Roger Hicks
Veteran
rxmd sums it up pretty well. We differ in our exact interpretation of the detail, or perhaps in how we would express it, but this may be because he knows more about it than I.
Cheers,
R.
Newbie M3 B&W film rec
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rxmd sums it up pretty well. We differ in our exact interpretation of the detail, or perhaps in how we would express it, but this may be because he knows more about it than I.
Cheers,
R.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Dear Tom,
Exactly. Objectively, sensitometrically, whatever, Xtol may be better than D76, and there's no doubt it works brilliantly for some people. But not for you, and not for me either.
Cheers,
R.
Ducky
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Best advice so far. I also agree on Arista premium 400 and D-76 1:1.
oscroft
Veteran
Even though I rarely use either Tri-X or D76 these days, I'd concur with the general agreement on Tri-X in D76.
Tri-X gives a nice tonal range which includes lovely mid-tones, and it works well in lots of different developers (I actually quite like it in Rodinal, but you have to want that specific look). It's also quite forgiving if you get the exposure or dev time/temp a bit wrong, and it's quite hard to not get usable results from it.
Similarly, D76 works very well with a large range of films, is flexible and really quite forgiving on the exposure/dev front, and it doesn't have any of the specific looks of other developers that you either love or hate.
Put the two together, and you've got a great base to start from - and to come back to if future experiments don't work out the way you'd hoped.
Cheers,
Tri-X gives a nice tonal range which includes lovely mid-tones, and it works well in lots of different developers (I actually quite like it in Rodinal, but you have to want that specific look). It's also quite forgiving if you get the exposure or dev time/temp a bit wrong, and it's quite hard to not get usable results from it.
Similarly, D76 works very well with a large range of films, is flexible and really quite forgiving on the exposure/dev front, and it doesn't have any of the specific looks of other developers that you either love or hate.
Put the two together, and you've got a great base to start from - and to come back to if future experiments don't work out the way you'd hoped.
Cheers,
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Vics
Veteran
mojobebop
Well-known
hc-110
hc-110
been a long time since i used d-76.
am i missing out using hc-110, (w/tri-x, & hp5)?
hc-110
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been a long time since i used d-76.
am i missing out using hc-110, (w/tri-x, & hp5)?
oscroft
Veteran
No, HC-110 is great - it's the one I use the most. It's just that D76 is probably more forgiving with most films and most situations (you've got to be careful with highlights in contrasty shots with HC-110, for example)
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Turtle
Veteran
They are certainly quite different beasts, no doubt about that. D76, at its best, produces IMO slightly more pleasing prints; however I find the speed of Xtol very useful along with its S curve at higher dilutions because I shoot in harsh light most of the time. I certainly would not claim it superior, just different.
Xtol or D76 and HP5/TriX/FP4+ are my reccs for getting started. Can't go wrong.
I agree with Roger that Foma 200 is a beautiful and cheap film, but I have been burnt with quality issue, again and will stay away from it after chucking out about $60 of film. No issues with the Foma 100, which branded as Arista Edu Ultra 100 is a very cost effective film and great looking too.
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CopperB
M3 Noob
So much to learn. Thanks for all this info and expertise. Are developing supplies tough to locate with digital so popular now?
rxmd
May contain traces of nut
Not really. You may have to mail order things but other than that there is no real shortage of anything.
Turtle
Veteran
Try BH Photovideo for anything you could possibly want (well, mostly) and Freestyle photo supplies for the Arista range of films. You will save a packet using Arista Premium 400 (TriX), Arista Legacy (I think) is Neopan 400, Arista Edu Ultra is Foma 100. They come in at half the price of the branded films in most cases. They also sell developers which are clones of D76 and Xtol, but I am not sure which are which.
Turtle
Veteran
With most mail order places the trick is to buy in bulk. Freestyle have very reasonable postage costs as well as dirt cheap material costs, so they would be my first call if I wanted to order a good few rolls and some chems to get shooting.
ssmc
Well-known
Another vote for Tri-X (and HP5)
Another vote for Tri-X (and HP5)
I love B&W but I don't have the time or patience to develop it myself so I send it off for processing and scanning at fairly high resolution (~16MP equivalent) and I think it looks really nice (but I know this is totally a matter of personal taste). I've found that HP5 Plus also gives great results with this "workflow" (if you can call it that), still very grainy but slightly "creamier". I shoot them both with an orange filter.
