Film for Older RF folder: FP4 or HP5

[bwidjaja]

I just received 2 RF folder camera and excited to get shooting MF and developing again after close to 2 years of exclusive digital.

I am debating whether to get Ilford FP4 or HP5. Some background info:
- Cameras: Voigtlander Bessa RF (pre-war) and Perkeo II. Max speed is 1/200 and 1/300 respectively.
- Perkeo has a yellow filter I can attach. Not the Bessa.
- Mainly handheld for now.
- Did not consider XP2 since I am planning to self develop.

My first thought was to go with HP5 for versatility, but concerned with hitting max shutter speed. FP4, on the other hand, may mean slower shutter speed increasing chance of image blur.

Any thoughts or suggestions.

 

[BW400CN]

Why not XP2 - I shoot it on ASA 200 and develop it in Rodinal 1:100?


Pentacon Six TL - Ilford XP2 - Adonal von Michael Relguag auf Flickr

Or maybe Ilford Delta 100 - also in Rodinal 1:100


Zeiss Ikon Mess Ikonta 524/2 - Ilford Delta 100 von Michael Relguag auf Flickr

 

[ruby.monkey]

I'd pick HP5 for the Perkeo at least - the extra couple of stops would let you shot at a slower aperture and thus more generous depth of field. You could always pull the faster film when shooting it in the Bessa.

 

[Steve M.]

Considering those low shutter speeds (and I am sure they are running at about half that in actuality), you'd better stick to a 100 ISO film. W/ a yellow filter, it would be down to ISO 50 and you could do something. Or shoot Tri-X at ISO 100. I do that all the time, and it looks great.

Hmmm, XP2 in Rodinal. Now that's an interesting idea. The last time I tried something like that in B&W developer I got big grain, but I don't see that in the above shot. In fact, I don't see ANY grain in the above shot. Did you take it out in software? Or am I looking at the difference between 6x6 and 35mm? Probably the latter. If you didn't use noise removal, I'll try it at 1:25 and see what happens. I get good results using that dilution. If you're gonna use Rodinal I wanna see some grain. But not too much. Ha!

 

[pschauss]

I shoot Tri-X or HP5+ with no problems in my folders. Most of them have lenses which stop down to f22 or 32 and with a yellow filter 1/300 is fast enough.

 

[Godfrey]

I just received 2 RF folder camera and excited to get shooting MF and developing again after close to 2 years of exclusive digital.

I am debating whether to get Ilford FP4 or HP5. Some background info:
- Cameras: Voigtlander Bessa RF (pre-war) and Perkeo II. Max speed is 1/200 and 1/300 respectively.
- Perkeo has a yellow filter I can attach. Not the Bessa.
- Mainly handheld for now.
- Did not consider XP2 since I am planning to self develop.

My first thought was to go with HP5 for versatility, but concerned with hitting max shutter speed. FP4, on the other hand, may mean slower shutter speed increasing chance of image blur.

Any thoughts or suggestions.

What I use:
- Fuji Neopan ACROS 100 for slowish film with traditional process.

- Ilford XP2 Super for C41 process, Kodak Tri-X for traditional process with two stops more speed.

- Agfa SuperPan 200 for high grain, high contrast, near-IR sensitivity.

That's enough options for me. I barely have time to shoot more than a roll of film every six or seven weeks. :-\

G

 

[bwidjaja]

Thanks for the replies.

Michael, I did not have a good result with XP2 + Rodinal in the past, please do share your method.

Godfrey, precisely the point, because I do not shoot that much, I would prefer to standardize to 1 film type.

 

[shortstop]

I used for years HP5 in 135 and 120. I thought Tmax 400 was inferior in grays rendering. From my first negatives with tmax400 I see I was wrong. The real difference between 135 and 120 is smaller grain. This is better obtained with low sensitivity film. Tmax400 offer the chance to use a fast film with small grain. Anyway HP5 is nice too. Have Perkeo II. Use it also as a point and shoot. This requires high sensitivity for hyperfocal distance. Reccomend the fantastic accessory viewfinder Contur. It' unique. With this you shooht with both eyes opened and the scene you see is real 1:1 with the global visual field of one eye in which is projected the brilliant frame of Contur. Think no other camera maker did a similar vf.
Ilford XP2m: Used it in the past developed in C41 and printed with true BW paper. Invisible grain but tonal gamma not so good as with classic BW film. I've never developed XP2 in rodinal. So I don't know the result can obtain; a question: developed in rodinal XP2 has silver grain? I know that with C41 is like a color film.

 

[BW400CN]

Sorry for late replay!
Yes I use noise reduction while scanning (Epson 1240U Photo and VueScan)

I develop nearly any film in Rodinal 1:100 at 20 C° for 60 min.
One short inversion and a bump on the beginnig and then out for a coffee!
Watering with a temp arround 25-30 C° and Adofix Fixer 1:9 for 15-20min

 

[mfogiel]

HP5 or Tri X in MF are both wonderful. If you are worried about exposure, develop in Diafine, you will get useful results for scanning in a very broad range.

 

[KoNickon]

Folders have f22 or f32 minimum apertures, usually, so I would think HP5+ would work fine, even if the top shutter speed is slower than 1/500.

 

[bwidjaja]

Thanks all, I think i will start with HP5 and see how it goes. I figure, if necessary a little overexposure would not hurt a B+W negative.

@shortstop, I was thinking of getting the kontur finder. However, since I am not entirely comfortable with scale focus on MF yet, I am now using an accessory rangefinder instead. Will keep that in mind for future though. Thanks.

 

[shortstop]

Thanks all, I think i will start with HP5 and see how it goes. I figure, if necessary a little overexposure would not hurt a B+W negative. @shortstop, I was thinking of getting the kontur finder. However, since I am not entirely comfortable with scale focus on MF yet, I am now using an accessory rangefinder instead. Will keep that in mind for future though. Thanks.

I agree. Have an external voigtländer rf me too. But use also, if the light is enough, small diaphragms (F:11 think is the right conpromise) and don't think about focusing predisposing an hyperfocal distance. Doing so the Contur is ideal. Only Perkeo IIIe allows simultaneous use of RF and Contur, but think the Contur phylosophy is avoid focusing and concentrating in framing and shooting the "decisive moment". It would be better these folding had been constructed with a wide angle (a 65 mm would be ideal). They are anyway great cameras anyway.