[boriscleto]

Where would I find Arista (Fomapan?

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[StiffLegged]

Not quite so old here, but prints I made about 40 years ago from Ilford film came to light last week. I (almost) always shot FP4 (125 ASA) and developed my own (Aculux, Rodinal, Acutol, D-76). I had no complaints and looking at the prints again I still don't!

[photolady95]

After shooting a roll of 120, there is a tape on the light blocking paper that is provided by Kodak, Ilford, etc, for the photographer to moisten to stick and keep the paper from unraveling and exposing the film. In the field, the most convenient way to moisten that tape is my tongue.

And yes, I am 61 years young, but even I grew up with ASA, but as a lab manager, photographer, and now photo teacher, I started calling it ISO when it all switched over. Also I started teaching in Switzerland (early 90s) where the German DIN was more commonly used with Agfa films and labs, so I embraced ISO to avoid memorizing DIN numbers.

I forgot you said you mainly shoot 120 film.
I also remember my photography professor mentioning DIN.

I was 42 when I started college, in 1992.

[photolady95]

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Sorry, I missed your post earlier, boriscleto. Thanks for the link. I'll bookmark it.

[Astro-Baby]

Mostly use Ilford FP4 or HP5. I quite like the grainy grunge look so sometimes push them hard to bring out the grain. For color I almost always used slide films, my favourite was Agfa as I prefererred uts slightly more real colors. I am having to learn it all over again myself after a 20 year hiatus.

[Vendee]

I never liked Kodak T-Max in the 400 because it was too grainy.

Are you sure you mean Tmax? Tri-x 400 can be a little grainy but Tmax 400 is very smooth with its modern "T grain" make up. Its a bit too smooth for me

[kypfer]

Well, I'm not that much older than you, but I turned 70 in December.

... me too


I (almost) always preferred to use Ilford film "back in the day", firstly FP3, latterly FP4 as a "general purpose" 125ASA film, HP5 at 400ASA and PanF at 50ASA. Their SFX is a near infra-red emulsion which works well and is easy to handle, if you like the effect. I even remember using a roll or two of their "economy" Selochrome, which was "ortho" (a premium feature these days), shoot a brown cow in a green field and the cow becomes almost invisible! Their XP1 and later XP2 C41-process monochrome films were nominally 400ASA but were perfectly good plus-or-minus several stops, not sure if this is still available.

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Last edited by kypfer; 04-19-2020 at 02:17 PM.

[Parallax]

I quite like the grainy grunge look

Try some Tri-X pushed 3 stops and developed in D76.

[TomB_tx]

I still think ASA, but learned that most today are confused by it, so I translate to ISO when I post. I hit 74 in a month or so, first developed film in the 1950s. Took a 30+ year break to raise kids, and got back to it after I retired in 2009. Then another break while son & family moved back in while building their house, and my new darkroom became a bath again. Now grandkids say they want to learn...

[Arjay Bee]

It is interesting reading the responses. It seems, no surprise here, that film choice comes down to personal usage patterns and personal vision as to what we each want to achieve as an end product.
As I have my finished rolls processed by a lab I don't worry about curl and as I post process everything, film or digital, I like have the 'smoothness' that is provided by the TMax range. Silver Effex works very efficiently from the commercially scanned files to provide a range of outputs.
Why use film then you may ask? Cos I like the pleasurable experience of using a mechanical camera with no shortcuts - the tool forces a series of choices that I do not have the self discipline to enact when using a digital camera.

[gofour3]

After shooting a roll of 120, there is a tape on the light blocking paper that is provided by Kodak, Ilford, etc, for the photographer to moisten to stick and keep the paper from unraveling and exposing the film. In the field, the most convenient way to moisten that tape is my tongue.

We should thank the Japanese for COVID-19 friendly Fuji 120 film. Fuji has the "sticky" tape, so no need to use your tongue. Just peel off the backing from the tape and seal the finished roll.

For B&W film I use all brands, but for special stuff I like to use Fomapan R100 reversal film. I have to send it off to DR5 Chrome for developing and mounting. (135 only)

Phil.

[boriscleto]

Try some Tri-X pushed 3 stops and developed in D76.

Anything I shoot is going to be developed in Folgers Crystals, Washing Soda, and Vitamin C...

[tuco]

Maybe visit the Post Your BW Film Shots thread to see what people use who to actually shoot and post BW film.

[disconnekt]

I'm shooting Ultrafine Xtreme 100 & like it, plus its pretty cheap (Ultrafine eXtreme Black & White Film ISO 100 - Ultrafine Xtreme Black & White Film)

[nickthetasmaniac]

I love Illford's Delta films, very fine grain for B&W images, but Illford's products are all good in my opinion. I try to stay away from Kodak T-Max though.

Why's that? I've found Tmax400 and 100 very similar to Delta400 and 100 respectively.

I never liked Kodak T-Max in the 400 because it was too grainy.

Are you sure you're thinking of Tmax400 (TMY-2) rather than 400TX (ie. Tri-X)? Tmax400 has very little grain for a 400iso film...

Tmax400 shot with an Autocord (6x6)


And an MX (35mm)