Are there any very slow (ISO 6 or 12.5) medium format films availiable?

Fotokunst · Jun 4, 2018

I like shooting on slow film, most of the time it is Ilford PanF though when I don't have it I have to shoot on Kodak TMax 100 because that is what is availiable locally. I like a fine grain and the other features of slow film and push when necessary. Well with one of my rolls I decided to pull it two stops down to ISO 12.5 and I really liked the effect, I was wondering if there is a very slow black and white film that is availiable to purchase (ISO 6 or 12.5), I know about Donau 6 which is ISO 6 colour film which I think looks lovely, but it's only availiable in 35mm and even if it was 120mm. I shoot 99% of the time in black and white, so something in b&w would be more useful.

I live in Germany, but can order from all over the world.

Thank you for your assistance!

Cholentpot · Jun 4, 2018

You can try paper negatives. Paper is very slow and looks pretty nice. I've tried it in 120 with decent results. It doesn't hold a latent image very well though so best develop it as soon as possible.

Ilford Multi-grade in a Lubtiel 2

BrianShaw · Jun 4, 2018

Why not slow film with a bunch of ND?

AgX · Jun 4, 2018

Fotokunst said:
I like a fine grain and the other features of slow film and push when necessary. Well with one of my rolls I decided to pull it two stops down to ISO 12.5 and I really liked the effect, I was wondering if there is a very slow black and white film that is availiable to purchase (ISO 6 or 12.5),

Going for low ISO as such makes hardly any sense, as there are various means to dim a lens.

What you seek is low grain or high resolution or tonality.

There is the Adox CMS 100 as type 120, the only high-resolution film available as type 120.
Otherwise you might consider the Rollei Ortho 25plus as type 120.

Both are out of stock momentarily at the manufacturers.

Fotokunst · Jun 4, 2018

AgX said:
Going for low ISO as such makes hardly any sense, as there are various means to dim a lens.

What you seek is low grain or high resolution or tonality.

There is the Adox CMS 100 as type 120, the only high-resolution film available as type 120.
Otherwise you might consider the Rollei Ortho 25plus as type 120.

Both are out of stock momentarily at the manufacturers.

Well yes, I like the low grain and the tone of the photos that I pulled down 2 stops from 50, there is a creamy quality that I enjoy, really difficult for me to describe.

The Rollei 25 film is Orthochromatic? Amazing, I have to get some now. Thank you!

tomkatf · Jun 4, 2018

Agfapan 25 APX120... Shoot it as EI12 and underdevelop? Discontinued, ck eBay?

Poisson Du Jour · Jun 5, 2018

ADOX CMS 20 II is a dual-ISO film which is rated at one ISO (across the entire roll) according to the prevailing lighting conditions. This film can be awkward as it requires development along known greyscale densities that vary with the ISO. Also, you will need to take into account reciprocity characteristics for long exposures (>1sec).
Filmspeed for normal contrast situations: ISO 16
Filmspeed for reduced contrast situations: ISO 20
[ See datasheet from adox.de -> https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&...FjAAegQICBAB&usg=AOvVaw1vVapjTyiLWhenfd0Gzgxo]

sepiareverb · Jun 5, 2018

Another slow film fan here.

RPX25 should pull easily down to 12, likely to 6. It can be rather contrasty at 25, so I’d expect it to go slower well.

Sirius Glass · Jun 5, 2018

BrianShaw said:
Why not slow film with a bunch of ND?

I believe that the OP want very fine grain. A tabular grain would be finer than a traditional grain.

destroya · Jun 5, 2018

I still shoot apx 25. I rate it at 12 and with a dark yellow filter or orange filter and adding the filter factor, that brings the speed down to 4 or lower.

NB23 · Jun 5, 2018

I thought of pan-f with an orange filter, or even tmax with a filter. Or simply pulled.

But you already knew all that.

Punker · Jun 6, 2018

Cholentpot said:
It doesn't hold a latent image very well though so best develop it as soon as possible.

My friend found out the hard way on a trip. Shot a bunch and then tried to develop later at the hotel. All came out black.

Cholentpot · Jun 6, 2018

Punker said:
My friend found out the hard way on a trip. Shot a bunch and then tried to develop later at the hotel. All came out black.

