Sad Day: My Last Roll of Kodak Plus X

[gb hill]

A couple from the roll.

One more

 

[Bille]

Good shot MISH

 

[defconfunk]

Since we are sharing nice plus-x shot. Shame about the scratches (I mucked up when loading this roll), but I love the tones/smoothness of plus-x, this was pushed to ISO 500 and it still looks smooth to me.

 

[j.scooter]

This is plus x pushed to 500 as well

 

[lawrence]

This is plus x pushed to 500 as well

This is so Plus-X (of course the wonderful lighting helps). I really miss this film too and while I like FP4 it has a different look, similar to the difference between HP5 and Tri-X.

 

[Nokton48]

Like this one alot. 🙂

 

[defconfunk]

This is plus x pushed to 500 as well

That is a wonderful shot!

 

[j.scooter]

Thanks guys 🙂

 

[jawarden]

J.scooter that's a lovely shot.

PX 125 is my favorite film and I still have at least a dozen rolls, although I don't want to count them or I'll get depressed. 🙂

This is Plus-X with a Zeiss Ikon and 50mm Sonnar. I like the combo of this camera, lens and film.

 

[sparrow6224]

Well I have 16 rolls 2008 exp that I've tried to sell here twice with no takers and these wonderful pictures have convinced me to use it and push it to 500..... unless someone really wants them? I can start the defrost anytime.

 

[BLKRCAT]

I've got a pro pack of it in 120 and maybe 3 or 4 rolls of it in 35mm still. I buy it regularily at swap meets. cheap too.

 

[telenous]

Another big fan of PlusX here. Twenty-odd last rolls wait in the freezer for summer. After that, it's curtains. Time to move on and support some current production film.

I really miss this film too and while I like FP4 it has a different look, similar to the difference between HP5 and Tri-X.

Very much agree with this. The medium/slow speed films offered by Ilford (FP4+, Delta 100 but also Pan F) are lovely but a different kettle of fish. The closest I've seen to anything resembling PlusX (contrast, grain, etc.), is TriX pulled one stop. To my eyes, a more convincing replacement for PlusX than (Kodak-recommended) TMax 100.

.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

The original PXP was what I shot in my first Leica, an M2. I used that film almost exclusively when I was deployed to Iraq in 2004. I had shot a bunch of it before then but not before 2003 as I was stationed in Whidbey Island, Washington and I needed a much higher ISO.

The old PXP was the best film for skin tones, I think. It was just so smooth and I think it lens something to the image as well as what lens was used. Just a great emulsion.

Here's a few shots from Iraq I did on the old emulsion. Most of it was expired by at least 4 years by the time I exposed it.

After I ran out I tried to use 125PX, which took its place but it wasn't quite the same. Maybe that's because I wasn't being shot at daily. They are different films though as Kodak published two different technical papers on them and both show different developing times.
I still have at least a brick of 125PX but for 35mm I switched mainly to Eastman 5222. Now if I could only find something like 5222 in 120, I'd be a very happy camper.

Phil Forrest

 

[dof]

I'll add to the chorus about your lovely shot, J. Scooter.

My "Spidey-Sense" tingled about Kodak possibly discontinuing Plus-X a few years back and I began stocking up on it about a year before they announced it. I've still got about 100 rolls in the freezer.

Marek is right that there are still many fine films to choose from, but I'm glad that I did stock up and been able to enjoy a long relationship with this film even after production ceased.

 

[Lawrence A.]

I shot my last some time ago, and I agree, sad day. I've gotten to like Fuji Acros 100, but it does not take the place of Plus-X for me, probably my favorite Kodak film.

 

[mwoenv]

Very unfortunate for b&w photography. I used it for nealy 40 years and have only 5 rolls in 120 format left.

Why did Kodak discontinue it? It was much better than Tmax100.

Ultrafineonline.com is selling 135-36 rolls for $4.95.

 

[j.scooter]

Bumping this old thread. Still have some rolls of AP100. Man I wish Kodak would bring this back.

Post your Plus-X shots

Here are my latest, all @400 developed in D76 1+1

 

[Disappointed_Horse]

j.scooter—Those are beautiful. I never tried Plus-X, but after seeing those shots, I wish i had!


After shooting mostly 400 speed films, I've recently become quite a fan of FP4+.

 

[Bolo Kukus]

Like many here, I shot (mostly) Kodak film from my first forays into photography at age 13, in 1961.

Verichrome Pan (120) in the '60s, Plus-X when I moved into 35mm in the early '70s, Panatomic-X in the '80s. By the mid-'80s also Tri-X, I was a late comer to this truly unique film - the only one of all my original Kodak films still available today, at a ridiculous price, A$250+ for 100-foot rolls in Australia.

Time passes, all things change. I still haven't quite forgiven Kodak for discontinuing Panatomic-X and Plus-X, but I now use three excellent Ilford films that now do it all for me, XP2, HP5+ and FP4+. Kodak only for what little color negative I shoot these days - I gave up slide films in 2006 when digital proved it did it better.

I was astounded to read in this thread (#36) that Plus-X is still being sold by at least one supplier. I won't be buying any as both me and my Kodak days are now (almost) past history.

Like many, I still have some expired Kodak films in my freezer - happily, I bought a big lot of Panatomic-X in 2020 when I lucked into a sale of 35mm and 120 rolls at almost giveaway prices from a friend, so I have enough to see me out, if I use it carefully.

For my images, no other film comes close to the mid-tones of Panatomic-X. Others I know say this about Plus-X, and we know Tri-X is the stuff of true photo legends. Henri Cartier-Bresson used it exclusively.

So life with my film cameras and Kodak B&W still on and will do so for a while yet.

PS Note to J. Scooter - I am SO envious of the beautiful mid-tones you seemingly so easily produce with film.

 

[Bill Clark]

I found Ilford FP-4 plus is pretty good, similar to Plus-X.