testing new films

[stet]

How do you guys go about testing new films out for yourself? I'm faced with several new choices (and more expensive rolls of what I normally shoot), and lately I've been just picking up a roll or two here and there and trying it. I feel like I could be going about this in a better way, and was wondering if anyone had personal methods of doing this. Maybe methodically, shooting test rolls of one type (or several, and compare), or buying a batch of, say, five, and seeing how you like it in normal applications. Or taking one type and shooting only that for a couple weeks.

The reason I'm asking is because up until now I've mainly shot Tmax and Tri-x, always processing in D-76. I'm looking at trying out several new films -- 100 Neopan, Fomapan 100 and 200, Fortepan 100 and 400. Some of these films I'd also like to test pushing, with the intent of finding a substitute for more expensive Tri-X 400. It's a lot, and I guess I'm antsy to find something new and stick with it.

 

[sf]

The only thing you have to consider is how you're having the films developed.

Shoot some rolls at different speeds, develop them in different developers, etc.

For me, trying new films just means buying them and shooting with them. I develop everything in the same developer - Clayton F76+

 

[pvdhaar]

Yes, it's very tempting to try a roll of this and that and somthing else again ad infinitum. Curiousity gets the better of me as well, but the snag is that you don't get to know the films well enough to get the best possible results from them.

I would think that the best way to learn the characteristics of a film is to shoot more than a single roll, and to experiment how it handles over/underexposure, how it handles more/less development etcetera. Whenever you change film, the first roll is hardly ever going to be as great as what you've tuned over the years..

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

Why change?

 

[sf]

I used to be the type to buy a bunch of different films because I liked having different looks. Now, that sort of method has passed over me, and I instead have standardized on one B&W film, one color, and this new IR film. It makes for less money spent, stronger consistency, and better quality product because I can fine tune the process more accurately over time with repetition.

I've pretty much set my heart on Fomapan 200 (Arista.edu Ultra) and Arista Premium developer. I'll work with that for a while since it costs little, and then maybe move up to Neopan again and D76.

 

[stet]

thanks for the replies. I've been leaning toward trying out each kind a couple rolls at a time, then settling on one and stick with it for a few weeks. I beginning to think that pvdhaar is right, and that I'm not gaining as much insight as I could from switching films every two rolls.

George: The developer is standardized; I'm using D-76, and I know how I like it with Tr-X and Tmax, and it's easily available here too -- big reason not to switch that. I can now mailorder Rodinal too, but I also want to keep the dev standard for now as I try new films. I'd like to get to a point where I've narrowed my products down to a consistent set, but I'm still playing around and trying to find it.

Jon: I was using Tmax and Tri-X, depending on my mood, when I first moved here. Now I'm starting to live/think in local currency, and I'd like to switch up to one of these cheaper films I can now easily get. I've only ever seen the ones in I listed in web catalogs, and I never bothered ordering. They seem worthwhile to try, at least from reading reviews and various posts.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

I was using Tmax and Tri-X, depending on my mood, when I first moved here. Now I'm starting to live/think in local currency, and I'd like to switch up to one of these cheaper films I can now easily get.

Talk to Simon Larby, he's a good guy and hangs out here and knows Thailand. His photos are pretty damn good too.

 

[rpsawin]

I think Peter's advice is quite sound. My biggest misatke was trying too many emulsions at the same time. I have now limited myself to shooting FP4+ and HP5+ and developing them myself using Infolsol S. I am learning how these two films work for me.

Try narrowing you selection of film and developer and use them to establish a baseline from which you can compare other combinations at a later date. I think this approach will serve you best in the long run.

Best Regards,

Bob

 

[kaiyen]

Rather than trying a few, then picking one and sticking with it for a while, just pick one and start with that one. Doesn't really matter which one. Get your EI and dev time(s), and then evaluate what you do and don't like about it. Grain too big? Don't like tonality? Too intolerant of exposure and development errors? Not enough latitude? Not pushable enough? Then look at other options that might meet those needs.

It is important that you get your EI and dev time(s) calibrated at least somewhat before you judge the film. You can do this in two rolls, which isn't _that_ much if you think about it.
This is of course simpler because you're sticking with D76.

Find a scene with reproducable natural light that has an area that you want with shadow detail, an area that is neutral, and an area that you want to have highlight detail. Basically zone III, V, and VII if you're a Zonie. Shoot this scene from 2 stops under to 2 stops over box speed. So if it's Neopan 100, shoot it at:

25, 30, 40, 50, 64, 80, 100, 125, 160, 200, 250, 320, 400

Now, you will _not_ lose 2 stops of speed nor gain 2 stops, but it's a good idea to get those baselines anyway. You can shoot two series on your roll - 13, 10 blank, then 13 more.

Then, in the changing bag or whatever, cut the roll in half. Soup the first half in, say, D76 1+0, and the other half in 1+1 (or 1+3 depending on what kind of look you're after - sharper vs. lower grain, etc). Then, judge the shadow detail based on these negatives. You can probably get close to your EI from this.

Next, shoot a second roll all at that EI, of the same scene. Then cut this roll up in 2 or 3 sections, and develop for various times until you get the right highlight detail.

Now, go out and shoot whatever you want at that EI, and develop for that time (assuming you're in "normal" contrast). Then, see what you think from your prints, and decide what you do and don't like. Go from there.

allan

 

[StuartR]

That's a really good method Allan!

 

[stet]

wow, thanks, Allan. That's a really good method for finding EI. My only question is, How do I cut the roll in half in a changing bag? I can imagine it in the darkroom -- just hang in front of me and judge halfway, but in a bag ... 😕

And, would this be fine with processing and scanning? I don't have darkroom access anymore, so I'll be judging these negs onscreen.

 

[kaiyen]

It's easy to do in a changing bag. Unwind the film. Put one end in your left hand, and stretch it as far as you can in the bag. Do that until you reach the end of the roll, counting how many times you can span the bag. Then, start from the beginning again and span the bag half as many times. That's about the middle. And that's why you leave 10 frames blank in the middle - you have a big target to hit for the "middle" of the roll.

It works just fine for scanning, you just calibrate your EI and dev time to fit scanning rather than printing needs. For instance, with a densitometer I get an EI of 64 with FP4 in Rodinal 1+50. But with scanning, I find that I can use 80 quite effectively.

allan