Fine grain bulk film

[_lou_]

I have a question for the film experts out there.
A few months ago I started shooting 35mm film again, after using medium format a lot.
This is mostly due to the appeal of lighter weight and less conspicuous gear, but also my discovery if Fuji's Acros 100. There is so much detail in a frame that it does not feel too restricted compared to 6x6. I develop in single-use developer LC29, which gives fine grain and scans well.

I also started bulk loading, because I find it a good way to reduce waste.

Unfortunately I cannot find Acros 100 in bulk in Europe. Options I have are mostly Ilford. I would like recommendations on a good developper for FP4+, because until now I did not find it so good looking or so fine grained. Delta 100 would be another option but is more expensive and the grain I find a bit "dry".

 

[ChrisN]

For fine grain results I like Pan-F. Best in ID-11 or DD-X.

 

[Nokton48]

Pan F+. I bought 1500 feet of it, when Freestyle Photo closed-it-out at $12.99/roll.
Labeled Aristo, but it's definitely PanF+.

D-76/ID11, or PMK Pyro+ are my favorites with this one.

 

[Keith]

Another vote for Pan F+ 🙂

 

[newtorf]

1500 feet!!! $12.99/roll!!! :bang::bang::bang:

Pan F+. I bought 1500 feet of it, when Freestyle Photo closed-it-out at $12.99/roll.
Labeled Aristo, but it's definitely PanF+.

D-76/ID11, or PMK Pyro+ are my favorites with this one.

 

[Noll]

I find that Arista EDU 100 developed in Caffenol CM is very fine grained and less than $40/ 100 ft.

Recently posted an example here: http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2223171&postcount=6

Can't speak much to other developers, though.

Good luck with shipping to the EU though....

 

[dfoo]

I have some acros 100' 100 ISO film which I fine very fine grained which I might be persuaded to part with. If you are interested PM me.

 

[Pioneer]

Fine grain is way over-rated. 🙂

(as I load another roll of TMX100)

 

[znapper]

You have a good amount of options actually, too bad Acros isn't available as bulk any more.

TMax 100
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/29118-USA/Kodak_8570541_TMX_35mm_100_Roll.html

PanF+
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/25308-REG/Ilford_1707814_Pan_F_Plus_35mm.html

Rollei retro 80s (very fine grained film)
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/849665-REG/Rollei_AGFA_810810_35mm_Retro_80s_Black.html

Delta 100
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/108312-REG/Ilford_1780598_Delta_100_Professional_35mm_100.html

Kentmere 100
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/602318-REG/Kentmere_6012588_Kentmere_35mm_Black_and.html

FP4+
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/24650-REG/Ilford_1649734_FP4_Plus_35mm_100.html

 

[k__43]

Fine grain? Retro 80s !!! 40 euros the 100ft roll. Incredible grain for that speed.



Untitled by Kay__K, on Flickr

 

[_lou_]

Thanks to all for the comments, very inspiring. Tmax 100 is rather scarce here and therefore super expensive.
The attempts I made at PanF were in medium format, and I must not have picked the best soup for it, since I found it all greyish and lacking contrast, and scanning very strangely, giving kind of "dry" texture. But I guess I need to try it again.

There are some lesser known options such as Rollei and Fomopan (and some Agfa remaining stock). I tried Kentmere, which is fairly good for the price, but really not as fine as Acros.

I agree that fine grain is overstated to some extent, but moving from medium format to 135 feels... scary somehow. I guess my main criteria is how the result look once scanned, and there seem to be unclear things happening at this stage. I just need to find one good recipe.

 

[Noll]

There are some lesser known options such as Rollei and Fomopan (and some Agfa remaining stock). I tried Kentmere, which is fairly good for the price, but really not as fine as Acros.

Foma 100 is a really excellent film (same as the Arista EDU 100 I mentioned)

If you're flatbed scanning, I doubt you'll come close to resolving the grain on any of the emulsions listed above.

 

[Tom A]

I find the ORWO UN 54 very good as a finer grain alternative. Rated at 100 iso it woks well in just about any MQ developer. In this case the D96 (Kodak's movie stock developer - similar to D76) and also gives you good, sharp negatives with Beutler developer.
Nikon S3 Olympic, Nikkor 35f1.8 2005 version. D96 @ 6 min.
Check "orwona.com" for more information. Cames in 400 ft rolls and also in 100ft rolls.
Anything slower than 100 iso gives me a bit of a problem as I mainly shoot handheld - and if the weather turns crappy - you are at the ragged edge of exposure and shutter speed!

 

[gsgary]

I find the ORWO UN 54 very good as a finer grain alternative. Rated at 100 iso it woks well in just about any MQ developer. In this case the D96 (Kodak's movie stock developer - similar to D76) and also gives you good, sharp negatives with Beutler developer.
Nikon S3 Olympic, Nikkor 35f1.8 2005 version. D96 @ 6 min.
Check "orwona.com" for more information. Cames in 400 ft rolls and also in 100ft rolls.
Anything slower than 100 iso gives me a bit of a problem as I mainly shoot handheld - and if the weather turns crappy - you are at the ragged edge of exposure and shutter speed!

I have 100 feet of this in the post can't wait, have you tried developing it in Rodinal ?

 

[_lou_]

If you're flatbed scanning, I doubt you'll come close to resolving the grain on any of the emulsions listed above.

I'm not flatbed scanning, and neither am I looking to resolve the grain, quite the opposite in fact. What is good with Acros combined with my scanner, it that every pixel is a distinct grey value, as opposed to some other films which will produce a random (noisy) arrangement of black and white points. Post processing can be used to cure this to a certain extent, but at the cost of reduced details.

 

[_lou_]

I thought I'd give an example.

Here is a full size detail of an Acros scan :

and a similar scan from Kentmere 100 :

 

[Murray Kelly]

Sounds like you're in Europe. Did you think of Polypan F? Cheap but not nasty. Has a lot of ardent followers.

 

[Tom A]

ORWO UN 54in Rodinal 1:100, semi stand development for 25 minutes with a couple of "flips" of the tank at 5 and 15 minutes.
Nikon S3, Nikkor 35mm f2.5

 

[msbarnes]

Sounds like you're in Europe. Did you think of Polypan F? Cheap but not nasty. Has a lot of ardent followers.

I was going to mention that.

 

[gsgary]

ORWO UN 54in Rodinal 1:100, semi stand development for 25 minutes with a couple of "flips" of the tank at 5 and 15 minutes.
Nikon S3, Nikkor 35mm f2.5

That looks great cant wait to try this film seen some very nice shots on flickr