Also need to use something like Multigrade developer and that loses it's punch pretty quick too.

Fin · Jun 6, 2018

Hi Fotokunst . This is ISO 3, but it looks like the seller has other films available. Stock up while you can, before the island of idiots detaches itself from the civilised mainland! (Although Norn Iron are at least 60% remain, but let's not drag politics in!)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5x-Kodak...771410?hash=item1a51a2c4d2:g:agIAAOSwCypWm72f

Slixtiesix · Jun 7, 2018

Like others said, take an ISO 50 or 25 film and use it with pulled development (Perceptol) and ND or colour filters. Will easily get you to 6 ISO or even lower.

AgX · Jun 7, 2018

But as said the question should be whether he wants a film with low speed just for speed's sake or if he wants a film with certain characterics, typically found in the lower range.

sepiareverb · Jun 7, 2018

It seems Like a simple question to me. “Are there any very slow ISO 6 or 12 films?” The answer to that is no (in 120). But there are films that will likely pull well to that speed that have been recommended which I suspect he will try.

And he/she does note that the fine grain and other features of the slower films have appeal.

bvy · Jun 7, 2018

I have 8x10 sheets of Ortho litho film (ISO 6-ish, but it depends on the light). I cut a sheet into four precisely measured strips, and tape them on to a roll of backing paper that I keep for the purpose. The paper is marked with where to tape so the frames don't go over a seam (using a red window counter anyway). There are two hassles: One is rolling it up to load -- sometimes you have to pull it tight and retape a seam while rolling it up. The other is dust. But it works well when it works well.

AgX · Jun 7, 2018

sepiareverb said:
It seems Like a simple question to me. “Are there any very slow ISO 6 or 12 films?” The answer to that is no (in 120). But there are films that will likely pull well to that speed that have been recommended which I suspect he will try.

Why should one pull process a film just to gain a lower speed rating and nothing else?
The only thing I can think of is not having an ND filter at hand.

pentaxuser · Jun 7, 2018

Fin said:
Hi Fotokunst . This is ISO 3, but it looks like the seller has other films available. Stock up while you can, before the island of idiots detaches itself from the civilised mainland! (Although Norn Iron are at least 60% remain, but let's not drag politics in!)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5x-Kodak...771410?hash=item1a51a2c4d2:g:agIAAOSwCypWm72f

I wonder what the minimum age of this film is and how it was kept? The description uses the word "new" but that of course is the standard e-bay term for an unused item and is not the fault of the seller. However "new" is largely meaningless here or so I would have thought

pentaxuser

tomkatf · Jun 7, 2018

AgX said:
Why should one pull process a film just to gain a lower speed rating and nothing else?
The only thing I can think of is not having an ND filter at hand.

It should tend to lower overall contrast and perhaps reduce grain(although that's probably moot with slow films)... which might be beneficial in low speed films, which are generally relatively contrasty...

T

pentaxuser · Jun 7, 2018

Punker said:
My friend found out the hard way on a trip. Shot a bunch and then tried to develop later at the hotel. All came out black.

So were all the films' frames black and your friend developed the Pan F later( same day?) at the hotel? Pan F's problem is latent image retention and users report different findings on this but a matter of a few hours only, surely not? That and a black film leads me to believe that it had nothing to do with Pan F per se.

Not strictly germane to the thread, I know, but I seek confirmation of the description of events and have expressed doubts about the conclusions in the interest of fairness to Pan F and Ilford

pentaxuser

Punker · Jun 7, 2018

pentaxuser said:
So were all the films' frames black and your friend developed the Pan F later( same day?) at the hotel?

Sorry I was referring to paper negatives.

sepiareverb · Jun 7, 2018

AgX said:
Why should one pull process a film just to gain a lower speed rating and nothing else?
The only thing I can think of is not having an ND filter at hand.

Wanting to use a yellow or green filter instead perhaps? Wanting to use longer shutter speeds? Why does the reason matter when one asks a simple question such as this? Why shouldn’t one pull process film to get to what they want? Oi.

AgX · Jun 7, 2018

Why would one want to pull process a film if one wants to use a coloured filter?
To use longer shutter speeds one can use an ND filter.

Are there any very slow (ISO 6 or 12.5) medium format films availiable?

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