring/fall colors in mildly subdued light. I bought a couple of packs back in 2013 fresh and froze it. Started shooting it last fall and WOW. Will likely give new Ektachrome a try too once this runs out as I really like Kodak's slide colors.
- FP4+ B&W portraits on this in medium format are fantastic. I shoot a couple rolls per year for this purpose.

I've discontinued color film on 35mm and really slowed down my black and white on 120 to focus on consistent, repeatable processes and making the most of distinctive looks in each format for the past few years while my time for experimenting/learning is fairly limited. I'll probably add some TMax 100 back to 120 when I'm in a phase of life to have more access/time for shooting landscape in B&W as the tonality in medium format and beyond is so good.

 

[Larry Cloetta]

Are you one who likes to stick rigidly to one film stock and wring the very best you can out of it, or do you enjoy a broader range of films, maybe choosing according to the needs of the moment ? Do you like to try everything once, or are you faithful to your chosen emulsion no matter what ? Do tell 😀

Film photography isn’t rocket science, so it isn’t either/or. It’s not nearly that difficult to wring the best out of many different film stocks. It may take a little longer, but not that much longer.
There are millions of people who, every day, do things more challenging than wringing the best out of different film stocks, something which moderate effort, and some time invested, makes possible for any of us.
There’s nothing wrong with, at the end of the day, having a favorite though.

 

[John Bragg]

Film photography isn’t rocket science, so it isn’t either/or. It’s not nearly that difficult to wring the best out of many different film stocks. It may take a little longer, but not that much longer.
There are millions of people who, every day, do things more challenging than wringing the best out of different film stocks, something which moderate effort, and some time invested, makes possible for any of us.
There’s nothing wrong with, at the end of the day, having a favorite though.

Thanks Larry

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

Eastman 5222 & HP5 for me. I buy film in 100' rolls, so I'm stuck with what I bought while it lasts. I shoot the 5222 as 320 iso and HP5 as 400 & higher.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

"Recently I went on a long road trip and shot 150 sheets of HP5. My go to film TMY is not made in 5x7. "

Rayt, For more than a decade TMax 400 was my standard film.... in 5x7"
Keith Canham is the man to supply it...& I had a fridge full of it. Finally when it went to over $400 (Canadian $) for a box of 50, I sold my 5x7 and went back to 4x5 since i usually print 16"x20" with the occasional 20"x24"

Having said that, HP5 is a fine film. I shot a lot of it on 120 before finding that i had a preference for Tri-X.

If you're really set on TMax 400 Keith does orders in large sheet film sizes when he has enough buyers for a full order. It is indeed a great film

 

[charjohncarter]

I have three films that I like and I've liked them for some time. But I also try out a new film sometime just for something different. Like recently I was given a roll of Neopan Acros 100. I was surprised how we got along, I still like the pictures I took on that one roll. But now it is gone but coming back.

In the shade:

Neopan Acros 100 expired by John Carter, on Flickr

In the sun:

Neopan Acros 100 expired by John Carter, on Flickr

And in the house:
Neopan Acros 100 expired by John Carter, on Flickr

Of course, it is easier to post process digitally than to really do a print. But I like this little surprise.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

Over time my choice of films has been influenced by both availability & preference. I really liked both Agfa APX 100 & 25 in medium format. These days i use both Ilford FP4+ and Tri-x or TMY-2 (pretty much interchangeably). For developer after using standard developers, then PMK.... I settled on Pyrocat HD. If it came down to it, I could happily live with only FP4+.
Likewise in papers, I end up with what's still available. Guillemot "Brilliant" and Forte Polywarmtone were wonderful papers. These days, I'm using Ilford Warmtone & Classic although when they were available I preferred Foma Variant FB.
I'd rather be working with known materials with reliable QC than constantly testing.

 

[Huss]

I mainly shoot Fuji Instax and have always processed it the same way. From day 1.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I'm using affordable film. For color only Kodak Gold left, was for years now.
For BW I started with Kodak TMAX, but Alaris or whatever its called happened.
I switched to Ilford HP5+, but they run on-line questionnaire and high jacked the price. Kentmere is my last source for affordable film in bulks. But it is also getting high jacked in price.

I'm not a person who tries every possible film and post boring pictures with lectures about curves. I used film for its original purpose - photography. Street and travels, family pictures, events. I used film daily. Pushing it during dark time of the year. Now under current prices it is hundreds of dollars per year, even with Kentmere in bulks.
I'm switching back to digital for photography and film cameras are just for pleasure under bright light. No regular film use in next winter. Tried new TMAX 3200 this winter. Went through several rolls for three or so months. This film is garbage.
It still feels nice to use film camera. Not for any practical reason as it used to be. For now I was able to get cheap expired film in bulk. After it is over I will order one bulk of Tri-X and use it until it is finished.
Once bulk price from Kodilford will reach 100USD, I don't think I'll be pleased to use film cameras anymore.