Favorite B&W Film Company

Bromo33333 · Dec 10, 2006

So... Which company, in your opinion, is the best for B&W?

Rob Archer · Dec 10, 2006

You'll get as many replies as there are B&W film companies on this one. I'm not prpared to say what my favourite manufacturor is, but it has to fit the following criteria:

Wide choice of film speeds

35mm, 120, and sheet films available

choice of traditional and modern emulsions

Consistency in speeds conrast etc. between batches.

Excellent customer service backup

Excellent website full full technical details of products available.

A long History in the photography business.

Knowlegable staff prepared to answer questions on APUG

Also sells a full range of chemicals, papers etc.

There's not many firms comply with that!

Rob

jstraw · Dec 10, 2006

Uncle Bill · Dec 10, 2006

You mean I have to choose,

I like Ilford for HP5, FP4 and Delta 3200
Kodak for PlusX and TriX
Classicpan 400 (when I finally got the hang of exposing it right)
Forte 200
Adox 100

I would love to try Foma at some point.

Bill

Curt · Dec 10, 2006

Oh I thought it was the best and most expensive film in a wooden box. Rollei has the best film; Rollei Pan 25.

Aurelien · Dec 10, 2006

It lacks Bergger !!!!

drpsilver · Dec 10, 2006

10 Dec 2006

This is a hard choice to make. For 35mm and 120 I favor Kodak, but for all sheet film Ilford is my choice.

There are too many variables/personal preferences to really make a good choice as to the "best B&W film". Can I have two votes?

Regards,
Darwin

MMfoto · Dec 10, 2006

I would have to differentiate between my favorite film manufacturer and the film manufacturer that makes my favorite films.

The two films that I would be at great pains to replace are TMZ P3200 and Kodachrome 200. So Kodak make my favorite films.

I would much rather support Ilford and Fuji given the opportunity, and I do whenever I shoot Acros, Neopan 1600, HP5+, and Astia. Those are all films that I love, though could replace without too much heartbreak, but are made by companies I have more love for.

uraniumnitrate · Dec 11, 2006

Favorit film or lock of knowledge?

Now that is a difficult question and impossible to answer! Mostly what you are getting out of any silver material is most likely deepens on your system and on your chemistry! Would say on your knowledge to understand how different developing agent works and does to your film! That means blending your own to special applications.
For most of my black and white work somehow I used Agfa and Forte with brilliant results and Kodak’s special duplicating films for processes like Gum! Materials which find nowhere else! I have tried Ilford many times both sheet and roll and let me tell you something it’s not above others (as it shows on your list) still it’s a good quality film (the technical side like manufacturing and that kind of stuff I'm talking about) but in difficult light situation I find this film not reacting as I will. Further I don’t think that their reciprocity tables are correct either.

I don’t think that others are bad either it’s just the tech side it’s matters a lot! Like the emulsion swells to much the base is to thin, a lock of technology and so on, and in the manufacturing process like damages in the emulsion and so on. I think that is one of the reasons why Mr phototone ask the questions! Its important to know the origin of the material you use which coming from the re-packing industry.

Now for just to give you an example this image was made on Forte 4x5 200 sheets in a bad and I mean under a very bad light conditions. (I think Ole in Norway and northern Canadians and photographer in Alaska will understand this)

Taken with a 300 mm Schneider f32 all correction made for bellows reciprocity and developed in my own solution! Exposure time was if I remember something like close to one minute. Further the print made on a Forte glossy paper and scanned in a very low quality scanner as I do not care about those things at all! So tell me what you think! Didn’t I bring out that last silver grain in this one? you should see this in original as the electronic imaging is only a joke.

And the next time do make lists like this in alphabetical oder its just to obvious that you are an Englishman! Are you?

FrankB · Dec 11, 2006

uraniumnitrate said:
And the next time do make lists like this in alphabetical oder its just to obvious that you are an Englishman! Are you?

The poster's location information and sig both show as Rochester, NY, which is in the United States of America last time I checked...

uraniumnitrate · Dec 11, 2006

FrankB said:
The poster's location information and sig both show as Rochester, NY, which is in the United States of America last time I checked...

You know the Anglo world have repeated a lots of names. It could be Australia, New Zealand and it's possible that there is one in Canada too. Because somebody is in Rochester it doesn't mean that he is an American in this global world.

Gerald Koch · Dec 11, 2006

Any of the three first tier manufacturers are fine with me. I like Kodak Tri-X, 5231, and 5222; Ilford Pan-F Plus; and Fuji Neopan 100 (not Acros 100). Quality control with all the others is unacceptable for serious work.

Simon R Galley · Dec 11, 2006

I guess I am not allowed to vote !!!!! so I have not....

