film speed

[Kin Lau]

I roll my own, FP4+ & HP5, and I usually have at least 2 camera's loaded with film, whether RF or SLR. If I find that if I need to shoot with slower or faster film (pushing or pulling), then I just load up another camera ... there's no shortage around here 🙂

 

[berci]

My favorite film is TriX 400 because of its mood and my slow lenses.

berci

 

[matu]

By the moment I´m enjoying T-Max 400, but soon I´ll start shooting TriX 400, I don´t like forcing(pushing) the film.

 

[Biber]

Tri-X 400

 

[Kris]

Well, I'm one of those guys who abandons Tri X for Neopan 400 and will never look back (Gentlemen, please send your hate message privately) 🙂

I'm down to three films only: Plus X at ISO50, Neopan 400 at ISO200 and Delta 3200 at ISO1000 developed as ISO1600.

 

[FrankS]

I just went to the camera shop in a nearby city to buy film. I was planning on buying Neopan 400 but they didn't have any. Fugi Acros 100 was $6.50/36, Fp4+ was $5.50, and HP5+ ws $4.50. I bought the Ilford films. (1 each)

 

[nikon_sam]

I've been using Kodak Tri-X (400asa) shooting it @500asa with a Y52 (Yellow) Filter. I'm not too concerned with grain because I am only enlarging to fit a 5x7 sheet with a full frame image, this comes out to about a 4x6 1/8" image with a nice white border around it. This is my Go-To film for my RF.

 

[canonetc]

BW film for most situations

BW film for most situations

....how about using either a 400 speed film at around 200 to 250, which will give reasonably fine grain even with that film, and allow you to take pictures in....
Roman

I tried Roman's suggestion on Ilford HP5 (pulling film to 250), but noticed that highlights tended to get blown out when film was processed normal. I hate underprocessing film for "pulling", so I always process the film normal.

I prefer loading HP5 400 and rating it (setting ASA) at 320 for all-purpose shooting (normal to low-light situations). With an RF camera, I found I can get something usable on the neg, in low-very low-light, if I shoot at 1/15th, with f-stops from 1.4-5.6 depending on the lighting. Rating the film at 320 then processing normally gives me good detail in the shadows and with HP5 decent contrast. I have not had the same success with Kodak TMAX 400 for some reason.

Chris
canonetc

 

[BJ Bignell]

I use HP5+ almost exclusively in my MF gear. I primarily use Provia 100F in 35mm, but I also have a 100' roll of Delta 100 on the shelf.

If I'm going to mix it up, it could be anything from TXP320 or Tri-X (in MF) to Delta 400 to Delta 3200 to PanF+. I used to use FP4+ almost exclusively, but I was put-off by the amount of grain I was getting (probably because I was agitating too aggressively during development, something I learned after I moved on).

 

[ruben]

Dear FrankS,
I don't want to be nasty but could you detail me a bit how you manage to make photos by night with ISO 400, and without tripod ? I am really curious what are you talking about.
Thanks in advance,
Ruben

 

[kiev4a]

Tri-X 400. I've been shooting it since the '50s when the grain was as big as road gravel. I feel most comfortable with it, I suppose, because I know it so well I seldom need a meter. Nothing else handles the entire gray scale like Tri-X. I have shot a little Tmax 400 in 120 recently but I think I still prefer Tri-X. I also have trouble keeping the contrast managable using slower films.

 

[kiev4a]

One more thing: usually it's better to overexpose negs than underexpose. If you really have to choose one film, you can be better off with 400-speed one or .

I disagree. If you overexpose you get more grain and lose middle tones. More can be done with a slightly underexposed negative plus the grain is better.
I was taught years ago by an old photographer to expose so you can lay the negative on a newspaper and read the typ through the heaviest portion of the negative. I usually don't go to that extreme but always err to the side of thin.

 

[Honu-Hugger]

I have depended upon T-Max 400 @ EI 320 for many years now, as a choice between 100 and 400 for unknown situations I'd go with 400. Lately I've been shooting a fair amount of P3200 @ EI800 -- I might even consider this (still experimenting).

 

[DougK]

I don't usually shoot B&W (usually color slide film), but when I do it's usually whatever true/non-chromogenic film is on sale at my FLCS (friendly local camera store). Most often that winds up Ilford HP5+ ISO 400.

UPDATE: My FLCS stopped carrying Ilford! Apparently I was the only one coming in to buy it. The only thing they carry in true black-and-white now is Kodak Tmax so I picked up three rolls of the 100 speed. The first roll of it I shot was also the first roll I put through my Konica C35 Automatic (how long have I had that camera now, Joe?... anyway, thanks again, what a fun camera to shoot with) so it's a double test of sorts. I should get the film back this weekend, I'll try to see if I can squeeze out a couple of decent scans rom my Epson.

 

[reellis67]

I shoot with 400 or lower films and I usualy carry two cameras (or so <cough><cough>) on hand at any given time with different speed films loaded. If I need high speed I shoot Tri-X @ 1250 and then dev in diafine. Oh, I only shoot Black and White these days for what its worth...

- Randy

 

[doubs43]

I was taught years ago by an old photographer to expose so you can lay the negative on a newspaper and read the typ through the heaviest portion of the negative. I usually don't go to that extreme but always err to the side of thin.

That's interesting as my father used to tell me the same thing about being able to read newsprint through a 35mm negative. IIRC, it's supposed to print with minimal fuss on grade 3 paper.

Another bit of "old timer" wisdom held that it's best to over expose and under develope.

Walker

 

[Pherdinand]

oh - i was still talking about colour negs, when saying overexposure-is-better, folks🙂

 

[Bob Michaels]

Neopan 400 about 99% of the time. I usually shoot it @ e.i. 250 but sometimes 400, sometimes 800 when needed. This is both 35mm and 6x7.

I just like using one film and learning how to make it work in 99% of the situations. That way I never have the wrong film.

Oh, I could have chosen Tri-X or HP-5 and learned how to make them work. But the Fuji was 20 cents a roll cheaper so that was the tie breaker.

 

[FrankS]

Since getting Diafine developer with its (ease of use, longevity, and) increase in film speed, I'm going to try Agfa APX 100 rated at 200 for day to day film. For indoors and bar shots I'll use my regular HP5+, rated at 1000 or so.

 

[TPPhotog]

These days I only shoot B&W and depending on the subject and light I use:

Pan F @50
FP4+ @ 100
HP5+ @ 200 to 1600.
Delta 3200 @ 3200 but soup it as 6400.

That said I've been getting hooked on Tri-X @ 320 for the last 20-25 rolls.

Usually I soup in different dilutions of Rodinal, but will occasionally still use DD-X.