In Praise of Slow Films

[mbisc]

I am using TMax RS with the "unofficial" recipe:

Step 1: throw away the instructions
Step 2: pour the little bottle into the big bottle, and mix
Step 3: use at 1:9

For me personally (and depending on the lens/camera), I have an EI 50 or 64, and I develop the film for 6.5 minutes at 75 degrees...

The one thing I have always heard about this film & developer combination is "not to be sloppy" - consistency and care pays large dividends...

 

[mbisc]

One more thing on TMax RS with the "unofficial" recipe: once mixed, the stock solution will easily last 12 months or longer, which is good for folks like me that don't develop much regularly...

 

[Deleted member 65559]

Emile, the characteristic of Agfapan 25 that i appreciated was that it was not super contrasty. The high contrast is exactly what I don't like about Pan F. Someone described it as 'clipped', 'abbreviated' or missing mid tones.
Mike, thanks for your info on developers. I'll figure out how it works with Pyrocat HD....I'm sure there are some tricks.

 

[Emile de Leon]

the characteristic of Agfapan 25 that i appreciated was that it was not super contrasty. The high contrast is exactly what I don't like about Pan F.

I never tried Agfapan 25..
..they had good products though..
I esp liked one of their paper developers... one that worked great with AZO....astonishing tones..
I forget the name at the moment..made my life..easy...contact prints glowed..

 

[Deleted member 65559]

Emile, I've had good results with the Ansco 130 formula on Azo, when i wanted to avoid the black trays and fingers....

 

[Emile de Leon]

D-38..
I may have to try that Ansco 130 if available..
I still have some AZO left..in 20x24...
When I was contemplating having as ULF cam made in that size..
Got a few made up to 16x20..that was big enough...lol..

 

[zenza]

Velvia 50 @ 40 will always be one of my favourites.

 

[Prest_400]

TMX and Acros are mentioned, as well as FP4, no word about Delta 100?


TBH I have been quite a handholding shooter so have not used films slower than ISO 100. A couple rolls of Velvia 50 and Kodachrome 64 on its last days. It is a good excercise shooting slow film, after that ISO 400 feels fast.
I've been around when Efke 25, 50 were available. There is still Pan-F, but the t-grain films supposedly should be equivalent (at least in fine grain) to slower cubical grain films.


Foma exaggerates their box speed ratings, so Foma 100 in a conventional developer is more like 50-64. Great price for a decent film with a look that I like.


Delta 100 is well available in Europe, as well as having homogeneous prices in line of Ilford's range. Kodak B&W and Acros II, wow, their prices are quite premium.

 

[css9450]

TMX and Acros are mentioned, as well as FP4, no word about Delta 100?

Delta 100 is my preferred B&W film. Contrast is just right.

Acros I never warmed up to; I found it lifeless and flat. But that's with MY development and scanning habits, so others may be getting different results.

Where I DO use Acros, however, is for night photography. But to be honest, I've not tried anything else (everything else has significantly greater reciprocity failure). Sometimes it takes me several months to finish a roll because I am only shooting it at night.

Acros in the Rolleiflex 2.8C:

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

I got some very nice results shooting Adox CHS100II in large format pinhole (the slow speed gave exposure times sufficient to remove my thumb from the front shutter without a noticeable thumb!). Now it's back in stock in 35mm, I'm giving it a go but nothing yet to report.

However, of numerous tested, my favourite remains FP4. Here shot on a 1934 Rolleicord with uncoated Zeiss Triotar - 64 EI in PMK Pyro. I was testing it for a local film camera shop - shame there were light leaks galore!

 

[valdas]

I like quite much Adox CMS20, I am happy I bought some bulk really cheap... i know the contrast is still quite high even in adotech developer, but in some instances I like it.

 

[raid]

AGFA APX25 in a Rolleiflex 2.8D

 

[Deleted member 65559]

TMX and Acros are mentioned, as well as FP4, no word about Delta 100?


TBH I have been quite a handholding shooter so have not used films slower than ISO 100.

Foma exaggerates their box speed ratings, so Foma 100 in a conventional developer is more like 50-64. Great price for a decent film with a look that I like.

Delta 100 is well available in Europe, as well as having homogeneous prices in line of Ilford's range. Kodak B&W and Acros II, wow, their prices are quite premium.

Prest, I really liked using Agfapan 25 in my Fuji 6x9 rangefinder and 16x20 prints looked like they were done in 4"x5". In N America Delta & Tmax films of both speeds are comparable in price, so even though I love FP4+... i'll stick with TMax 100 & 400. Honestly I've preferred Tri-X to TMY2, but Jay Dusard started using TMY2 and gets such great results....
The QC issues were what put me off Foma. If i've spent money on an airline ticket or walked for days to get somewhere, i didn't feel comfortable flipping a coin on whether the film would turn out or not.

CCS9450 That night shot is a killer. Beautiful image. Any other comments on Delta 100?.... what developer do you favour?

 

[charjohncarter]

I had a brief affair with EfkeR25 late in her life. It was fun but I arrived one early evening and was surprised to find it was over between us.

Efke 25 by John Carter, on Flickr

 

[Larry Cloetta]

For many years my most used films were Panatomic-X and Kodachrome 25, with the occasional roll of Tri-x at 400 when I wanted a very gritty look, or didn’t have anything else handy.
Having 100 speed film in a discussion about slow speed films seems.......odd. Though I guess it’s not, and I like Tmax 100 as well as the next person. Just doesn’t seem very slow. One more effect of the digital revolution, I guess.
“What were once vices are now virtues.”

 

[Deleted member 65559]

Having 100 speed film in a discussion about slow speed films seems.......odd. Though I guess it’s not, and I like Tmax 100 as well as the next person. Just doesn’t seem very slow. One more effect of the digital revolution, I guess. ”

Larry, Maybe the only connection w the digital revolution is that our much-loved slow films are gone, and the more correctly termed new 'medium speed' films have gotten better.
Acros or TMax 100 will never replace FP4+ for me, but i miss that smoothness of Agfapan 25 that made such fine, LF-like enlargements in big prints.
Medium format is such an ideal compromise for me but i'd still like to squeeze as much small-grain and long tonality out of it.

 

[zenza]

Velvia 50 in a Fuji Natura S.
Who says you can't shoot slow film late in the day?

 

[helen.HH]

Sloooow Film, Fast Lens... YUM !

Pan F 50 and a borrowed noctilux 50 f1




Nocti Magic by Helen Hill, on Flickr

 

[helen.HH]

the same magic combo...




Watching HER Leave by Helen Hill, on Flickr

 

[helen.HH]

Watching her...i ADORE the Cinematic Quality of Slooow Fiim, Fast Lens by Helen Hill, on Flickr