Simon. ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited

Ole · Dec 11, 2006

Simon R Galley said:
I guess I am not allowed to vote !!!!! so I have not....

Simon. ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited

I don't think your vote is strictly necessary, Simon. The results seem pretty clear to me!

Now, if the lead company were to offer a good IR film in LF sizes...

haryanto · Dec 11, 2006

Ilford offcourse, very satisfied with FP4 and progress developing new product in ilford

Jim Chinn · Dec 11, 2006

Pretty impossible to answer with just one choice. Ilford has been outstanding due to there efforts to continue manufacturing B&W materials with the broadest choice of emulsions and formats. Kodak while getting a lot of bashing still makes maybe the best single emulsion for LF and ULF, TMY 400. Both Ilford and Kodak have far and away the best quality control and consistency from batch to batch.

Efke provides a range of film speeds in sheet film not available from the "big" two and pricing that is easier on the wallet along with Adox (25 and 50 asa) as well as J&C house brand (Forte?) being very affordable.

The thought that we can actually discuss a favorite manufacturer is pretty good news. Just a couple of years ago I would have been in the camp that thought by today we would be down to only one or two mfgs left.

Tom Hoskinson · Dec 11, 2006

Like Jim Chinn, I can't answer with just one choice. I use films from Kodak, Ilford, Fuji, Efke, Forte and Foma.

fschifano · Dec 11, 2006

The best? Kodak without a doubt in my mind. They have the best documentation in the business. Ilford comes in at #2 and that's simply because I prefer Tri-X over HP5+ and Plus-X over FP4+. Both companies make excellent products and I'd not hesitate to recommend any of them to anyone seeking advice.

Brian Jeffery · Dec 11, 2006

Simon R Galley said:
I guess I am not allowed to vote !!!!! so I have not....

Simon. ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited

Why not? Politicians are allowed to vote for themselves, arent they?

Brian

Ed Sukach · Dec 13, 2006

Where can I vote for "All of the above"?

I've used a wide variety of films over the years ... and I can't honestly see a significant difference in "success rate" linked to any of them.

The one film I really, really liked over the years was the original Agfachrome. *WONDERFUL* color balance in the shadows.

dphill · Dec 13, 2006

Ilford, of course!
However I did vote for Agfa because I have fallen in love with APX400 in 35mm. I cannot believe the tonality I get from that film.
It will be a short love affair I know and then back to my old standbys, Pan F+ and HP5+

Dan

kraker · Dec 14, 2006

My vote goes to Ilford as well. Not that the others aren't good, but it's just what I started with, and I just stayed with Ilford. The way I see it: I support the other two of the "big three" when shooting colour, Ilford is my 1st choice for B&W. And occasionally, I try a bit of Foma, Forte, etc.

An "honourable mention" goes to Rollei. Their IR film is very nice, and they have some interesting new products (slide direct is one I want to try).

Woolliscroft · Dec 14, 2006

My favorite films are Ilford without a doubt, but since they stopped making 220 versions I am stuck with Kodak a lot of the time.

David.

Alex Bishop-Thorpe · Dec 14, 2006

Ilford first, followed by Agfa and Kodak. 100ft of APX400 helped me realise what was lost with Agfa's demise, and kodak are just a good standard of quality, but I've always found Ilford the most reliable and with a wide range of suitable products.
That said, I'll try most anything I can get my idle hands on, but these three are the best I've come across. Adox and Foma are next on my list to try out.

BrianShaw · Dec 14, 2006

jeffeb said:
Why not? Politicians are allowed to vote for themselves, arent they?

Isn't there an old American saying: "Vote early; Vote often".

Favorite B&W Film Company

Which Existing Company/Brand has the "best" B&W film?

Ilford

Kodak

Fuji

Adox

Efke

Foma

Agfa ... RIP

Rollei

Lucky

Other ... (e.g. Arista)

Bromo33333

Rob Archer

jstraw

Uncle Bill

Curt

Aurelien

Advertiser

drpsilver

MMfoto

uraniumnitrate

FrankB

uraniumnitrate

Gerald Koch

Simon R Galley

Ole

Moderator

haryanto

Jim Chinn

Tom Hoskinson

fschifano

Brian Jeffery

Ed Sukach

dphill

kraker

Woolliscroft

Alex Bishop-Thorpe

BrianShaw

Favorite B&W Film Company

Which Existing Company/Brand has the "best" B&W film?

Ilford

Kodak

Fuji

Adox

Efke

Foma

Agfa ... RIP

Rollei

Lucky

Other ... (e.g. Arista)

Advertiser

Moderator

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Privacy & Transparency