What is your favorite B&W film and why?

[darkstar2004]

That's my question: What is your favorite black and white film and why? While we're at it -

What subject matter do you use it for?

Do you use different films for different subjects?

I'll go first. Presently I'm using Kodak Tri-X rated at ISO 400. I recently shot some Ilford HP5+ rated at ISO 800 and really liked the look of it, so I may go back to that.

[sthan]

Neopan 100 & 400. My Leica dealer pushed me to try it 2 years ago.
After some time with Tri-X only, now I prefer this one for its fine rendering of highlights,
greyscale and better handling of contrasts. Compared to it, Tri-X seems a bit harsh.
And I feel it's not a bad way of encouraging Fuji, one of the last to invest in developing films.

I mostly shoot available light portraits with it, but also some of my favourite subject matters :
shoes, feet, everyday life items lying on the floor.
Neopan 100 is also excellent for street photo (recessed doors, places, lowlit backgrounds, etc.).

[christer]

TMX and TMY

grain + sharpness + tonality + pushability + availability + price +++

[Austerby]

I have recently been exploring Adox CHS50 and it has become a new favourite - a lovely old-style film, which develops beautifully in Neofin Blue. I plan to try some of the other films in their range in due course.

[andym911]

Neopan 400 is hard to beat...fantastic tones when developed with hc 110, and great contrast and sharpness.It has become my universal film.I don't change films for different subjects although I can imagine that many do.
Here a couple of already posted examples in different lighting situations.
regards

andy

[andym911]

and one more this time with some toning.

regards
andy

[Kent10D]

Kodak's new T-max 400 is very nice.

Of course that's a personal opinion, but I do think it's worth checking out. I use it in 35-mm and 120 formats, and find the detail and tonality to be very impressive. But if you like the "punch" of Tri-X you might find it a bit tame.

[stunsworth]

Ilford FP4 and Kodak Tri-X. I developed these in Xtol diluted 1:3. I loved the way they looked scanned.

Then again I haven't used film for over 18 months.

[Kent10D]

Andy,

Beautiful! You're getting some gorgeous results with that Fuji film!

[treeplanter]

Efke 25 developed in Rodinal. Love the fine grain and there's something about the richness of the blacks that make this B&W film stand out from the others I've tried. Favorite B&W film # 2 is Ilford Delta 100, again in Rodinal. As for subject matter, mainly street photography and portraits.

Jim B.

[leicar888]

Fuji's Acros 100 processed in undiluted Ilford ID-11 at 68 degrees for 6:45 minutes.This scene was captured with my R8, 90mm APO/ASPH Summicron-R, and Metz 54 MZ-3 flash in TTL mode.

[peter_n]

Originally Posted by Kent10D

Kodak's new T-Max 400 is very nice.

My favorite is Agfapan 100 or Foma 100 developed in Rodinal for that old fashioned grainy look. I did take a few rolls of the new T-Max 400 on a trip to Europe a few weeks ago to try it out and liked it. Not much grain and good tonality. Below is some graffiti on a fire-station in Wienerstr. near the Gorlitzer U-bahn stop in Berlin.

[patashnik]

Adox CMS 20. The sharpness and resolution I'm able to get with this film is simply overwhelming.

[sthan]

Originally Posted by patashnik

Adox CMS 20. The sharpness and resolution I'm able to get with this film is simply overwhelming.

I found it here : apparently, it must be developed in their dedicated ADOX developer.
How do you work it yourself ?

[patashnik]

Originally Posted by sthan

I found it here : apparently, it must be developed in their dedicated ADOX developer.
How do you work it yourself ?

Nothing different than any other developer, one small bottle is enough for five films. Quick and easy.

[xjr]

Originally Posted by Austerby

I have recently been exploring Adox CHS50 and it has become a new favourite - a lovely old-style film, which develops beautifully in Neofin Blue. I plan to try some of the other films in their range in due course.

Same here including the CHS100.
Bit carefull in handling till dried.

[andym911]

Originally Posted by patashnik

Adox CMS 20. The sharpness and resolution I'm able to get with this film is simply overwhelming.

I don't know this film--can you post a couple of examples please?

thanks

andy

[patashnik]

Originally Posted by andym911

I don't know this film--can you post a couple of examples please?

thanks

andy

I'm not at home now, so I don't have any samples here. But check out these:
http://www.adox.de/english/ADOX_Film..._Pictures.html

The modern slow speed silver halide film: Adox and Spur | Photography and image capture: the Leica technique and philosophy by Erwin Puts | Erwin Puts

Needless to say, this is the film that made me realize that a tripod actually is useful at times

[sthan]

Originally Posted by patashnik

I'm not at home now, so I don't have any samples here. But check out these:
http://www.adox.de/english/ADOX_Film..._Pictures.html

The modern slow speed silver halide film: Adox and Spur | Photography and image capture: the Leica technique and philosophy by Erwin Puts | Erwin Puts

Needless to say, this is the film that made me realize that a tripod actually is useful at times

The ADOX english link is broken. Only ADOX german working.
You may try this also :
Films
or http://www.retrophotographic.com/cgi-bin/trolleyed_cart.cgi?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.retrophoto graphic.com%2Fshop%2F59%2F84%2Findex.htm&action=up date_postage&country_id=22

[stunsworth]

There are some details here...

Retro Photographic Ltd - Black & White Specialist Photographic Products