Recommendation for low-light B&W film

**pres589** · 12-23-2020, 12:19 PM

I like pushing Tri-X 400 a few stops (it's hard for me to tell exactly where I'm landing with this to be honest). It's an all-around nice "film-look" film. I've also gotten some nice images out of pushed Foma 400 but that took a lot of trial and error. The grain is definitely kicked up a notch with Foma 400 as well.

**UncleVanya** · 12-23-2020, 08:09 PM

Originally posted by Vendee

Not really. The radiation which did or didn't kill the cat would certainly fog the film and would make it difficult to get good shadow detail

Just use very slow film. ASA 6 should work... I mean the cat is Dead at the same time as it is alive so it must be still for long periods of time - and the moving one will blur into a ghost and not ruin the exposure.

Vendee · 12-24-2020, 08:31 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by UncleVanya

Just use very slow film. ASA 6 should work... I mean the cat is Dead at the same time as it is alive so it must be still for long periods of time - and the moving one will blur into a ghost and not ruin the exposure.

Yeah that could work. I just hope the OP appreciates effort we are putting in to overcome his problem

**UncleVanya** · 12-24-2020, 12:11 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Vendee

Yeah that could work. I just hope the OP appreciates effort we are putting in to overcome his problem

LOL
In all seriousness I have suggested more light is probably a requirement.
But stand development could work at high ISO - I can't say that I ever tried it.

tuco · 12-25-2020, 11:02 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by JensE

Had to check the date on the original post - listing some material which has been out of production for a while. Another recommendation for Delta 3200 + Microphen. Note that the 3200 rating is already assuming +1 development, i.e. it's actually a 1600 speed film. Best low light B&W film in my books since Neopan 1600 has been discontinued ...

Delta 3200 shot at EI 400.
The picture is proof alien mutants from another planet live among us. Note the hand of the foreground guy and the girl ahead of him.

**pres589** · 12-25-2020, 11:11 AM

tuco: Cool shot. Was that developed at normal speed for Delta 3200 in the developer of your choice, or was this pulled development?

tuco · 12-25-2020, 02:15 PM

Originally posted by pres589

tuco: Cool shot. Was that developed at normal speed for Delta 3200 in the developer of your choice, or was this pulled development?

No definetly not my normal development time for an EI 1600 exposure. The Delta 3200 data sheet gives development times for exposure indexes from EI 400 to EI 6400 for a list of selected developers. Over exposing and under developing can be called 'pulling' but it's also referred to as highlight compression in the Zone System.

moldypirate · 02-20-2021, 05:48 AM

Thanks for all the great tips everyone.

I went with Ilford Delta 3200 in the Pentax MX, with the Pentax SMC 50mm f1.4...
I also dug out a Miranda MS2 Super (Pentax SMC 50mm f1,7), and put some expired Kodak 400TX in there.
I managed to stick to natural lighting only, so there's a fair few that didn't come out well, but I've got some cracking photos back from the lab and somehow my boy Cosmo is still with us so I have a bit more time to try other films!

Don't know what order the pictures will appear, but the the one where he's looking back to the camera is Kodak 400TX, and the one where he's looking down is the Ilford Delta 3200 (shot at 1600).

As ever, tips, feedback and advice is welcome!
Thank you all for helping me get some pictures I'll cherish for the rest of my days.

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Viking42 · 02-20-2021, 04:18 PM

Terrific pictures! They turned out great. I really like the tones and grain in both. I have never used D3200, but I am impressed with how nice the grain looks - it's noticeable, but kind of soft and airy looking. Very nice.

My only question regards what look like water marks on the film. Did the lab do a poor job washing and drying? Can you see drying marks on the negs? Or maybe they are from the scanner? Hard to tell just looking at the images.

Looks like a lovely cat too. Gentle soul :-)

**Kerrowdown** · 4 Days Ago

Originally posted by moldypirate

Recommendation for low-light B&W film

My vote XP2, pushed to ISO 800 or even ISO 1600.

