getting into 120

[ben_t.1]

i'm thinking of getting in 120 photography by getting a Holga 120S. i

would like know what 120 film is cheap, easily developable (at a

store), and will give me that grainy/high contrast kind of image...?

[raczoliver]

Generally speaking, a roll of 120 film costs roughly the same as a roll of 35mm film of the same type. For high contrast and grain, try some fast films, but if you're after grain, you'll have more success with 35mm.

[jurie]

Bruce,

 

<p>For grainy & high contrast, I like HP5+ or Tri-X pushed to 1600. Remember, however, that medium format by its very nature is going to have smaller looking grain on a given print than if that print was made from 35mm.

 

<p>You might also try Delta 3200, but I've never shot it in 35mm or 120, so I can't offer you an opinion.

 

<p>Have fun!

 

<p>Jordan R. Urie

[johnmarkpainter]

Bruce,

 

Go to www.freestylephoto.biz

 

Find "Arista Pro 400". It is generically packaged Ilford HP5 and it is CHEAP and excellent

film. Shooting in Bright Sun, just hold (or tape) a Yellow or Orange Filter in front of the

Lens. In Full sun, a Red Filter could be nice for dramatic effect (set the Lens on "Cloudy")

 

jmp

[h.d._shin]

TMax and the Agfa B&W films are cheap, too (I think both around $2 even). I like APX100. I sorta like TMax 100, though it's the next best thing to TechPan as far as grain and resolving power go.

 

TriX used to be cheap, but isn't now.

[lex_jenkins]

120 film is usually cheaper per roll than 35mm, but you're getting 12 frames instead of the usual 24 or 36.

 

It's more difficult to make medium format images grainy. Grain structure for any given film is the same in medium format as 35mm. The same image, framed similarly to the 35mm equivalent, will appear less grainy because the grain does not become larger along with the larger image.

 

Most film manufacturers have tried to make films that are faster while having nearly the same quality as older, much slower films. That makes getting really grainy photos from medium format even more difficult.

 

Normally I'd recommend, as one possible method, framing the subject loosely and enlarging just the cropped image. However you probably want to preserve the Holga characteristics, which depend on use of the full frame to see the typical corner and edge fall off which resembles vignetting, as well as the spherical distortion that becomes more pronounced toward the outer periphery of the frame.

 

You also have to consider the exposure limitations of the Holga. Without access to a wide range of shutter speeds and apertures your choices are limited. Film that is too fast for the camera's exposure adjustments will be overexposed; too slow a film will produce underexposed negatives.

 

I don't recall the exposure limits of the Holga - it's been mentioned before on photo.net forums - but you can probably find it on their website.

 

Unless you develop the film yourself or ask a lab for custom development it will be difficult to get contrasty, grainy negatives. You'll probably need to request push processing. And unless they use the "right" developer, you may not get the desired results. For example, Xtol and T-Max - which are commonly used by b&w labs - may not produce satisfactory results - both are considered good for push processing specifically because they *don't* produce excessively grainy, contrasty negatives. What you need is a film/developer combination that would usually be considered a mismatch.

 

Generally speaking, any film that is overdeveloped will be grainier and more contrasty. However some films, such as Delta 3200, are inherently lower in contrast and while grainy, it resists increases in contrast despite underexposure and overdevelopment.

 

Tri-X used to be one of the best choices for a film that can produce fine, low grain negatives in the best tradition of the Ansel Adams technique, as well as grainy, contrasty negatives, all by varying exposure and development. But Kodak improved the film just enough that it now has noticeably finer grain. I'm finding that it's not as easy as it used to be to get really grainy results.

 

T-Max 400 has a distinctive grain that, normally, I don't care for. It's gritty, resembling sharp grains of salt and pepper sand. However this can be used to an advantage by developing it in Rodinal or other acutance developers. If the film is pushed to 800 (essentially, underexposed) and given extended development the grain will become more pronounced and the contrast increased. Some b&w labs carry Rodinal for special requests so this might be a good combination.

