Which film to use? Your preferences here!

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theguy

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I was wondering which film you use for which occasion, circumstance or situation.

Which brand/-s would you recommend?
Where are the advantages or disadvantages of a certain film?
How are the results?

It would be great, if some of you could throw in a few insights,
concerning the choice of film.

Regards, theguy =)
 
I am now using VC160 and VC400 colour negatives.

No particular reasons, just that I am a long time supporter of Kodak. I miss their Ektar 25 colour negative though .............
 
For slow film I love PanF+ at 50 ISO or pushed a stop for a little more contrast. For 100 ISO I'm currently using Rollei Retro or Acros and for 400 ISO Legacy Pro (Neopan 400). The Legacy Pro is very good when pushed to 1600.

When the Legacy Pro runs out I'll probably switch back to Tri-X for a while ... I just bought 400ft of Arista Premium 400 which is the same emulsion apparently!

Oh yes I forgot large format (4x5) ... currently using Chines Era 100 and very impressed with it!
 
I use three kinds of film: slow 100, fast 400, and ultrafast 3200. Ultrafast 3200 film covers me from real low light with a fast lens wide open, to prefocused, well stopped-down use on overcast days (or shadows) for huge depth of field.

Fast 400 film gives me huge depth of field under direct sun, and narrow depth of field on overcast.

Slow 100 film for narrow depth of field on sunny days.

Cheers,

Juan
 
I shoot anything Neopan, but Neopan 1600 in particular is my favorite B&W film. I also like Ilford Pan F+ 50, but I won't buy more of it because it's too pricey. For color I love Velvia 50.
 
Kodak Portra 400VC. I don't change it really, I like it! Insights....? For color, use pro film. Try the kodak, try the fuji, you'll likely prefer the colors of one or the other. I wish I could afford to shoot fuji 400X more often, I really do.
 
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HP5+ pushed / Fuji 800Z for low light.
Fomapan 200 / Fuji Neopan 100 for daylight.

If I could get cheap, bulk Fuji Neopan 1600 I would buy oodles -- that film just gives up the goods. I have some Fuji 400 on the way and look forward to experimenting.....
 
Shooting some old Tmax 400 stand developed in Rodinal 1:100. This is the original T-Max that I had left over from college courses almost 10 years ago. Shoots great and the film has an absolutely beautiful look to it in the Rodinal. I shoot a lot of portraiture, and the skin tones "glow" with the Tmax. Suits my style of photography particularly well.

Here's an example with very little post-processing:

4832364087_492367fc25_b.jpg


Once that runs out, I will be switching to Arista Premium 400 to see how that goes. Supposedly, it's Tri-X (or so the rumors go). I'd really like to try a classic emulsion, so I'm pretty excited.
 
Neopan 400 and 1600 usually. Both look great when developed in XTOL 1:1. Lovely tones and just the right amount of grain in Neopan 1600.

As for colour film, currently shooting what's left of my batch of Kodachrome 64. Hoping to run some Portra 400NC through my cameras soon as well. A friend of mine gets incredible results from this film, so I'm looking forward to trying it out myself.
 
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For color film I'm currently using Kodak ektar, portra 160nc and portra 400nc. I need to experiment with the fuji equivalents some more though.

My fave b&w film is by far neopan 1600. I can't really seem to get a look I really love out of any other b&w film.
 
that's a nice list, right?

that's a nice list, right?

  • Kodak Tmax 100 (in 135 and 120)
  • Kodak Tmax 400 (in 135 and 120, also rated at 1600)
  • Kodacolor 200
  • Kodacolor 400
  • Kodak E100G
  • Kodak 160NC (in 120)
  • Kodak EDUPE (rated at 50, cross processed in C41)
  • Kodak Panatomic (will do someday, 100ft roll expired 1985 in fridge)
  • Kodak Tri-X (will do someday, 50ft roll in fridge)
  • Ilford Delta 100 Pro (also rated at 400)
  • Agfachrome 1000RS (in 120, rated as 200, expired 1988)
  • Fomapan Classic 100
  • Fomapan 200 (in 135 and 120)
  • Rollei 25, 100 and 400
  • Adox 100
  • Fuji slidefilm (will do someday, 100ft roll expired 1982 in fridge)
Lotsa odds and ends that I fail to keep track of, all in the fridge.

I like to experiment on occasions, you see... :D
 
shyoon said:
Neopan 400 and 1600 usually. Both look great when developed in XTOL 1:1. Lovely tones and just the right amount of grain in Neopan 1600.

As for colour film, currently shooting what's left of my batch of Kodachrome 64. Hoping to run some Portra 400NC through my cameras soon as well. A friend of mine gets incredible results from this film, so I'm looking forward to trying it out myself.
Click to expand...


Xtol is the only developer that works totally the way I want with Neopan ... and as you say 1+1

Occasionally I'll run a few rolls through with Rodinal for a change but I always return to Xtol!
 
One of the advantages of digital is the much under-used/discussed film emulation packages that do a pretty accurate job of replicating the look of a myriad of films. The beauty of this is that you can change "the film" you used to take the shot after you shoot. Using such software regularly, you find you get into a "routine" of what film you select - after the fact, for certain subjects:

- Children: Kodak Portra VC or Ultracolor 100
- Young adult portrait: Portra NC
- Adult portrait - Tri-X black and white, low contrast setting
- Old people portrait: Tri-X (regular contrast)
- Dark non-rural setting: black and white - match film to ISO used to take shot (seems to matter more than "what film"...)
- Bright, outdoors, colorful: Slide film that matches ISO used w/ camera. Velvia 50, Kodachrome 25 sometimes.
- Indoor flash "grab shots" with people I often use Ektachrome 100 - the 70's emulation with a blue-ish tint. Reminds me of the way the snaps I used to see when I was a kid looked. Very 70's, but kinda cool retro look. I like it. Subtle but noticeable - if that makes sense.

General rule of thumb:
black and white people - Tri-X, low contrast
old peole - Tri-X regular contrast
black and white low light - TMAX - 3200
Outdoor, colorful - slide film with saturated color - Velvia, Kodachrome 25
Typical indoor group shot with a flash - Ektachrome 100
 
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I have a fair few foot of HP5+ that i've been working through and some out of date Kodak Gold 200 left over from a holiday last year that i use when i decide to shoot colour on those rare occasions.

I am planning to buy a little bunch of films soon and also some different developers to try and expand my knowledge a bit and really pin down my ideal combo.
 
I think I'm one of the few that doesn't dig Neopan 1600. Way too pushed looking at 1600. I always wondered what it offers over Tri-X/T-Max 400/HP5+/etc pushed to 1600?

I like Plus-X, Tri-X, T-Max 400 and 3200 as my B&W films. Mostly use Tri-X, but am mixing in more T-Max 400. I find ISO 400 film is a good default speed for me.

In color, it's Portra. They are all nice, but again, kind of default to Portra 400NC. I don't shoot as much slow color film, but Portra 160VC and Ektar are my choices there.

I don't shoot much slide.
 
I'd been using Portra 400NC for a while, but tried a roll of Ektar 100, and all of my favourite photos of that weekend were from it. I have my last two rolls of 400NC in the shop right now - shot with my Zeiss and F100 simultaneously - and now have another roll of Ektar loaded in the Ikon.

I can't decide if I should be trying out a few others, or just settle down. I'm monogamous at heart.
But I do have the occasional fling with Provia 400X for special occasions.

For the occasional B&W, I use XP2. C41's just too convenient, but once I'm done a big trip to New York this fall, I might try doing my own developing.
 
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