**pres589** · 4 Days Ago

Kerrowdown: What developer for pushing XP2? C-41? Some real B&W developer?

12-25-2020, 11:02 AM - 1 Like	#35
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Seattle Posts: 9,171	Originally posted by JensE Had to check the date on the original post - listing some material which has been out of production for a while. Another recommendation for Delta 3200 + Microphen. Note that the 3200 rating is already assuming +1 development, i.e. it's actually a 1600 speed film. Best low light B&W film in my books since Neopan 1600 has been discontinued ... Delta 3200 shot at EI 400. The picture is proof alien mutants from another planet live among us. Note the hand of the foreground guy and the girl ahead of him. Last edited by tuco; 12-25-2020 at 11:12 AM.

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12-23-2020, 12:19 PM	#31
pres589 Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Baltimore, MD Photos: Albums Posts: 3,395	I like pushing Tri-X 400 a few stops (it's hard for me to tell exactly where I'm landing with this to be honest). It's an all-around nice "film-look" film. I've also gotten some nice images out of pushed Foma 400 but that took a lot of trial and error. The grain is definitely kicked up a notch with Foma 400 as well.

12-23-2020, 08:09 PM	#32
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 18,452	Originally posted by Vendee Not really. The radiation which did or didn't kill the cat would certainly fog the film and would make it difficult to get good shadow detail Just use very slow film. ASA 6 should work... I mean the cat is Dead at the same time as it is alive so it must be still for long periods of time - and the moving one will blur into a ghost and not ruin the exposure.

12-24-2020, 08:31 AM - 1 Like	#33
Vendee Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Norfolk, UK Posts: 859	Originally posted by UncleVanya Just use very slow film. ASA 6 should work... I mean the cat is Dead at the same time as it is alive so it must be still for long periods of time - and the moving one will blur into a ghost and not ruin the exposure. Yeah that could work. I just hope the OP appreciates effort we are putting in to overcome his problem

12-24-2020, 12:11 PM - 1 Like	#34
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 18,452	Originally posted by Vendee Yeah that could work. I just hope the OP appreciates effort we are putting in to overcome his problem LOL In all seriousness I have suggested more light is probably a requirement. But stand development could work at high ISO - I can't say that I ever tried it.

12-25-2020, 11:11 AM	#36
pres589 Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Baltimore, MD Photos: Albums Posts: 3,395	tuco: Cool shot. Was that developed at normal speed for Delta 3200 in the developer of your choice, or was this pulled development?

12-25-2020, 02:15 PM	#37
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Seattle Posts: 9,171	Originally posted by pres589 tuco: Cool shot. Was that developed at normal speed for Delta 3200 in the developer of your choice, or was this pulled development? No definetly not my normal development time for an EI 1600 exposure. The Delta 3200 data sheet gives development times for exposure indexes from EI 400 to EI 6400 for a list of selected developers. Over exposing and under developing can be called 'pulling' but it's also referred to as highlight compression in the Zone System.

02-20-2021, 04:18 PM	#39
Viking42 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2020 Location: Caledon, Ontario, Canada Photos: Albums Posts: 190	Terrific pictures! They turned out great. I really like the tones and grain in both. I have never used D3200, but I am impressed with how nice the grain looks - it's noticeable, but kind of soft and airy looking. Very nice. My only question regards what look like water marks on the film. Did the lab do a poor job washing and drying? Can you see drying marks on the negs? Or maybe they are from the scanner? Hard to tell just looking at the images. Looks like a lovely cat too. Gentle soul :-)

4 Days Ago	#40
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Hielands o' Scootlund Photos: Gallery Posts: 51,408	Originally posted by moldypirate Recommendation for low-light B&W film My vote XP2, pushed to ISO 800 or even ISO 1600.

4 Days Ago	#41
pres589 Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Baltimore, MD Photos: Albums Posts: 3,395	Kerrowdown: What developer for pushing XP2? C-41? Some real B&W developer?

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