Exposing Eastman (Double-X) 5222 in the Leica

Timmyjoe said:
Yeah, Plus-X was great. My second favorite, to my favorite, APX-100 by Agfa. It's such a shame these old, slow, B&W emulsions are gone. They were really something.

Best,
-Tim
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You should get your hands on Lucky SHD 100. The Chinese firm Lucky used to make great emulsions, but their quality control was garbage. A few years ago, they rebooted the company and overhauled their manufacturing processes. SHD100 (and 400, which I have never tried) are the result.

I've only shot 1 roll of the SHD 100 in 120 size and it just blew me away. I was like being transported to the Plus-X of the 1960s or APX 100 in the 1990s. Superb tonal rendition, very sharp in Pyrocat-HDC at 1.5:1:200 for 30min semistand. Exposed at EI 80.

Since I have only processed a single roll, I cannot comment on their repeatability and quality control but if it's consistent, it will go into my rotation as a keeper. The only thing I would say is that the film is fairly curly when it's dried, which is strange since it isn't all that thick of a film.

YMMV
 
Sanug said:
Beware of Lucky SHD 400 135-36. My test roll was total garbage.
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Yeah, I only tried one roll of 100 in 120 rollfilm size. I have no idea if it is a reliable film. But the look I got off the roll was pretty great.

In any case, the only 400 speed film I ever use is Tri-X. I've never found anything else I liked anywhere near as much, though TMY occasionally sings its siren song.
 
0471775-R1-E021 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Leica M2 with Canon RF 85mm F1.5 Light Sucker. Eastman XX 5222 Movie Film. ADOX Borax MQ replenished hand mixed. Scanned on Epson 4990 scanner

0471775-R1-E005 by Nokton48, on Flickr

One of my first XX inages. Leica M2 with M2 Rapidwinder directly from TomA ADOX Borax D76 Dev and Replenisher, 85mm F1.5 Canon (wide-open at F1.5). Good for cloudy days. I rolled down my car window and did this shot. I bracketed in half stops up and down to give myself a choice
 
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I don't really know how the Plus-X should look like. I shot one roll of long-expired Plus-X in 120 format recently.
Not even sure if I exposed or developed it correctly, but I like the result.

54417162113_d2512eac35_h.jpg

Planar 80 Plux-X 2402 D-76 8m
 
yossi said:
I don't really know how the Plus-X should look like. I shot one roll of long-expired Plus-X in 120 format recently.
Not even sure if I exposed or developed it correctly, but I like the result.

54417162113_d2512eac35_h.jpg

Planar 80 Plux-X 2402 D-76 8m
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Nice. The 80 Planar does portraits well in the hands of a good photographer.🙂

I cannot recall ever using Plus-X film… no idea why other than I was happy with Tri-X for years.🤷‍♂️ So, I see different kinds of results on Flickr and I don’t know what it is supposed to look like either

If one is happy with the results of personal photography, then perhaps that is all that is important. Right?

I can however recall that after seeing the 44 movies to-date, that have been made with Eastman 5222 XX…

(Film Negative Stock Eastman Double-X 5222/7222 Neg. Film)

… I have a pretty good idea of what that should look like even with the Casino Royale video showing both beautiful tones in low light and then the raw, gritty over-exposed fight scene!

It has all I need including room for creativity!🙂

So, I am happy with XX in every way. Apparently Kodak/Eastman are proud of it too, and now they exclude you, me and everyone else who is not “approved” to use the film.

It would be nice, even classy, and in my opinion the best thing for a manufacturer to be open about its business and products with us, the passionate still photographers who have purchased their films over the years and put in countless hours of work and are now alienated, marginalized if you will, with a slap in the face.

Why is it so hard to be professional, or even just plain kind to long-time customers who have put Kodak in the position they hold after all these years? We, as customers, deserve better, I think.☹️

Hopefully they will do better…

In the meantime, I am going to search and buy as much XX film as I can possibly afford. And I still use TMax 100 as one of my favored films!

I hope to find enough XX film to keep me shooting for a very long time.🙂

IMG_9826.jpeg
 
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Well, now…🤗

I just found 1 roll of Kodak 125PX film in my drsk drawer (expired in 2013).

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Also with it were:

IMG_9835.jpeg

I have never used either of these films. But it will certainly be interesting to shoot them while I await the Eastman 5222 XX film order (20 rolls, could not find the 400’ bulk roll anywhere) to arrive next week. 🙂
 
In Helsinki there is a place I can easily buy Kodak 5222, but the price went up so much lately, it cost 135€ per 30 meters (including VAT). I used to pay less than 100€, which was still reasonable to me. I have enough of stock, but when I finish I will probably switch to cheaper options.
 
Current Stash 5222 & 5231 Movie Film by Nokton48, on Flickr

I lost these in my deep freeze, finally they turned up. My current stash of 5222 XX and 5231 +X. Some of us here could see prices going up several times, before access was cut off. I loaded up the truck (LOL) before the first big price increase. 5231 is ASA 80 in daylight, and 64 in tungsten light, just like the original formulation of Plus-X. I am using mine carefully, mainly in the studio with big flashes. This was lit by Broncolor Hazylight over Architectural Vellum, which is beautiful light.
 
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