Best low light B+W 35mm film for people recommend.....

tomfrh

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I’ve never had much luck with delta3200 at box speed. Its true speed is 1000 and like many people I find it works a lot better at around that speed.

Many people have success shooting 400 speed films at 800 and 1600
 

trendland

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Hi there,
in the very past the answer was simple :
HP5 (press photographers pushed HP5 to the max. of 3200. - some reached 6400 with real bad characteristics obviously ok for paper news magazines )
Today Delta 400 and Delta 3200 are new favourites.
It is a holy question of individual taste because some prefer Tmax 400 and TMY.
NOTICE THE NEXT FOLLOWING RECOMANDATION .....
with regards
 

trendland

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I’ve never had much luck with delta3200 at box speed. Its true speed is 1000 and like many people I find it works a lot better at around that speed.

Many people have success shooting 400 speed films at 800 and 1600

Yes that is right - same was with Tmax3200. It was the marketing of both
(Ilford's and Kodak's) a better way had to be : these films rated as ISO 1600 films.
But a 3200 film looks more competant.
The remainig question today is :
Box speed with Delta 400 / Delta 3200 ?
E.I. 1600 with Delta 400 / Delta 3200 ?
The cheaper method is Delta 400 but one also may push Tmax400 and then compare with Delta 3200.

with regards
 

trendland

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Yes I’d actually be far happier using delta 3200 if it was called 1600. The “3200” just rubs me the wrong way! I feel like the film is a shyster selling me false promises.

More confusing (from my experience) was Rollei R3. Ok - I bought this film from bulk in 120 ($90,- to 85 films 3 month expired) but I never reached ISO 6400...
THE FILM WAS RATED AS BOX ISO 25 - 6400 with different speed sensibilized layers. (actualy I found out - it was a real ISO 400 film)
with regards
PS : But it was real cheap - and R3 has its advantage due to infrared!!!!!
 

tomfrh

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They should just tell us the real speed, rather than these “designed to be pushed to” speed.
 

trendland

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They should just tell us the real speed, rather than these “designed to be pushed to” speed.
In some cases -today- I would be glad
if manfacturers should just tell us a rated speed but more from interest : The actual film....

with regards
PS : If you notice more of half a dozen of APX derivates/clones
 

pentaxuser

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My experience is that D3200 is pretty good at 1600 in the likes of DDX or Xtol. A user on another forum called FADU tested it and found that only Ilford Microphen gave true box speed of 3200. I do not have the technical knowledge to confirm or deny that a speed of 3200 is possible, nor possibly the testing skills but his test routine appeared pretty good so the least you might conclude is that even if Microphen doesn't get you there, it gets you closer than any other developer.

Some believe that HP5+ pushed gets you as good negatives as 3200 at 1600 but you'd have to try both.

pentaxuser
 

trendland

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......have a pro gig shooting people coming up where I have to shoot low light black and white 35mm....what you recommend....straight up Ilford delta 3200 at box speed or another film pushed...thoughts very welcome

So my dear friend sperera (from Spain)....I would recommend you Ilfords Delta400 (it others would not insist)
......but Tmax 400 has actualy a real simular characteristic.
So we may say both films are in a near of todays best quality in fast speed photography.
Delta 3200 comes from Delta400 from my point (improved Delta 400 with a little more speed....ISO 800 -1000 at its max. ) I would agree100% with tomfrh...

with regards
 

trendland

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pentaxuser it may be some reach ISO 3200 with microphen - as others reached ISO 6400 on HP5 with "Emofin" two step developer within the 80th.
But the question then should be : How is the grain ????
We never should ask about tonals with this sort of high speed special films....
From my experience it is a individual task of each photographer to find his own max. with a Bw film generaly.
To some the grain of (35mm) Delta3200 isn't "grainy look" enough so they love the combination with Rodinal....

with regards
 

Neal

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Dear sperera,

I suggest Delta 3200 in Xtol stock. Expose at 3200 but remember that in low light, bright light sources can fool your meter. Highlight detail can usually brought back by burning in areas important to your composition. Oh, and most important, make sure you have your process worked out before the job.

Good luck,

Neal Wydra
 

Svenedin

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I've had passable results with Delta 3200 at box speed and even pushed 2 stops to 12,800 (using Ilfotech DD-X).

