Spicy
Well-known
i agree with most, but not all of what David said.
the trick for Porsches is to live somewhere where they are suitable for everyday use 😀
New to RF, new to film. Help me pick films for a trip.
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i agree with most, but not all of what David said.
the trick for Porsches is to live somewhere where they are suitable for everyday use 😀
zauhar
Veteran
One P.S. - if you do any sort of street photography, you WANT the lens stopped down as much as possible, another good reason to use a faster film.
Randy
Randy
Bingley
Veteran
What mfogiel said. Pick one bw film, and leave the color to digital. Tri-X gives you a great degree of exoosure latitude so I agree with his advice. You can get classic '40s/'50s looks with Tri-X.
Here is what I often do on trips, including to Europe. I plan to develop the Tri-X in Diafine, which is a dead easy developer to use. I put a yellow filter on the lens for daylight shooting and set my meter to 400. For indoors or evenings, I take the filter off and set the meter to 800. Some people get good results from Tri-X in Diafine at 1200 or even 1600, but I don't. Whatever. The point is that combining Tri-X, a filter, and Diafine gives you some flexibility if you encounter different light situations shooting the same roll. If you use an orange or green filter, I'd set the meter to 250.
You can follow the same procedures with other films. I rate FP4+ at 250 in Diafine and then adjust metering according,y based on the filter I'm using.
Here is what I often do on trips, including to Europe. I plan to develop the Tri-X in Diafine, which is a dead easy developer to use. I put a yellow filter on the lens for daylight shooting and set my meter to 400. For indoors or evenings, I take the filter off and set the meter to 800. Some people get good results from Tri-X in Diafine at 1200 or even 1600, but I don't. Whatever. The point is that combining Tri-X, a filter, and Diafine gives you some flexibility if you encounter different light situations shooting the same roll. If you use an orange or green filter, I'd set the meter to 250.
You can follow the same procedures with other films. I rate FP4+ at 250 in Diafine and then adjust metering according,y based on the filter I'm using.
David Hughes
David Hughes
Hi,
Alas, we have speed limits here and radar traps etc...
Regards, David
PS My father worked for a well known racing company with many world championship titles. He also ran a Jaguar when I ran an elderly Citroen 2CV and sometimes borrowed the Jag. Although the Jag was the fastest, my fastest 15mile commute across country was in the 2CV simply because you had to think about it and not let the engine do all the work.
David Hughes
David Hughes
Hi,
Well, yes and no. Stopping down takes you into that area where the lens is not at it's best. Better in my opinion to keep the aperture at the nearest you can to the sweet spot and that might mean a shutter speed of 1/8,000th second with some films and so on.
Of course, it depends on the lens and how you see the sweet spot. I like even definition (for want of a better word) across the frame; others like it in the centre and can close down more.
But I can't see the point of buying an expensive and fast lens then seldom if ever using it wide open and, worse still, using it as such apertures that it might just as well be a far cheaper lens (definition-wise).
I reckon Leitz and then Leica were being sensible to make their main fast lens the Summicron at a practical f/2 and, yes, I do know what else they make. And I know that a lot of people do street photography with those well-known zone focussing cameras where you have little say in, or knowledge, of the aperture used.
Also, you can get a lot of large high quality prints made with the money you save going for f/2 or even f/2.8 lenses. And look in Leitz's catalogues for the 1935 Summar and the photo's by candle light taken with extra slow by our standards 1930's film.
Regards, David
Godfrey
somewhat colored
I usually don't shoot color with film, digital does that too well for me. Like others, I'd recommend sticking with at most two films. Since I shoot almost exclusively B&W, I usually stock ACROS 100 and XP2 Super these days to have both fast and slow available. If I were going for the more classic look, I'd swap the XP2 Super for Tri-X.
Remember that if you do use a Yellow filter, what you have to start with using that pair is ISO 50 and ISO 200 after the filter factor is applied.
