120 Recommendations...What would you use?

[ben_wickerham]

I am starting a project photographing steet art and am curious about what films

you might recommend or use considering you were facing the same project. I will

be shooting outdoors in sunny/overcast weather so considered using Tri-X 320 or

FP4+. Also, I will be scanning the negatives on a Nikon 9000 or Imacon and will

be printing digitally with a goal of approximately 12 x 18. I realize the

scanning seems overkill, but the detail achieved is astounding. Anyways, in

terms of film, what do you think?

[pico_digoliardi]

Art is in color. Why use B&W?

[ben_wickerham]

Conceptually I am taking the street art out of its formal context and through black and white creating imagery that is based on composition, texture, and depth. My project is beside the point and I only mentioned it to give an idea of the cicumstances I would be shooting in. I asked for recommendations on films, not critique...my reasons for black and white is concept, not ignorance. And since when is art necessarily color?

[rich_ullsmith1]

Tri-x and Rodinal, it's a recognizeable look. I don't know how that translates to scanning. But you'll get the tones without as much grain in 120.

[frank.schifano]

I'm not so sure about Tri-X 320. The film has a rather long toe making it a little too easy to lose shadow detail. Don't get me wrong. You can use it and get excellent results. I have been using up a box of TX320 in 4x5, using it outdoors as well as under controlled lighting condition, and have acheived some very nice results with it. It does not do as well under high contrast lighting conditions, so you have to be a little more careful with it. If you want to use Tri-X, you might be better served by using TX400. Since you will be scanning and digitally manipulating the image, you can set the contrast curve to be anything you like. The key of course is to have as much information available as possible. There's nothing you can do to "make up" shadow and highlight detail that you missed when you made the exposure. What you do with it during post processing is your choice. You can choose to keep it, enhance it, or remove it as you see fit; but unless you have it there in the first place... Well, you get the idea.

 

But here's another idea. Trash the idea of using conventional grain films altogether and think of using Kodak's TMax or Ilford's Delta series of films. I have more experience with Kodak's offerings than with Ilford's so I'll confine my opinions to those films. Either TMX (TMax 100) or TMY (TMax 400) offer much more ability to capture a wide range of subject brightness, extremely fine grain for the speed, and very high resolving power. IMO, these B&W films also deliver a much better image when scanned than do conventional grain films. Pair either of these films with XTOL at 1+1 and you have a very good negative for your intended application.

[ben_wickerham]

Thanks Frank, Ill definitely take that into consideration. Im open to anything, so its good to get some useful feedback.

[Rob F.]

You mentioned FP4+. Since you were also thinking of Tri-X, you must be wanting some speed. I feel that FP4 needs to be exposed around 80 to get reliable shadow detail, so it might not fill the bill, especially on a sunny day. HP-5 might be a good alternative to Tri-X, as it seems finer grained to me; and I agree with the poster who mentioned using a fast T-grained film. I would vote for Ilford Delta 400 Pro, as I feel it has a rather richer gradation than TMax 400, while still retaining much of the sharpness of the latter.

[michael_madio]

Since you're scanning, consider chromogenic films like Ilford's XP2 as you can better utilize the scanner's dust removal capabilities. If sticking with traditional B&W film, FP4+ is a good choice. Remember to use good technique (bring a tripod, cable release, etc.).

[paul_viapiano]

TXP 320 can offer excellent results. Expose it at 160 and place your zones accordingly. I use it and dev in HC110 Dilution H, and it yields the most beautiful negatives. Adjust your dev time to lighting conditions, as described in Barry Thornton's book to essentially "pull" the film. Absolutely beautiful results...

[stan_belyaev]

Tri-X 320, expose at 160, develop in perceptol 1:1, 10min, 68f, agitate every 1min. It gives excellent results.

HP5+, expose at IE 200, develop in perceptol, dilution 1:2, 68f, 16,5 min, agitate every 1min. You will not believe your eyes...

 

Both films are very easy to print and scan.

[rustys pics]

Ilford HP-5+. Great negatives anywhere between ISO 200 and 800 with any developer you care to throw at it. It simply doesn't get any easier or cheaper in B&W.