 

Agfa APX 400 also tends to be a grainy film. It's not a true ISO 400 film (the true speed is closer to 200) so exposing it at 400 to 800 will produce contrastier negatives (less shadow detail so black areas will be blacker; and highlights will tend to have less detail as well). For best results, tho', don't use Rodinal. This film and developer combination is a mismatch since the film emulsion was changed and it's no longer possible to overdevelop it in Rodinal enough to get really high contrast and grain. While I normally wouldn't recommend Ilfosol-S for use with faster films or extended development, it might suit your preferences. It tends to produce much grainier, contrastier negatives with fast film and overdevelopment. Paterson Acutol, Tetenal Neofin Blue (available from JandC Photo - a little expensive but an excellent developer) and, possible, HC-110 would be some other choices. If you have only D-76/ID-11, try it at the 1:3 dilution, which tends to produce sharper, grainier negatives.

 

BTW, I suggest Neofin Blue rather than Neofin Red because the Red is recommended for use with faster films. Using Blue with faster films and overdevelopment will produce more contrast and grain because it's essentially "underpowered" for faster films.

 

However I wouldn't expect many b&w labs to carry some of these other developers. If you buy and provide the developer, tho', they might be willing to use it for your negatives.

 

Hope that helps.

[titrisol]

For Holga use Arista 400, JC Pro 100 or 400 or some other cheap film.

 

Check JandCphoto.com or freestylephoto.biz

[mikep]

I use both Ilford 400 speeds sucessfully, I develope in TMAX at 68 degree, 7 minutes. I use the cloudy setting most, but the sun is helpful in bright brighter situations.

 

my holga stuff can be seen here at PN.

 

I am happy with results.

 

mike

 

<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/3155398-lg.jpg">

[silent1]

If you're going to get your Holga film developed by a lab, you should consider that a C-41 film will likely be cheaper than B&W and give more consistent results. If you like grain, you can scan the negatives or have them scanned at processing and apply a grain filter to the files (you can also desaturate to get B&W).

 

However -- you're also going to find that only pro labs and a few old-school photo stores develop 120 film in house, even in C-41; most send it out (the local Ritz here sends it somewhere that takes two weeks to finish it and send it back -- as I found after the store that did it in house closed its lab and then the store).

 

What I'd suggest is to take some of the money you save by buying a Holga and put it toward a basic darkroom setup. A Paterson System 4 single tank costs about $20, as I recall; an adjustable reel to fit will be another $10. Changing bag will run $25 to $40 (get the bigger one, you'll be glad you did), and basic chemicals (developer, fixer, and wetting agent) will set you back around $25 (with capacity for over 100 rolls of film -- you don't really need stop bath, but it will only add $5). Glass darkroom thermometer, $5. Get magnetic document clips at an office store for about fifty cents each (in pairs), they work fine for hanging film from a steel surface (I hang it from the bowl of a torchiere lamp, and stick the other clip on the pole to keep the lower end from swinging around; the lamp is tall enough even for the five foot strip of 35 mm). Head to the grocery store, get a set of 3 quart size measuring cups ($2 to $4 each) and some 2 liter plastic jugs with airtight lids to hold the mixed chemicals (another couple dollars each).

 

No darkroom needed -- take the finished negatives to any lab that handles 120 for printing, or scan them yourself and print on an inkjet or take the scans to any mini-lab location with a kiosk (or upload them somewhere like Photoworks or similar to get prints in the mail). If you don't have a scanner, one that does a good job on 120 film will cost between $150 and $300, but it isn't necessary.

 

You can even contact print the 120 negatives on cyanotype that doesn't require dark or safelight handling, just incandescent light (which has little UV), then UV-rich sunshine to expose (chemistry kit, $20, watercolor paper to print on, another $10); the prints will be small, but they'll be viewable, possibly with a magnifier...

 

Let's see -- that's a setup to develop and contact print your Holga film for not much over $100, and you can use J&C Pro 100, Classic 200, or Classic 400 films at well under $2 per roll, develop for under a dollar, and print for around 35 cents per contact sheet. Hard to argue with that kind of economy.

 

Then drop in at the Classic Camera forum and we'll show you what you can get that will make *good* pictures for the same $20 you'll spend on that Holga 120S...

[ben_t.1]

WOW...thanks for all the feedback! this has got to be the BEST photo forum on the whole net!

[ben_t.1]

also, does anyone know any send-in labs that will process 120?