C-41/convenience store film ?

[petersonphoto]

So, I know that C-41 is not the most desirable out there....But what

do you do when you're out of film and all the nearest stores to buy

film are a Walgreens or 7-11? If you have limited choice, which

brand/speed of C-41 produces the best results?

[alan_chan4]

Fujifilm Reala. If skin tone is no important, Superia 100/200/400 will do too. Kodak Gold are grainy for scanning unfortunately.

[michael s.]

<< ... Kodak Gold are grainy for scanning unfortunately. ... >>

 

My experience, too. Wonder why that's the case ? And the 400 speed consumer level Kodak color film seems *very* rough.

[frederick_muller]

I'll swear by Superia 400. It's a 400-speed film with the grain of a 100 speed film (Modern Photography did a broad-based test of the film market and as I recall, Superia 400 was the only 400 speed film that came up with the grain rating typical of 100-speed films. Apart from that, it's got great color saturation, and you can buy it and process it just about anywhere.

 

I'm doing a bit of seat-of-the-pants experimentation with Ilford XP2 B&W film, but it's just tinkering really. I have been seeing others get some awesome results with it though.

[petersonphoto]

I have used the Kodak C-41 B&W 400 speed and was pretty impressed...However, I have never used color C-41. It's good to know that I can pick up some decent quality color C-41 film if I need to. Has anyone ever used this new "High Definition" film by Kodak? I see it all over the stores, but have never heard of anyone using it.

[frederick_muller]

I have a roll of Kodak HD 400 in my M4 right now. I bought it on a quick business trip to NY and couldn't find any Superia . I'll use it up and see what it's like, but I don't expect to be using it regularly.

 

I am finding I get great results converting Superia to B&W as well.

[stuart_richardson]

To be honest, I have never been stuck in a situation where I couldn't get pro films. Even when

I forgot all my film in the fridge when I was on my way to Iceland, I found that they had some

Velvia, Tmax 100 and BW400CN at the Duty Free shop in the airport and at a photo shop in

Reykjavik. For C-41, the films that I like are XP2 and NPS. For consumer slide film, I think

Sensia 100 is pretty good.

[alan_chan4]

HD200 & HD400 are not bad either. When exposed properly, they scan better than Superia with less grain. Maybe it has to do with their grain structure? Also, HD has better skin tone than regular Superia100/200/400 which are reddish. Reala however still better IMHO.

[reinhard_scheuregger]

frederick, funny that you mention it. same thing here: compared to my favourite film, Fuji

Acros, i never warmed up to Ilford XP2 B/W, which bugged me, cause c41 is just so

convenient and fast. so today i shot a test-roll just for the heck, same silly person (me) at

400, 200 and 100, flash and tungsten. with a M3 and a 50 'Lux. processing was done in a

regular one-hour-shop, scanning with an Espon F-3200 and Silverfast with the

recommended setting. the results were, at least to me, very surprising. the film basically

works not only with 400, but also with 200 and 100. no problem whatsoever, although i

might add, that i am not concerned about grain, i rather like it. XP has a contrasty and

harsh feel and not the flat-ish TMax look (apologies to the one's who like it...). to wrap it

up, it might be a real alternative. enclosed please find an example ...

reinhard<div></div>

[terry_rory]

You may also like it at ISO 800

[reinhard_scheuregger]

really? what happens, trevor? even harsher?

[gsmith]

Does anyone else find a lot of variability in both Kodak BW400CN and Ilford XP2 Super?

I've shot about a brick's worth of each by now (purchased here and there, but always well

within the expiration date) and find some rolls look great, others very mid-heavy and still

others down to nearly a "chalk and soot" look I assocaite with much higher speed films.

 

I like both, but it seems like every roll is something new... I imagine this also has to do

with how/where it's processed. Do folks see a difference sending their C-41 stuff to a pro

lab (would unfortunately remove a big part of the benefit of these films)?

 

By the way, in the US, CVS drugstores seem to consistently carry Tri-X (albeit in 24s)

everywhere I've been recently (both coasts and a few states in between).

[EricM]

"Does anyone else find a lot of variability in both Kodak BW400CN and Ilford XP2 Super?"

 

not so much with the xp2 but with the kodak, yes. the t400cn used to be the same from roll to roll over the course it was on the market, but the newer stuff has become unpredicatble i feel as well.