While in-camera meters are convenient, I find that overall I get my most consistent exposures using a hand-held incident light meter. They also make accommodating the filter factor easier since you just apply it to the ISO setting—no need to deal with the red sensitivity gain of TTL meters metering through a filter.
G
Vics
Veteran
I concur with those who've suggested Tri-X for B&W and digital for color. I've done a lot of traveling in France and I can assure you that if you take two types of film, you'll have the wrong one in the camera half of the time. Go to France and have FUN!
shadowfox
Darkroom printing lives
Ilford FP4+ would be my choice for B&W, not Tri-X. And any Fuji or Kodak 200 ASA color negative film.
But I wholeheartedly agree with those who suggested against bringing more than one type of film.
Use digital for night.
Oh, and should you like contrast architecture shots and dark skies in landscape, bring orange filter.
But I wholeheartedly agree with those who suggested against bringing more than one type of film.
Use digital for night.
Oh, and should you like contrast architecture shots and dark skies in landscape, bring orange filter.
Juan Valdenebro
Truth is beauty
If you plan to develop your b&w film, buy Tri-X for b&w. If not, buy a b&w chromogenic film (kodak or Ilford) and a lab will develop it for you with c-41 as they do with color negative film.
For color, buy Portra 400, and with a 1.4 lens you'll be able to shoot in most light situations.
It would be safer to keep your camera set at ISO200 for both films, instead of 400, because underexposure affects images a lot, while overexposure doesn't.
And filters are important, and easy to use: put on a yellow one when you have b&w film, and put on a warming one (Nikon A2, B+W 81B) when you have color film.
Indeed b&w requires a yellow filter when there's blue sky, and color requires a warming one when there's no direct sun on your subject/scene, but both filters do no harm if used for every shot without worries... Enjoy your trip and your films!
Cheers,
Juan
For color, buy Portra 400, and with a 1.4 lens you'll be able to shoot in most light situations.
It would be safer to keep your camera set at ISO200 for both films, instead of 400, because underexposure affects images a lot, while overexposure doesn't.
And filters are important, and easy to use: put on a yellow one when you have b&w film, and put on a warming one (Nikon A2, B+W 81B) when you have color film.
Indeed b&w requires a yellow filter when there's blue sky, and color requires a warming one when there's no direct sun on your subject/scene, but both filters do no harm if used for every shot without worries... Enjoy your trip and your films!
Cheers,
Juan
Axot
Newbie
Tri-X it is, for the grain. I'll stick to 1 film for now, and use my phone for colour. Bought one yellow filter as well.
My plan is running ASAP a C41 to test focus of the new gear (r3m + 40 1.4) before trip, and then just shoot Tri-X in the French trip.
I'll bring the exposed film back home and store it, then try home developing future test rolls, and will only develop the rolls from trip when I'm confident enough.
Thank you all, your help was invaluable. Will post results in a few months!
My plan is running ASAP a C41 to test focus of the new gear (r3m + 40 1.4) before trip, and then just shoot Tri-X in the French trip.
I'll bring the exposed film back home and store it, then try home developing future test rolls, and will only develop the rolls from trip when I'm confident enough.
Thank you all, your help was invaluable. Will post results in a few months!
znapper
Well-known
I would choose two BW films and two color films, one 100 ISO and one 400 ISO.
Why?
Well, if you are new to film (or used to digital), your first reaction shooting a 400ISO film in 35mm would be "Holy grain, that's....just.....!".
ISO 100 films are much cleaner.
Suggesting that a totally new-to-film-person should shoot nothing but Tri-X and rate it all over the place is the silliest thing I've EVER HEARD.
It's not only stupid (because the guy is new, what the hell do you expect him to tell the lab? Do you want him to take notes most of his holiday as well? Silly.....). Also, it's waste, a 400 film will have grain, no matter what you shoot it at, in addition, you'll quickly be shooting at F22and 1/billont'h of a second during mid-day strong sunshine.
