Film for B&W Nature

[chuck_bettis]

After years of shooting nature with color film (mostly Velvia), I've taken the plunge into medium format (used Rolleiflex) and want to pursue B&W. I typically pursue landscape shots with a great deal of depth of field (thus long exposures @f11-f16). When I enlarge color I usually go, if the transparency warrants, up to 11x14, rarely to 16x20. With this in mind, what would be a recommended fine grained film to begin my foray into B&W. By the way, I don't do my own darkroom work and any enlargements would be done by a pro custom lab. Thanks, Chuck

[joe_brugger]

I'd suggest buying a couple rolls each of Ilford FP4, Kodak Plus-X and

Ilford XP2 (use it at ASA 200, not 400). Use these on your favorite

subjects and compare the results. Without knowing what you photograph

and what results ring your bell, it's hard to get any closer.

[shawn_stupidpost]

If you're leaving all but the exposures up to a lab, I'd second the

vote for a chromogenic BW, like XP2 or T400CN from Kodak. Extreme

latitude, and better lab control for processing; although I would

recommend eventually using silver ('normal' BW emulsion) and

processing it yourself...it's the only way you'll ever get exactly

what you want, and there's really nothing to it, no darkroom

required, only a bathroom and a little tank. Congrats on the Rollei.

[david_myers]

I would consider Agfa APX 100 and TMX 100. I would shy away from the

TCN stuff--it seems to have a flatness to it. If you look at John

Sexton's work with TMX 100 you should be impressed.

[michael_goldfarb1]

Since you're using a medium-format negative and grain isn't a

significant concern, of the last two recommended, I'd start with APX

100. It's a much easier film to handle than TMX, and produces simply

gorgeous results - much nicer to my eye than TMX. A well-exposed 6x6

APX 100 negative developed in nearly anything (except, say, Rodinal)

should blow up pretty darn big before grain becomes an issue.

 

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And in my Minox-negative-blowup experience with ALL of the 100- and

125-speed films in the last five years (all dev'd in D-76 1:1, with

some rolls in XTOL 1:1 or Microdol-X 1:3), APX 100 was consistently

right behind TMX and Delta 100 in the high resolution/sharpness and

fine-grain category (and quite clearly in front of Plus-X and FP4

Plus). It's a wonderful film, and with an old Rolleiflex, a match

made in heaven!

 

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Nothing against TMX - I use that a lot too, but there's no getting

around its more temperamental personality. However, for medium

format, I'd definitely go with APX 100.

[paul_d._robertson]

For totally fine grain, Tech Pan is probably it, but overkill for what

you're doing. Ilford Pan-F is a nice ISO 50 film, and is pretty-much

grainless to me for 11x14 done off of a 645 negative (11x14 is where I

start to be able to see grain in the shadow areas.

 

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My favorite B&W film however is Ilford Delta 100. It's not as picky

as TMAX about development, and just seems to shine.

 

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I do all my own B&W development in PMK, but Delta 100 is forgiving

enough that I wouldn't have a problem sending it out almost anywhere.

I've had a local lab do a few rolls in the past, and they've come out

stunningly well. T-grain emultions aren't the "best" for PMK, since

they don't stain as much, but I always seem to go back to Delta 100

for look.

 

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If you decide to do your own developing, Delta's about as forgiving a

film as I've seen. I've never had a roll develop poorly, and I'm not

the most meticulous person around.

 

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Mostly though, I just shoot it because it has a look that I like.

 

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Paul