[jay_de_fehr]

I agree with Frank and the rest who recommend T-grain films. I'd go with TMX if I was using a tripod, and TMY if shooting handheld, and I'd develop either in 510-Pyro. Good luck with your project.

 

Jay

[klix]

I suggest that you use what youre familiar with.

 

I'd recommend Hp5+ @ 400 EI in HC-110, Dil B, or Delta 100 @ 100 EI in XTOL 1+2. But that's what I'm familiar with, in 135 and 120 formats.

[chris_waller]

Ilford FP4. I have recently returned to it after a 'separation' of some years and like its sharpness and 'gutsy' tonality.

[larrydressler]

Tri-X in Rodinal or Fortapan 400 same as Arista EDU Ultra. in Rodinal has that great gritty classic street look.

 

Larry

[stefantveye]

Seems like it's a toss up between Kodak and Ilford films. If you've got the time and resources

why not use multiple films and see what different effects you get? Maybe a little

experimentation and varied results will work to good effect for the project?

[joe_s6]

You can go with either Tri-X (400) in Rodinal 1:50 10min @ 20gradC, OR Neopan 400 with the same development. The Neopan will give the same tones as Tri-X (well as close as you can get) but with a bit finer grain.

 

With Neopan 400, Rodinal has always been my #1 developer. And now that it's back in stock will remain my most used developer, with Studional a #2 and HC-110 at #3.<div></div>

[larrydressler]

Is it true that Fuji is outsourcing the production of their B&W film now to Eastern Europe?

 

Larry

[mikeseb]

I'm with Frank and Jay: choose a tabular-grain film, either Delta 400 or TMY, and develop

with Xtol/Mytol at 1+1 or 1+2, or 510-Pyro as Jay recommends.

 

Doesn't get much better for this kind of project.

[larrydressler]

It gets better....... Ever wonder why we all argue? because we all look at the Mona Lisa in differant ways.... I think he needs to try all of them and then shoot his project..... or shoot his Project with all of these films and developers.... It is just showing we are all correct in our own way.... Develop your craft and inclue the thought of others...... But never disreguard the stray idea be it your's or anothers.

 

But I think he should try conventional grain film first... just my Mona Lisa.

 

Larry

[pico_digoliardi]

I was not trying to ding you, Ben. I did not know what you were trying to do. If the project were about the art, a documentary sort of thing, then I would shoot color.

 

That said, my two-bits worth. Tri-x and D-76 1:1. Why? Texture is one of your requisites. A little grain will show certain detail better than smooth, grainless (or near grainless) film and texture is about perceived sharpness, or briefly, accutance.

 

If more texture is a good thing, then Ilford HP5 at 320 and Rodinal 1:50 with ~11 minutes, depending upon subject contrast.

 

--

 

Pico - "Black and white is color without hue"

[larrydressler]

D-76 is and was sold as fine grain ... enter the borax in it.... Microdol-X was sold as finer grain... Rodinal was sold as ... a film developer..... I love all of them but I doubt he wants fine grain..... Remember the shots from the Jewish Getto in Berlin? That is real street art. and Rodinal was used.... well the old type. He is taking them in a Subway...

 

Larry

[ben_wickerham]

Pico, no offense taken...thanks for advice as well. Thank you to everyone else also!

[bobmichaels]

I'm not sure what "street art" is. And everyone has their own favorite film / developer combinations.

 

But if your shooting will be slow and conteplative, like using a tripod, personally I'd use Acros and Rodinal. If it was more spontaneous, I'd shoot Neopan 400 in HC-110 although you could learn to use Tri-X or HP5 just as well.

 

Final answer: use a film developer combination you are already very comfortable using. If you don't have a regular standby combo, then pick one, any one, and learn how to use it. I continue to believe that knowledge of how a film / developer combo works is more important than which one you choose.

[bljkasfdljkasfdljskfa]

My suggestion is to ignore most suggestions here, and use what you know works for you. 90% of questions here are from people wanting other people to tell them what will work for them. That's impossible. Only you know what will work for you. Don't be lazy, and try things. If you don't know what works, then test. It takes a long time to learn how a film behaves in different condtions.

 

If you don't have time or effort to test, then the easiest thing to do is to focus on getting good results. Pick one film (any film suitable for the amount of light you have) and one developer, and concentrate on getting the pictures you want.