If you want clean, daytime shots and possibly use apertures from f1.4-2.8, use a modern, dedicated ISO 100 film for that.
Black and white: Acros 100 and Kodak Tri-X 400
Why these ?
Well, for daytime shooting, Acros is simply a clean, nice and fine-grained film to use, easy to develop. (same holds true for TMax 100, I prefer Acros, but if you compare the two, it's basically a subject of personal preference).
You'll need a 400 ISO film for afternoons, low light, evening shots, Tri-X is the best choice here (I would have liked to be able to recommend Fuji Neopan 400, but it is no longer produced). Tri-X is pushable as well and IMO a much better over-all choice than other 400 alternatives.
Color: Kodak Ektar 100 and Porta 400
Why?
Kodak Ektar is simply one of the coolest looking C-41 color films you can shoot with, it's saturated, fine-grained with very good resolution and does have some latitude concerning exposure.
You can use it for people as well as landscape.
Porta 400 beats Fuji pro 400H concerning grain and pushabillity, a 400 ISO film is a must-have, to be able to shoot from morning until evening, Porta is the go-to film for sure, it is very neutral and surprisingly fine-grained for a 400 ISO c-41 film.
The film-look and feel is totally different from your digi-camera, besides, it's fun to go all out analog, not depending on a second body. In any case, you get to shoot and test some films on "nice" subjects and scenery, feel free to bring your digital camera as your backup or even main-camera.
Too bad they don't produce 24 frame films much any more, but cram the film in there and shoot until it's done, then change to a new one, 100 for day, 400 when the day becomes afternoon and evening.
It's not supposed to be more complicated than that, and it really isn't.
Why?
Well, if you are new to film (or used to digital), your first reaction shooting a 400ISO film in 35mm would be "Holy grain, that's....just.....!".
ISO 100 films are much cleaner.
Suggesting that a totally new-to-film-person should shoot nothing but Tri-X and rate it all over the place is the silliest thing I've EVER HEARD.
It's not only stupid (because the guy is new, what the hell do you expect him to tell the lab? Do you want him to take notes most of his holiday as well? Silly.....). Also, it's waste, a 400 film will have grain, no matter what you shoot it at, in addition, you'll quickly be shooting at F22and 1/billont'h of a second during mid-day strong sunshine.
If you want clean, daytime shots and possibly use apertures from f1.4-2.8, use a modern, dedicated ISO 100 film for that.
Black and white: Acros 100 and Kodak Tri-X 400
Why these ?
Well, for daytime shooting, Acros is simply a clean, nice and fine-grained film to use, easy to develop. (same holds true for TMax 100, I prefer Acros, but if you compare the two, it's basically a subject of personal preference).
You'll need a 400 ISO film for afternoons, low light, evening shots, Tri-X is the best choice here (I would have liked to be able to recommend Fuji Neopan 400, but it is no longer produced). Tri-X is pushable as well and IMO a much better over-all choice than other 400 alternatives.
Color: Kodak Ektar 100 and Porta 400
Why?
Kodak Ektar is simply one of the coolest looking C-41 color films you can shoot with, it's saturated, fine-grained with very good resolution and does have some latitude concerning exposure.
You can use it for people as well as landscape.
Porta 400 beats Fuji pro 400H concerning grain and pushabillity, a 400 ISO film is a must-have, to be able to shoot from morning until evening, Porta is the go-to film for sure, it is very neutral and surprisingly fine-grained for a 400 ISO c-41 film.
The film-look and feel is totally different from your digi-camera, besides, it's fun to go all out analog, not depending on a second body. In any case, you get to shoot and test some films on "nice" subjects and scenery, feel free to bring your digital camera as your backup or even main-camera.
Too bad they don't produce 24 frame films much any more, but cram the film in there and shoot until it's done, then change to a new one, 100 for day, 400 when the day becomes afternoon and evening.
It's not supposed to be more complicated than that, and it really isn't.
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