Medium Speed 35mm B&W Film Poll

[amateriat]

Hmm...not to carp, but: no chromogenics? (Hey, no sneering about "real" B & W, 'kay?) 😉

Otherwise, no strong preference at the moment, since I don't often get that low in ISO. I do have a few rolls of FP4 to get through, however.


- Barrett

 

[lawrence]

Hmm...not to carp, but: no chromogenics? (Hey, no sneering about "real" B & W, 'kay?) 😉

No 'medium speed' chromogenics that I know of (hope I'm not sneering 😉)

 

[lawrence]

Thanks to everyone who's voted so far. I would never have guessed that FP4+ would be so popular and that TMX wouldn't get a better showing than it has -- seems like Acros has stolen its thunder.

 

[Bruin]

Hard to argue with Legacy Pro (Acros) when it's $1.75 a roll at Freestyle...😀

 

[amateriat]

No 'medium speed' chromogenics that I know of (hope I'm not sneering 😉)

Nah...I was just thinking too much about the "effective" EI I tend to rate the stuff at. 😱


- Barrett

 

[Fawley]

Hard to argue with Legacy Pro (Acros) when it's $1.75 a roll at Freestyle...😀

Thanks for the tip. I just checked this out at the Freestyle site and you are so right. I definitely have to explore their product line more. I'll be ordering some Legacy Pro on my upcoming Freestlye order.

 

[Doug]

I chose FP4+... I shoot it at EI 250 and develop in Diafine for nice tonality and crisp fine grain. So I particularly like its look in 1/2 frame 35, where it's about as fast as I'd want for a general-purpose film, given that the max shutter speed is 1/500. And, if needed, overexposing a stop is not ruinous, given the super compensating nature of Diafine.

In 120 size, FP4+ is smooooth and fine, and 250 is usefully fast. As Barrett mentioned, XP2 Super might be classed as medium speed, since I expose it too at EI 250.

 

[surfer dude]

I would also vote APX100 in Rodinal #1 were it more readily available (and on the poll!). It is not that easy to find Rollei Retro 100 either - hopefully somebody will come along and start re-issuing those films, as Adox have done with Agfa multicontrast premium papers. In lieu of that, FP4+ closely followed by Fomapan 100 (both in XTOL) which really gives lovely silvery classic tones. Strangely though, I'm using Plus-X (and XTOL) in 120 because I like its grain better on the larger negative. Works for me.

I find the tabular grain films a little lacking in character - almost like digital b+w (well, not that bad maybe).

 

[lawrence]

I chose FP4+... I shoot it at EI 250 and develop in Diafine for nice tonality and crisp fine grain.

That's an interesting combination...I'll have to try it.

 

[newspaperguy]

How about Tri-X @200 in HC110... Does that count?

 

[Philly]

Fuji Acros 100 @ 200 in Diafine.
Especially good for pinholes as there are no reciprocity problems out to beyond two minutes.

 

[lawrence]

How about Tri-X @200 in HC110... Does that count?

We're talking about films that have an ISO rating of between 100 & 200; these are commonly referred to as 'medium speed' films. You may choose to rate Tri-X at 200 but that doesn't make it a medium speed film just as if you rate FP4+ at 800 that doesn't make it a fast film.

 

[chris000]

FP4 is my 'standard' film now. I have tried Delta 100 and don't mind it, but would still choose FP4 for preference.

I used to use Kodak films but I switched to Ilford some time ago as I felt they were more committed to keeping film (and B&W film in particular) in production. In my own small way I thought I should support them - but having got used to it I have come to love FP4 as well.

I don't use faster film much now but have recently been playing with XP2 in my X-Pan

 

[charjohncarter]

In some ways, I'm happy to see my choice (Tmax 100) has only a little over 5%. I think that I get a distinctive 'look' with this film when I process it my way, and it is nice to be the outsider.

 

[Nokton48]

Eastman XX, Tri-X at EI 250 are preferred for medium speed.

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

In some ways, I'm happy to see my choice (Tmax 100) has only a little over 5%. I think that I get a distinctive 'look' with this film when I process it my way, and it is nice to be the outsider.

Congratulations! Those controlled developments of yours are superb again and again! A pleasure, thanks for sharing! On paper this one must look just like a miracle... By the way (I have never used TMax 100) do you find its grain and sharpness clearly different from TMax 400?

Cheers,

Juan

 

[colyn]

None of the above...I switched to Arista Premium 100.

 

[benmacphoto]

I shot nothing but Tmax 100 for a few years. Really love that film.

 

[Chris101]

I really fell for Delta 100 when I did a high key project. It handled detail in the highlights beautifully. Here's the opera house in post-apocalyptic Sydney:

 

[Mablo]

Chris101, very creative idea and looks great.