film for creamy look in 35mm

[Turtle]

Just a few points, albeit small ones:

Acros 100 has a very different tonality to traditional films and so 35mm Acros does not look like 6x7 TriX, Neopan 400 or anything else really, apart from 6x7 Acros (obviously) or perhaps Tmax 400. The look of 35mm acros or Tmax might be creamy, but it comes along with a different film curve, which may or may not be acceptable.

Foma 100 in Xtol give VERY fine grain that is nothing like TriX at all - miles finer. I know it can be coarse in other developers but it literally vanishes in straight or 1+1 Xtol, just as the grain with APX100 did. If you have not tried it yourself, do, because it is quite the vanishing act and would be a great combination for infant or female portraits. I have taken to adding Rodinal to my Xtol for developing this film to add a little more grain sparkle when I shoot documentary. Without it, the Xtol/Foma 100 combo is smooth like a baby's botty. I have a 35mm documentary neg that I dislike because printed at 16x12" there is no grain at all and it lacks a little acutance, but it is a) 'creamy' and b) has the traditional fim curve rather than the T-Grain/Epitaxal one.

 

[btgc]

If you ask me then charjohncarter's TMax samples match best what I imagine by the word "creamy".

I realize this vvv is not creamy but closest to my take. APX100/Retro 100 has certain look.



Notes from the garden, 2011 (6) by mm35exp36, on Flickr

 

[peterm1]

The old Ilford XP2 if its still made. These black and white chromgenic films looked great but you had to expose them at iso 200 not 400 for best results.

 

[Turtle]

grain structure has a lot to do with it too, as you want to avoid the 'halftone effect' where the speckles of the grain disrupts the sense of creamy continuous tone. Of films that have lots of speckle, IMO Ilford traditional films are amongst the most obvious. Ilford Fp4+ gives a sense of emerging 'sandpaperyness' before Foma 100, because FP4+ has sharper grain, that is a touch less uniform. The grain in Foma 100, in Xtol, is less well defined and more uniform, therefore lending a creamy look to the image. There is no resolution advantage here, but in fact a slight reduction in 'edge' with the foma.

As one film tester observed, many films saw only a small or even insignificant change with xtol 1+0 over 1+1, however, FP4+ showed a dramatic reduction in grain. Therefore with FP4+ I would recommend a dev with some solvent action for creamy tones.

 

[Teuthida]

XP2 Super...

 

[semilog]

Just a few points, albeit small ones:

Acros 100 has a very different tonality to traditional films and so 35mm Acros does not look like 6x7 TriX, Neopan 400 or anything else really, apart from 6x7 Acros (obviously) or perhaps Tmax 400.]

I shoot mainly TMAX400 and ACROS, and find them to be quite different from one another.

ACROS has a softer shoulder while TMAX400 just keeps building density in the highlights as exposure increases. I prefer ACROS to nearly anything else, but shoot 2TMY when there's not a lot of light. Both films have relatively extended red sensitivity, with a flat curve out to ~635 nm and then a precipitous drop in sensitivity. In my view this is a desirable characteristic of both emulsions. 2TMY in XTOL1+1 or especially 1+2 also has a lot more bite than ACROS.

 

[Kolame]

I always thought creamy look was depending on bokeh (lens) and light? Might be wrong though…

 

[HHPhoto]

I'm looking for a film (B/W) that gives that creamy look like MF gives.

Gary

Hi Gary,

so you want a BW film in 35mm, which gives you similar quality to medium format.

In the cases I need that I am using Agfa Copex Rapid, developed in Spur Modular UR New.
Have a look here at this thread, where I have written about my experiences with this outstanding film - developer combination:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=114604

Cheers, Jan

 

[wblynch]

Nothing delivers that look better than Kodak Plus-X. It is still available in 35mm, until supplies run out, so better get some while you can.

It's also available from Freestyle as Arista Premium 100.

Plus-X, a most gorgeous film

 

[Rob-F]

Anyone see "The Artist?" I thought the closeups of "Peppy Miller" had the creamy look. Wonder what film they used? Eastman 5222, perhaps?

 

[Richard G]

Rollei Retro 100 I find creamy. This is the ZM 25 Biogon, sharp and contrasty lens, but the tonality of these walls and the skin tones are lovely.


Melbourne by Richard GM2, on Flickr

 

[sanmich]

ACROS at box speed (100) in XTOL 1+1. Savagely good with the 35/2.8 Biogon-C.

One reason I keep away from ACROS is the supposed higher scratchability (yeah, that's a word. I just invented it😉).
How much truth is there in these "rumors"?

 

[Doug]

I'm looking for a film (B/W) that gives that creamy look like MF gives...

Gary I immediately thought of Agfa Isopan FF, ISO 25,
Develop in Edwal FG-7 diluted 1:15 in water, 8 min at 70.5 deg

Lovely creamy tones, essentially grainless. But surely no longer available; I last used it in 1982, and I think it's long discontinued. Too bad, as it served a certain purpose. Of any B&W film I've used, it has that medium format look. Plus the metal cartridges were reusable!

 

[Ezzie]

Another vote for Acros. In my limited experience its the film most resembling of the smooth gradation characteristic often attributed to MF. This is the Legacy Pro branded version:


The long way home by Eirik0304, on Flickr


Summer has gone #13 by Eirik0304, on Flickr

 

[amateriat]

As my everyday go-to film: Kodak BW400NC.

Faraway Eyes, Staten Island Ferry, July 31, 2010

(Technical: Contax TVs, Kodak BW400NC)


- Barrett

 

[Rayt]

One reason I keep away from ACROS is the supposed higher scratchability (yeah, that's a word. I just invented it😉).
How much truth is there in these "rumors"?

I bulk load Acros so if it is prone to scratching then I would see it but I don't.

 

[canetsbe]

So, Gary, which one looks the creamiest so far?

 

[ianstamatic]

for sheer cream its hard to beat forma100 in xtol.
gives very nice mids and reminds me of apx100.

 

[andredossantos]

Fuji Acros 100@200 in Diafine is my recommendation.

Hey, nice results w/ the Diafine. At what speed do you rate the Acros?

 

[mijosc]

I just developed a roll of Pan F in Perceptol. Seems pretty creamy to me.


Steel Web by mijosc79, on Flickr


Steel Web 2 by mijosc79, on Flickr


Steel Web 3 by mijosc79, on Flickr


Stillwater Liftbridge by mijosc79, on Flickr