Here are 2 examples from 6x4.5 Delta 3200 negatives shot at 12,800 (I know your question is about 35mm). The camera is a 1935 Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta using an iPhone app as a light meter. Taken in ambient light, the second one at night. Very hard to focus an old rangefinder in low light so they are not particularly sharp.

 

Hatchetman

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whatever you do I suggest you do some experimenting before shooting a big project. Could wind up with a bunch of way underexposed negatives.
 

Svenedin

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excellent help as usual....PS Im from GIBRALTAR....NOT Spain....no offence.....ahahahahahah

Haha. Gibraltar is most certainly not Spain!!! I posted some shots from there to the gallery recently. I work in Gib at least 4 times a year for a week at time. Great place!

There's quite a few of my Gib photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/144059001@N05/
 
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sperera

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no offence to my dear Spanish friends which I have loads of!!!!!!!!!!

Svenedin! LOVE the image of the 'slopes' and the apes etc ......have a look at my little project of apes with Hasselblad 2000FCM and Tmax 400..........

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Svenedin

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no offence to my dear Spanish friends which I have loads of!!!!!!!!!!

Svenedin! LOVE the image of the 'slopes' and the apes etc ......have a look at my little project of apes with Hasselblad 2000FCM and Tmax 400..........

Dead Link Removed

That must have taken some patience with the apes! Well done. Nice shot of Europa Point as well.
 

MattKing

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They should just tell us the real speed, rather than these “designed to be pushed to” speed.
Delta 3200 is designed to have lower contrast than normal. So while the ISO speed may be 1000, when you "push" it (under-expose it at EIs of 1600 or 3200 and over-develop it) the result may actually yield better mid-tone and highlight rendition than when it is used at its ISO speed.
As for rendition and detail in the shadows, it will probably be better when shot at 1000.
So choose your goal, and set your meter accordingly.
 

Sirius Glass

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Test the films before the important shoot!
 

trendland

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??? hmm... when I look at svenedins example I will give Delta 3200 a second chance ( but only in 120 ).....
OK - I have to know - and I don´t care about tonals but ISO 12800 I indeed want to see..

with regards

But the iPhone app had done it´s job correct - you are sure ?

with regards

PS : In such situation with 120 camera without meter ( you also safe batteries) I use my "Voiggtländer" lightmeter instead of my Seconic ( voigtländer bessa
)
 

Svenedin

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@trendland Yes the light meter app (“My lightmeter”) agrees with my Sekonic. Actually the app only goes to EI 6,400 so I then have to take a stop off in my head to get to 12,800. The camera, although very old, had a professional service just before those photos were taken so I believe the shutter speeds are fairly accurate. The grain is obvious so pushing that far might not be satisfactory for 35mm (I have not tried 12,800 in 35mm format). It is great fun to take indoor film photographs with no flash. I only did this as a fun experiment which is why the photographs are in two different pubs!
 

faberryman

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......have a pro gig shooting people coming up where I have to shoot low light black and white 35mm....what you recommend....straight up Ilford delta 3200 at box speed or another film pushed...thoughts very welcome
Gitzo or Manfrotto?
 

trendland

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Thats fine because if it had agree with your seconic - it would also be correct to my seconic.

with regards

PS : Sometimes I don´t agree with my seconic - later I allways whimper - I had better beliefe....
 

trendland

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......have a pro gig shooting people coming up where I have to shoot low light black and white 35mm....what you recommend....straight up Ilford delta 3200 at box speed or another film pushed...thoughts very welcome
Aha I´ve read it not correct : So you have a pro shooting....
The best way is a test on an unimportant simular scenery. Best is one month before....
I did it in color some years ago - real bad lighting ( as there is allways " show light" ) = real bad colors...
If I remember I had the urgend need to a tripod with ISO 800 / ISO 1600 at F 1,4.
In addition ISO 1600 was not satisfying - today I would use a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV at ISO 800, at ISO 1600 at ISO 3200 up to ISO 6400 - 25.000 ( in color )
as a very simular exeption ( the use of digital ) so ISO 50.000 looks better than my " bad colored" ISO 1600 film out of 2000.
Therefore you decided to bw - soon I understand...

Bon chance

PS : But don´t be afraid now....
 
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