Help me choosing film

taylan

taylan

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Hi
My film stock is getting finished and I need to buy some bulk film. Unfortunately I have some financial problems nowadays and I have to buy cheapest one. Films that I can find are Fomapan 400 Action, Kentmere 400 and Rollei Retro 400S, but I don't know the characteristics of these films. Can you give any recommend about these films or do these films resemble any other film?
I am familiar to Tri-X, T-max 400, HP5+, Ilford Pan 400, Neopan 400, APX 400 and Rollei RPX 400.
I am planning to use D-76 and Xtol as developer. Also I almost never push the films. For this reason pushing character of film are not important for me. Additionally I am doing wet printing and for this reason scanning results are not important for me.
I need your advices. Please help me :)
 
Taylan,

another possibility: right now there is outdated HP5plus (May 2010) available here http://www.ebay.de/itm/ILFORD-HP5-P...?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_18f6&hash=item58923f5961

(no connection with the seller) I just developed the first self-loaded roll, but have not prdinte yet. I think I see more base fog than with the fresh HP5plus I am used too, but especially if you are not expecting to push the film this should be of little concern.)

Otherwise, of the films you mentioned I would go with the Kentmere film. I have used some Fomapan 400 and had small problems with quality control. The Kentmere film is Ilford quality. RFF user "HHPhoto" will be able to chime in on the Rollei films, personally I have lost track on who manufactured what for whom :)

Greetings!
Ljós
 
I would avoid the Retro 400S unless you know exactly how you want to use it. It is not Retro 400, the repackaged APX, it is an aerial film. It has to be very exactly exposed and has practically no latitude.

No idea on the others. My experience with Foma is that it is great in 120 but has quality problems in 135 rolls. Great tonality when it works though. Perhaps others can comment on whether the bulk 135 is any good.

I have no experience with Kentmere but I think I've used it as Rollei RPX, in which case it is good but not as good as Tri-X or HP5 for wet printing, and very good for scanning.

Cheers,
Rob
 
One more thing: if you REALLY want to save money (and can live with less film speed), have you considered Polypan F? See this thread:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60938

and:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94107

Source for Polypan F can be http://www.lumiere-shop.de/index.php?page=categorie&cat=79 (also no connection with the seller). 90m (good for about 46 films) cost only 22 Euro. But you will need to respool the film if you use a bulk loader.)
 
gbegonj said:
I tried Kentmere 400. It looks nice.. I heard that Kentmere 400 is repacked Ilford Pan 400.
Click to expand...

From what I read Kentmere 400 is not (not exactly at any rate) Ilford Pan 400. It may be similar, share similar technology etc. but not the same film.

Greetings, Ljós
 
Ljós said:
One more thing: if you REALLY want to save money (and can live with less film speed), have you considered Polypan F? See this thread:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60938

and:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94107

Source for Polypan F can be http://www.lumiere-shop.de/index.php?page=categorie&cat=79 (also no connection with the seller). 90m (good for about 46 films) cost only 22 Euro. But you will need to respool the film if you use a bulk loader.)
Click to expand...

Seconded its a great film and for the money an absolute bargain. It is also on the bay.
 
Thanks all of you for fast answers

Ljós said:
Taylan,

another possibility: right now there is outdated HP5plus (May 2010) available here http://www.ebay.de/itm/ILFORD-HP5-P...?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_18f6&hash=item58923f5961

(no connection with the seller) I just developed the first self-loaded roll, but have not prdinte yet. I think I see more base fog than with the fresh HP5plus I am used too, but especially if you are not expecting to push the film this should be of little concern.)

Otherwise, of the films you mentioned I would go with the Kentmere film. I have used some Fomapan 400 and had small problems with quality control. The Kentmere film is Ilford quality. RFF user "HHPhoto" will be able to chime in on the Rollei films, personally I have lost track on who manufactured what for whom :)

Greetings!
Ljós
Click to expand...

Thanks for link Ljós but I had lots of trouble with old films. I have a very bad luck about old films. Also thanks your advices about Foma and Kentmere. I was planning to buy Foma but I changed my opinion after your and other friends' opinion.

robbeiflex said:
I would avoid the Retro 400S unless you know exactly how you want to use it. It is not Retro 400, the repackaged APX, it is an aerial film. It has to be very exactly exposed and has practically no latitude.

No idea on the others. My experience with Foma is that it is great in 120 but has quality problems in 135 rolls. Great tonality when it works though. Perhaps others can comment on whether the bulk 135 is any good.

I have no experience with Kentmere but I think I've used it as Rollei RPX, in which case it is good but not as good as Tri-X or HP5 for wet printing, and very good for scanning.

Cheers,
Rob
Click to expand...

Rob thanks for advices on Retro 400. I will be better to romeve it on my list.

Ljós said:
One more thing: if you REALLY want to save money (and can live with less film speed), have you considered Polypan F? See this thread:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60938

and:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94107

Source for Polypan F can be http://www.lumiere-shop.de/index.php?page=categorie&cat=79 (also no connection with the seller). 90m (good for about 46 films) cost only 22 Euro. But you will need to respool the film if you use a bulk loader.)
Click to expand...

Actually i am looking a 400 ISO film but i will investigate Polypan F. Thanks for advice.

gbegonj said:
I tried Kentmere 400. It looks nice.. I heard that Kentmere 400 is repacked Ilford Pan 400.
Click to expand...

Ljós said:
From what I read Kentmere 400 is not (not exactly at any rate) Ilford Pan 400. It may be similar, share similar technology etc. but not the same film.

Greetings, Ljós
Click to expand...

