dave thursfield
(K=514) - Comment Date 9/12/2005
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Anything is good in Medium Format, try Ilford Delta 400 it is wonderful! Dave.
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Roger Williams
(K=86139) - Comment Date 9/13/2005
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If you've been away from photography for a while you may have missed the chromogenic emulsions. Ilford makes an excellent one, XP2 (400 ISO). This has a lovely range of tones, great exposure latitude, and very little grain. You'll get nice solid black shadows if you expose at the rated 400 ISO. For a little more shadow detail, drop it to 320 or even 200. It has the advantage of only requiring standard C41 (colour) processing, which is hard to get wrong. Unlike standard B&W film development, which these days requires special (higher-cost) treatment. Unless you roll your own, of course... What's the camera, Sal? I'm just getting an MF (6 x 6) camera myself, so I'm interested.
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Helen Bach
(K=2331) - Comment Date 9/13/2005
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Sal,
There's a lot of good B&W film around - are you intending to develop it yourself or have a lab do it? As Roger says, the chromogenic films offer an easy way into B&W because of the ease of developing. Ilford XP-2 is probably the better choice if you are going to print on traditional B&W paper. Kodak BW400CN is designed for printing on colour paper - very convenient. They both scan well.
Tri-X has changed a little - slightly lower graininess that it used to have. There's both 400TX and 320TXP available in 120.
There is a lot of choice: Kodak, Ilford, Agfa and Fuji all make good stuff. Other brands are available.
A few films have gone: Kodak Tech Pan is out of production, but stocks are probably still available if you look around. Agfa APX25 has disappeared, but Agfa Scala, an EI 200 reversal film has been around for a while.
Infrared 120 film is available from Maco, if you fancy trying that.
Let us know how you get on with your camera, and tell us what it is! Oh, and welcome to UF.
Best,
Helen
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Sal Hancock
(K=0) - Comment Date 9/13/2005
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Thanks all really helpful info. I was given a hasselblad 500c as a birthday gift, its only every been used once and is really nice, 4 lenses and a couple of backs so plenty to get back up and running with. I'll be getting my film developed at the lab so sounds like I'll give the XP2 a try. looking forward to gettting out a shooting again.
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chris autio
(K=92) - Comment Date 9/13/2005
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I go back and forth between Ilford and Kodak.
Kodak Tri-x for me is an old stand-by, with full zones expressed. I use Kodak Plus Pro mostly, because I make mural sized prints.
If you're going to try Ilford, I would develop in X-tol. It is simply the best.
And once you find
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Chuck Freeman
(K=13616) - Comment Date 9/14/2005
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I still use Tri X a lots in 120 size. But here lately because of Money Tightness, I have been using KODAK pROFESSIONAL TCN 400. About the only place you can get it is Adorama And B&H. It is c41 Process.
But Tri X is still my favorite Film in Real Black and White.
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Chris Goodman
(K=1078) - Comment Date 9/16/2005
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It seems that there is a concensus for tri-x. I agree, but in 120 there are 2 kinds of tri-x. There is the normal 400 iso, but there is also a 320 iso. The later is my absolute favorite. The grain is wonderful and the definition is amazing. If you want something slower, I would suggest agfa apx 100, or even slower, ilford pan f.
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David Bjorken
(K=42) - Comment Date 9/19/2005
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I almost exclusively use Efke R25 film which have a wonderful tonal range, gives strong blacks and almost no grain. It?s slow, but I almost always use tripod. For indoor use I would use a faster film, but for architectutral photography outdoor in natural light I think it?s perfect. My photo "graffiti work" in my portfolio is taken with this film.
/David
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Louis Borsato
(K=193) - Comment Date 9/26/2005
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I use mainly Kodak Tri X,Fuji Acros and Agfapan.All are great films with 120 format.
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Helen Bach
(K=2331) - Comment Date 9/27/2005
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Sad to say, but Agfa have announced that they have stopped manufacturing 120 film.
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n white
(K=-636) - Comment Date 9/29/2005
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This discussion about B&W film is a big help to me. I recently bought a Pentax 67 and have been experimenting with both color and B&W, but with B&W I've been choosing only CN film so that my local photo store can process (no darkroom yet). 400 ISO seems essential with my 90mm and 135mm lenses. But I'd like to try some of these suggested 120 films to compare results.
If anyone else is working with a Pentax 67 or 6X7, I'd enjoy comparing notes (challenges and successes). Thanks.
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Helen Bach
(K=2331) - Comment Date 9/29/2005
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Ned,
I don't have a Pentax 67 but I do use 6x7 quite a lot with the Mamiya 7 and Plaubel Makina 67 and W67 rangefinder cameras (there's a W67 snap in my gallery, in the 'Garden Notebooks' portfolio - it's easy to spot because It's the only non-square image). Do you scan all your film, or print traditionally?
Best,
Helen
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Helen Bach
(K=2331) - Comment Date 9/29/2005
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Ned,
'Garden Notebooks #7' is the 6x7 shot.
www.usefilm.com/image/936226.html
I also shoot a lot of B&W 6x7, but haven't uploaded any of those snaps.,
Best,
Helen
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n white
(K=-636) - Comment Date 9/29/2005
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Helen -- thanks for the link to your portfolio. Great work! I uploaded my first 6X7 just now (Pasha's Cafe). Still have a few kinks to iron out.
My local Wolf's Camera does my prints (so far, so good), I scan them, then run them through Photo Elements (minimal processing, mostly resizing and optimizing, which I just learned).
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Tony Howell
(K=163) - Comment Date 10/4/2005
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My money goes on Fuji Neopan Across 10O. Very fine grain, but as film is cheaper than water I suggest you try a few see what you like.
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Leo Régnier Я£
(K=67696) - Comment Date 1/19/2006
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I think the Ilford is better...
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Slavomír Musílek
(K=354) - Comment Date 3/1/2006
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Yes. Ilford is the-top quality film you can get. Avoid Ilford PAN series, try Delta 100 and 400, HP5+ has wonderful grain and is very good all-around film. Very good tones comes from Agfapan APX100 as well as APX100. Me personally prefers Ilford HP5+ (I love grain) but Kodak TriX 400 and 125PX are on the same level. Just my experiences.
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Grav Weldon
(K=34) - Comment Date 6/14/2006
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Blad with four lenses? Nice gift indeed. If you don't mind developing your own film, I like Neopan 400 and Tri-x 320. Tri-x isn't too grainy when shot at EL 200 and developed in fg-7. I like using it for old buildings and such. For as long as it costs less to develop my own, I will stick too these two. However, I hav e had nice results with Kodaks's 400cn. Over expose it a stop or two and you get seriously nice negs. However, at $3 a pop for c-41 development, $25 a term to use the schools chemistry is alot cheaper. I have also had good luck with Bergger 200. However, the film base is a bit flimsy, so it curls upon drying. Takes a good 2 weeks in the sleeves before it stays flat. Hope that helps.
Grav
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Willem Wernsen
(K=393) - Comment Date 7/8/2007
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Ilford FP4+ (120) -Tmax 400 (120) Ilford Delta 3200 (120)
Love it;-)))
Willem
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