Availability of 8x10 sheet film

[pkr1979]

For me it isnt that much about slow or fast, but the look of the film. Resolution and grain is not an issue.

 

[David Lyga]

Multiformat got it right!! I live in Alaska. The sun here is NEVER overhead although it can be above the horizon for a long time. It is dimmer even on a sunny day. Reciprocity failure thus always has to be dealt with even with ISO 400. As well I live near the ocean so it is frequently breezy or stronger.

I know but if you switched to 4x5 you would be able to open two stops and get the same depth of field due to the shorter focal length. Thus, with the larger aperture you would be in the same position, but now with ISO 100 film.

Not trying to beat this to death but to me the reasoning sounds flawed. Not so necessary to respond. Thank you. - David Lyga

 

[Focomatter]

But the 4x5 gg is so small....

ps. I do have more boxes of slower 4x5 film lying around than 5x7 and 8x10 but would rather use the larger formats.

 

[FotoD]

Not trying to beat this to death but to me the reasoning sounds flawed. Not so necessary to respond. Thank you. - David Lyga

It's easier to have a sitter be still for one second than for four seconds when making a portrait.

 

[Don_ih]

And grain really doesn't matter much with 8x10.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Why a 400 speed film choice? There's a phenomenon called "wind". The bigger the camera, the more likely the big bellows will turn it into a shaky kite. Plus potentially longer exposure times with 8x10 due to smaller f-stops being used for equivalent depth of field. Those are logistical factors.

Then there are film personality factors. HP5, for example, can achieve a wonderful etched quality in PMK pyro despite its large grain. TMY 400 is a wonderful all-round performer, with finer grain than most med speed films, yet excellent edge acutance great linearity, and true 400 box speed. And then there Tri-X 320 which some people think is the only film in existence worthy to go with their waxed mustache and black beret, or something like that (I never have quite figured it out) - but I does have its own distinct look.

 

[GregY]

It's easier to have a sitter be still for one second than for four seconds when making a portrait.

Likewise with movement in (stopped-down) landscapes..... water, trees, grass all move with wind...& then you still very quickly run into reciprocity failure territory

 

[Craig]

Larger formats work for contact printing for Pt/Pd printing, and smaller formats don't work nearly as well for those processes.

Even for silver printing, sometime a faster shutter speed is needed, and a faster film can provide that.