Here are links to a couple of galleries of Tri-X shots (sorry, SLR not RF):
http://www.pbase.com/smcleod965/bozeman_bw&page=all
http://www.pbase.com/smcleod965/ynp_09
and some with Tri-X and HP5 (images starting with 8322 were shot on HP5):
http://www.pbase.com/smcleod965/utah09&page=all
Hopefully these will give you an idea of how these films look. I was a total noob to B&W and now I can't get enough of it!
Have fun!
Scott
Another vote for Tri-X (and HP5)
I love B&W but I don't have the time or patience to develop it myself so I send it off for processing and scanning at fairly high resolution (~16MP equivalent) and I think it looks really nice (but I know this is totally a matter of personal taste). I've found that HP5 Plus also gives great results with this "workflow" (if you can call it that), still very grainy but slightly "creamier". I shoot them both with an orange filter.
Here are links to a couple of galleries of Tri-X shots (sorry, SLR not RF):
http://www.pbase.com/smcleod965/bozeman_bw&page=all
http://www.pbase.com/smcleod965/ynp_09
and some with Tri-X and HP5 (images starting with 8322 were shot on HP5):
http://www.pbase.com/smcleod965/utah09&page=all
Hopefully these will give you an idea of how these films look. I was a total noob to B&W and now I can't get enough of it!
Have fun!
Scott
CopperB
M3 Noob
They have 2 prices for Artista Premium B&W 400 on their site. One is $1.99 while the other is $2.19/roll. What's the difference?
It doesn't pay to live in Canada. Shipping is $25.
david.elliott
Well-known
One is 24 exposures and one is 36 exposures.
dshfoto
Well-known
A handy reference to have is a notebook published by Kodak, called "Kodak Darkroom Data Guide Black & White" Some of the info is out of date, because the products are not manufactured, but it is a very handy reference. You can get them on ebay.
Tri-X may be living on its past reputation.
You might consider buying one roll each of films like Fuji Neopan 400, Tri-X, etc. Just go to the website for Freestyle at http://www.freestylephoto.biz/sc_main.php, and order one each of the films you might want to use.
Then get a couple of work lights and a reflectors from a hardware store and set up something like a still life. The idea is to shoot each roll with known lighting, at various combinations exposures and apertures. To remove the issue of developers, you can send the lot to film lab, so you have consitent development over all the rolls.
See which film type gives you the negative you want.
I have settled on mostly using Fuji Neopan 400
Tri-X may be living on its past reputation.
You might consider buying one roll each of films like Fuji Neopan 400, Tri-X, etc. Just go to the website for Freestyle at http://www.freestylephoto.biz/sc_main.php, and order one each of the films you might want to use.
Then get a couple of work lights and a reflectors from a hardware store and set up something like a still life. The idea is to shoot each roll with known lighting, at various combinations exposures and apertures. To remove the issue of developers, you can send the lot to film lab, so you have consitent development over all the rolls.
See which film type gives you the negative you want.
I have settled on mostly using Fuji Neopan 400
Tom A
RFF Sponsor
My advice is to buy 36 exp. Cheaper per shot and you dont run out and have to reload as often. It also takes just as long to develop a 36 exp roll as a 24! I have a tendency to pull 24 exp. of the spool as I am convinced that there are at least another 12-13 shots on the roll!!!
The shipping to Canada is high - but if you buy larger quantity - it becomes reasonable. Put a posting out to find other film-users locally and "gang buy". We do it here in Vancouver, usually 3-4 people stock up - maybe 50-100 rolls/person and then the shipping becomes a minor expense overall.
Nothing better than having a large bag in the fridge with film. You shoot more and learn more as you do. Nothing worse than having to "ration" film. Cost a bit more, but, pasta is cheap and new clothing is a waste of money. If you look like a "semi" bum - people dont "see" you and you can shoot unhindered.
CopperB
M3 Noob
That'll teach me to pay more attention when reading. Having my glasses on would help too. :bang:
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david.elliott
Well-known
CopperB
M3 Noob
Thanks dsh & Tom. Sage advice.
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