What's your favourite slow B+W film?

With the demise of Agfapan 25 what is your favourite slow B+W film? I

don't mind Agfapan 100 in Rodinal but it's a bit grainy (not always a

bad thing of course). More dilution? How about Ilford Pan F in

Perceptol?

I have been using Ilford PanF(developed in Diafine or Rodinal) with great success. In my youth, I used Adox KB-14 and found it outstanding. I have recently ordered Efke KB-25 from Germany in hopes of capturing that quality again(alas not my youth). It has yet to arrive. I tried last year but I think 9/11 cancelled my efforts. I have high hopes this time.

I am no expert on B&W film, but I gave T-Max 100 a go and was

very excited.

Ilford ISO 50! I love this film. I did some night shooting in b/w and enlarged it to 11x14 and I can't see any grain whatsoever. Not that grain is a bad thing, cause I'm ok with that!

My favourite is Kodak Technical Pan developed in diluted Rodinal.

 

I am also testing Agfa Copex Rapid (ISO 25) developed in SPUR Nanospeed developer.

after Agfapan 25 (i still have a lot of rolls frozen) i took Ilford pan f not so good as the other, now i`m using Delta 1oo exposed like 64 ASA developed in Xtol 1:1: wonderfull until 15:1. I also tried Gigabitfilm with 25 ASA (it is Agfa Copex nder exposed and underdeveloped), it`s a ratsharp film but you cannot get white as white and black as black and the onely one of the current Leicas that winds in the right direction is the R8. all Ms are get swelling into the film_result unsharpness because the film is very thin. I think if you have a Leica you want to photograph without tripoid so try Delta 100. Peter

I've tried a few and so far I like Ilford Delta 400 and Tmax 400. Never had the chance to try Agfapan 25 :-(

I recently tested the "new" T-max 100. For some motives, it's The Film; for others, it's The Abomination. I need to try a few more rolls to reach a 'recommended' or 'keep away'.

To clarify: T-max 100 is extremely sharp, but something is lacking. Up to now I can't say for sure whether it's my choice of motives when trying it or the film.

Oliver Steiner completely agrees with Oliver Schrinner! Something IS lacking in T Max 100.-The tonal distribution looks drab to me; lots of tones, which ought to get separated into various degrees of near white, all get rendered as a single light gray. My favorite is Pan F+ (EI50), developed in Rodinal 1+25. There are 10 samples of this combination at my web site:

 

http://www.web-graphics.com/steinerphoto

Yes, yes ... But nothing about Pan F with Perceptol ?! I'm trying this combination too, but it's the beginning of my tests and I havn't a lot of time to do it...

illford 10

My extensive tests with Pan F and a number of developers convinced me that Rodinal (my favorite developer with Agfapan APX 25)was neither as sharp nor as fine grained as Ilfosol-S. But Ollie Steiner your pictures have convinced me to retry Rodinal. Did you expose at ISO 50, or something else?

I am very surprised that noone has mentioned the champion of all time, Panatomic-X!

Bill, Thank you for the nice comment.--I expose Pan F+ at EI50 and use the 1+25 dilution of Rodinal. When I tried the 1+50 dilution I didn't like the results as well.

I always put in a vote for Ilford XP-2. It is rated at 400, but produces an image with slow film quality...in my opinion.

Efke KB-25 without question...

I'm another fan of Pan F+. I use it at EI 40 developed in Xtol 1:2.<P>

<img src="http://mikedixonphotography.com/livbw08.jpg">

Pan F. In D-76 because D-76 is everywhere.

I love Mike Dixon's work. For slow B&W I like Tech Pan rated at ISO 16 developed in Technidol. I use that combination with my old Rollei MXV-TLR with a Tessar f/3.5. Under a grain focuser, you can't see grain - only detail. For 35mm, I like Ilford Delta 100 in Xtol stock.

 

<a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/photophoto_id=133606">Scoutmaster</a>

Sorry about the hotlink - try this.

 

<a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/133606">Scoutmaster</a>

Sorry again. Third time is the charm.

Sorry about the hotlink - try this.

 

<a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/133606">Scoutmaster</a>

I use Ilford Pan F. Long, l-o-o-n-g highlight tonal scale. Nice straight midtones. The only black-and-white neg film I've found that scans like slide film.

 

I rate it at 64 but that's because my scanner prefers slightly thin negs. I develop mostly in Ilford DDX - which is easy, provides minimum grain, but softens the resolution a notch. Kodak Tmax developer works pretty well also, giving a small increase in both sharpness and grain.

 

Compared to Delta 100, Pan F has a richer tonal scale and softer grain, but a little less edge sharpness. On the whole I prefer the F, but it depends on where YOUR values are.

 

Rodinal will make ANY film look grainy - but also sharp. It lacks the silver solvents (usually Sodium Sulfite(?)) used in general purpose developers to keep the silver crystals 'sanded down'. The more it's diluted the LESS it softens the grain, since what little solvents there are are diluted below the point of activity.

I't's heartening so many people still like B+W and I'm definitely

going to do more of it - when I have time. Though colour is fine, the

darkroom is kind of relaxing. Some interesting films here. I haven't

even heard of Efke but must try it if I can get hold of it. Of course

we haven't even got into the huge difference paper makes as well.

Thanks to Mike Dixon, Doug, and Co for posting your pix: they add

style!

Recently I tested Agfa Copex Rapid film, rated at ASA 25, developed

in <a href="http://www.8x11film.com">SPUR </A> Mano Speed developer

1+10 dilution, 10.5 minutes, 20 degree C<p>

The negatives looks much sharper than Kodak Technical Pan film. The

finest detail in Copex has sharp contour, the fine detail in TP is

blurry, lack the clear cut edge of Copex image.