I also heard that Kentmere has similar characteristic with Pan 400. I actually like the result that I get from Pan 400. It is old looking, corse grain and low contrast film, but not better tahn Tri-x or HP5+
 
Ljós said:
From what I read Kentmere 400 is not (not exactly at any rate) Ilford Pan 400. It may be similar, share similar technology etc. but not the same film.

Greetings, Ljós
Click to expand...

So I read here on RFF that Kentmere 400 is REALLY Rollei RPX 400 which is REALLY Agfa APX 400!

Here is a shot with the Kentmere developed in HC110B, and below it is a photo taken with RPX 400, also in HC110 (developed at same time):

Kentmere 400:

6884125399_368dedba8c_z.jpg


Rollei RPX 400:

6884127663_f985ed6647_z.jpg


I like the Kentmere a lot, and will buy more of it.

Randy
 
zauhar said:
So I read here on RFF that Kentmere 400 is REALLY Rollei RPX 400 which is REALLY Agfa APX 400!
Randy
Click to expand...
Hi Randy. I used extensively both Rollei RPX 400 and Agfa APX 400 and i can say that these two film are similar but not same. Agfa is (was) much better film in the means of tonality, finer grain structure and great shadow detail. RPX 400 also a great film but it has a little larger grain structure. If Kentmere 400 is RPX 400 as you said, then I will probably choose it.

Pirate said:
So, you're talking about 135 film?

Arista Premium 400 is Tri-X:
http://freestylephoto.biz/192364-Arista-Premium-BandW-400-ISO-35mm-x-36-exp.?cat_id=402

I use that a lot and it's great.

And Arista EDU Ultra 400 is Foma:
http://freestylephoto.biz/190364-Arista-EDU-Ultra-BandW-400-iso-35mm-x-36-exp.?cat_id=402

I use this in 120 all the time and it's also a great film.
Click to expand...

Hi Pirate, Yes i am talking 135 bulk film.
Also I am living in Turkey and overseas shipping rates from US is very high. For this reason I prefer to buy in Europe. http://www.macodirect.de has the cheapest shipping rates for me. For this reason I am planning to buy there and unfortunately they are not selling Arista products. Otherwise Arista Premium will be my first choice.
 
Arista may be available from one or more UK online shops. I am a happy macodirect customer myself (just got some HP5 and Pan-F in the mail yesterday!) but it's not your only option. Perhaps others with UK experience will post some recommendations.

Cheers,
Rob
 
taylan said:
Hi
My film stock is getting finished and I need to buy some bulk film. Unfortunately I have some financial problems nowadays and I have to buy cheapest one. Films that I can find are Fomapan 400 Action, Kentmere 400 and Rollei Retro 400S, but I don't know the characteristics of these films. Can you give any recommend about these films or do these films resemble any other film?
I am familiar to Tri-X, T-max 400, HP5+, Ilford Pan 400, Neopan 400, APX 400 and Rollei RPX 400.
Click to expand...

Go for Kentmere 400.
It looks similar (but not identical) to Ilford Pan 400, HP5+ and RPX 400.
The differences between the looks of these films are not huge.
Kentmere 400 can easily be developed in XTOL and D76.
It's a robust film.

Retro 400S can make sense if you want a versatile film, because it can not only be used as a normal BW negative film, but also deliver excellent results as BW slide film in reversal processing (especially in Agfa Scala process: you can send the films from Istanbul to the German Scala labs).
BW slides are absolutely breathtaking, especially in projection!

And you can use Retro 400S with a RG 715 filter as infrared film, also with excellent results.

In general, if you are using Retro 400S, expose it at 200, that is its real speed. It is not a real ISO 400 film.

Cheers, Jan
 
zauhar said:
So I read here on RFF that Kentmere 400 is REALLY Rollei RPX 400 which is REALLY Agfa APX 400!

Randy
Click to expand...

Hi Randy,

that is not the case: These three films are not identical.
RPX 400 and Kentmere 400 are very similar, but not identical.
RPX 400 is probably derived from Ilford Pan 400.
Fact is, that RPX 400 was made by Ilford for Maco.

And Agfa APX 400 is a complete different animal.

Cheers, Jan
 
Odmit said:
have you considered using Ultrafine Extreme? apprently it is rebranded fomapan! ands quite cheap too

http://www.ultrafineonline.com/ulxtblwhfiis9.html
http://www.ultrafineonline.com/ulxtblwhfiis5.html

under $30 for 100ft (minus shipping)
Click to expand...

The 400 ASA Ultrafine definitely isn't Fomapan 400. I have souped up about 50 metres of the stuff in Caffenol-C-M and gotten great results, but in the same soup using same temp and time Fomapan 400 is very thin.

To my eye the Ultrafine Extreme 400 looks very similar to HP5+. I shoot and develop them both side by side.

I can highly recommend Ultrafine Extreme 400.
 
HHPhoto said:
Hi Randy,
RPX 400 and Kentmere 400 are very similar, but not identical.
Click to expand...

I'm curious to hear / see how. My information is that they would be identical, and this is coming (through a middle man albeit, so obviously can't vouch for it!) from Maco.

Just curious, that's all.
 
Pity Polypan F is so slow....I know it can be pushed to ISO 200 but I wish true 200 would be nominal to go up from.
 
randomm said:
I'm curious to hear / see how. My information is that they would be identical, and this is coming (through a middle man albeit, so obviously can't vouch for it!) from Maco.

Just curious, that's all.
Click to expand...

It's simple: I've tested both films under identical conditions.
Masterprinter Wolfgang Moersch ( www.moersch-photochemie.de ) did the same and came to the same conclusion: They are not identical.
But as already mentioned, the differences are not huge.

Cheers, Jan
 
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