Film to get folks hooked on film

[Cadfael_tex]

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What film currently available would I want to shoot that gives me the best chance to give me results that would make me say “WOW” and get me hooked on film?

 

 

(though slide and B & W suggestions would be welcome please include some C-41 since that’s the easiest to get developed for me).

 

TIA,

Tony

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[Messsucherkamera]

For E6 film, my choice would be either Velvia 50 (RVP) or Velvia 100 (RVP 100), depending on subject matter. The ISO 50 version renders soft pastel colors in a much better manner than the 100 version in my experience. If I were photographing flowers or sunrise/sunsets (or any subject with pale, subtle colors), I'd use Velvia 50.

 

RVP does have a narrow exposure latitude though and is not exactly forgiving of scenes that contain both bright light and shadows. Velvia 50 is supposed to not tolerate push processing well but I discovered otherwise by accident - I shot a roll of RVP at ISO 400. Upon realizing my mistake, I marked it as such and made sure the lab knew to push process it at ISO 400. When it came back, I could see no difference between it and the rolls of RVP shot and processed at ISO 50. I was bowled over. In terms of reciprocity failure, I have found RVP to be fairly tolerant of long exposures in the 0 to 45 second range. Even though Fuji recommends using color correction filters for long exposures, I have never had trouble with color shift.

 

Velvia 100, aka RVP 100 in Fuji's product identification system (not 100F, don't confuse the two) has finer grain than RVP and has a longer exposure curve, making it more tolerable of long exposure times and push processing. The tradeoff is that you do not get anywhere near the recording of soft subtle pastels that you do with RVP. If you are going to do long exposures of more than 45-50 seconds, the ISO 100 version is the way to go. Fuji does not recommend using RVP for exposures of 64 seconds or longer.

 

In terms of B&W film, at ISO 400 Kodak Tri-X is the king IMHO. It has decent sized grain, a very long exposure curve, an outstanding grayscale, pushes well, produces detailed yet saturated blacks with visible texture. Quality prnts up to 11x14 made by traditional wet darkroom methods are easily doable. If you want to go bigger than that, a high resolution scan of the negative and a skilled printer can produce truly outstanding larger prints and they will have the Tri-X fingerprint.

 

As for C41 films, I would hazard a guess that you can't go wrong with any of the ISO 100 to 400 offerings made by Fuji.

I don't shoot a lot of C41 but when I do, I go with Fuji.

 

I have always gravitated to Kodak's B&W films and to Fuji's color emulsions. I have never been disappointed by any of my film choices.

 

Hope this helps...

[philipus]

I'll say it before someone else does - film's inexpensive so try out different types and see what you like.

 

After all, only you will know what makes you go "wow".

 

But don't forget that you can obtain pretty much any "look" you want with any film in post-processing.

[NB23]

ChromeFP-TriMax

[jneilt]

buy about 3 rolls of everything and try it. I like Velvia, but only for certain things. Portra 400 is very nice when working with faces. VS100G is nice but going away. I really really really love Pan 50 by ilford and Delta 100.

 

It is not what is good, it is what type of look your going for and the subject. It only takes a roll or so of each to figure out what looks you like and don't like.

[AB007]

I love Kodak Tri-X 400 and Ilford HP5 plus 400 for Black & White. I sometimes use yellow filter or red filter for B&W.

 

For color, my favs are Kodak Portra 160 and 400.

 

I shoot 35 and medium format but I do not scan. I also use DSLRs but shoot more with films since I love it.

 

These days, I am experimenting with Efke 25 B&Ws.

[Fgcm]

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Ciao Tony,

with color Fuji are great and available.

 

BW is a different problem.

Different films have different sensitivity to different colors.

If you shot Ilford FP4, Ilford Delta 100 and Kodak TriX you get three very different photographs

 

FP4 is very sensitive to red, so skins are lit up and smooth, even if the "model" is 45+

Delta shows every defect of skin, but for landscapes is better.

TriX has a very special rendering. You must try once.

T-Max 100 is the most difficult to use for people, but it gives you every single detail of an architectural shot.

 

You have no shortcut: try several films and understand which fits better what you are shooting.

 

And do not forget slow films like Adox and Efke. Very interesting films

 

Franco

[Driver8]

My favorites:

 

Black & White: Kodak Tri-X. Awesome film, nothing else like it. Sharp, great range of tones, and very flexible.

 

Slide: Velvia 100F. Prefer this over Velvia 100 - has better colors and captures more shadow detail. Velvia 100 skin colors are awful. Provia is too vanilla.

 

Print: Kodak Gold 100. Cheap and underated film - its natural colors remind of Kodachrome. Portra bores me. Ektar is okay, though its true ISO rating is 50 (Kodak lies and says it's 100).

[SteveYork]

buy about 3 rolls of everything and try it. I like Velvia, but only for certain things. Portra 400 is very nice when working with faces. VS100G is nice but going away. I really really really love Pan 50 by ilford and Delta 100.

 

It is not what is good, it is what type of look your going for and the subject. It only takes a roll or so of each to figure out what looks you like and don't like.

 

Good advice. Part of the fun of film is sampling the different varieties and noting the differences. Often it's not an issue of good or bad, but just different.

[SteveYork]

My favorites:

 

Black & White: Kodak Tri-X. Awesome film, nothing else like it. Sharp, great range of tones, and very flexible.

 

Slide: Velvia 100F. Prefer this over Velvia 100 - has better colors and captures more shadow detail. Velvia 100 skin colors are awful. Provia is too vanilla.

 

Print: Kodak Gold 100. Cheap and underated film - its natural colors remind of Kodachrome. Portra bores me. Ektar is okay, though its true ISO rating is 50 (Kodak lies and says it's 100).

 

My picks too.

[NZDavid]

That's quite a choice. Great to see there are still so many different types of film out there (for now at least). That is part of what makes film special -- each film has its own unique signature. You will probably prefer some to others. Why not try a selection and choose your favorite?

 

Me, I have not had so much success with Velvia, at least the ISO 50 version. It may need to be overexposed slightly and rated at ISO40 or colors can become alarmingly oversaturated and artificial. Because New Zealand light is always extremely bright and contrasty, I prefer a more neutral color slide film -- but if you live somewhere with softer, more diffuse light, like Britain, you will get different results. Fuji Astia is no longer around, but Fuji Provia 100F is a good general purpose slide film. Do try the 400 version of Provia for low light, it gets very good reviews. I also like Kodak E100 but that, too, is no longer made.

 

For color print, try Fuji 400H, a superb faster film suitable for mixed light and low light. Kodak Ektar 100 is quite saturated but has pleasing colors. Definitely worth a go. Fuji Pro 160 is quite neutral. I agree that good old Kodak Gold 100 is surprisingly good.

 

For B+W, try slow and make big prints to really get the best out of Leica glass. Ilford Pan-F Plus rated at ISO32 and developed in Perceptol, for example, yields ultra fine grain. I haven't developed B+W for years, but was always amazed by its performance.

[andym911]

really any film will give you the WOW if exposed and processed well....that is the trick.

 

try delta 100 or TriX depending on what speed you want or from Fuji Arcos100 or Neopan 400.

 

Was never impressed from c41 and did not get the WOW, although I know people that did.

good luck

 

andy