Favorite film/developer combo for 120

[Aurum]

Delta 400 in Ilfosol 3 or ID11 for handheld shots, with half decent metering

Acros 100 in ID11 for Box cameras, or times you just want to guess and go.
(Acros IMHO is a very flexible film that can handle serious over or under exposure, and still come up with the goods, or at least something you can pull a print off)

 

[Vonder]

It is very hard to compare films and developers. To have a perfectly valid comparison you'd need to shoot the same scene with the same camera at the same time (etc) but with the film changing. Obviously two films can not occupy the same space at one time, so we use different cameras or different times with the same camera. There are supporters and detractors of every film and developer combination under the sun. Be especially wary of judging someone's online portfolio as results indicative of a certain combination of film and developer. Once they are digitized all bets are off.

I personally like Fuji's Neopan Acros and Xtol 1+3, but you may not.

 

[Morry Katz]

Ilford Delta 100 in Perceptol 1:1 is my favourite combination for film shot in my Rollei SL66E.
Have fun on your trip.
Morry Katz - Lethbridge, Alberta

 

[RalphLambrecht]

This is not a newbie question, rather from one who has been using primarily sheet film for the past fifty years.

I contemplate using only 120 b&w film on my next trip to Europe (Rollei SLR 66) and have been experimenting with various film/developer combinations.

Do you have a favorite?

Regards,
Merg
www.mergross.com

Tmax400 and D76 or ID11 1+1. Don't leave home without it!

 

[fschifano]

Yeah, TMY-2 in either D-76 or XTOL. Fantastic stuff. If you've tried it in sheet sizes and liked it, you'll like it in 120. I can't say too many good things about this film. The tonal range is excellent with very nice tonal separation throughout. There is no problem with weak shadows at box speed with nothing more exotic than D-76 or XTOL. Grain is very fine, almost on par with, and in some cases even better than much slower ISO 100 films.

 

[Slixtiesix]

PanF+, FP4+, HP5+ in Peceptol 1+2 or 1+3
Best wishes and much fun with your Rollei on your trip!
Greetz, Benjamin

 

[VincentM]

I am amazed, so many different combinations...

 

[Fred De Van]

Ilford FP-4+ or Fuji Neopan 400 Developed in 777
All around perfection..

 

[steven_e007]

My favourite was always FP4+ in Acutol.
Alas, it is no-more.
I asked here in APUG recently for suggestions to replace it and was recommended to try Perceptol 1+3. It doesn't really give the exaggerated acutance effects of Acutol, but it is a wonderful combination, I'm hooked!

 

[Merg Ross]

Thank you everyone for your comments and helpful advice.

I will be working my way through the suggestions. Yesterday I tried FP4+ and Plus-X with PMK. Very similar in appearance, not surprisingly. I am unfamiliar with several of the developers mentioned and will check into those. It has been many years since doing such testing, but as films come and go it becomes a necessary exercise. My old standby was Pan-X with Rodinal 1:75.

Again, thanks.

www.mergross.com

 

[WolfTales]

Mainly Pyro PMK with FP4 - trying less agitation and developing time for less stain and contrast.

Ilfosol S when I want something quick - surprised that not too many people have mentioned Ilfosol S - wonder why?

 

[steven_e007]

Ilfosol S was a great developer, I used it a lot. Despite being marketed as a one shot 'convenient' developer, for the slower films, I reckon it not only gave excellent results with FP4+ but was great with mostly any other film. It was as easy to use and as universal as rodinal, but much finer grained.

BUT! It had one failing. Keep it too long and it quickly became useless. I have wasted several films in the past by using Ilfosol S that had sat around too long once opened, they come out completely blank!

Apparently this has now been rectified in the new Ilfosol 3, but I've yet to try it (I haven't ever seen it anywhere, yet...)

 

[Shangheye]

TXP in TMax for Modern Portraits. HP5 in Rodinal for that old feel portrait, and Adox CHS 50 in Rodinal for Vintage...K

 

[Jim Chinn]

Delta 100 in XTOL. For a faster film I have been using Arista Edu Ultra 400, but after shooting Arista Premium 400 (repackaged TriX) in 35mm, I think I am going to go to TriX for 120. I will develop in Pyrocat HD.

 

[Lee L]

My old standby was Pan-X with Rodinal 1:75.

In that case, you might want to try Ilford PanF+ or Fuji Acros in Rodinal if you're looking for similar results.

Lee

 

[Jeff Kubach]

HP5 and D76.

Jeff

 

[hka]

Acros in Pyrocat MC and HP5 in X-tol 1+2.

 

[Mark Minard]

This is not a newbie question, rather from one who has been using primarily sheet film for the past fifty years.

I contemplate using only 120 b&w film on my next trip to Europe (Rollei SLR 66) and have been experimenting with various film/developer combinations.

Do you have a favorite?

Regards,
Merg
www.mergross.com

Merg,
Just curious, do you have Brett's old SL-66?
Was just watching Art's film last night

Mark

 

[Merg Ross]

Merg,
Just curious, do you have Brett's old SL-66?
Was just watching Art's film last night

Mark

Mark, I use a Rollei SL-66 system that Brett gave me in 1973. By coincidence, I sent it ouy for a tune-up a couple of years ago and discovered that I was using Brett's same repairman. I had no idea.

Great film. That's me at Pt. Lobos with Brett, using Calumet 4x5.

By the way, some really fine images on your website!

Merg

 

[Jim Chinn]

Mark, I use a Rollei SL-66 system that Brett gave me in 1973. By coincidence, I sent it ouy for a tune-up a couple of years ago and discovered that I was using Brett's same repairman. I had no idea.

Great film. That's me at Pt. Lobos with Brett, using Calumet 4x5.

By the way, some really fine images on your website!

Merg

That's pretty neat to shoot with a camera used by Brett Weston. I have a magnesium Kodak Commercial View 8x10 but I can only pretend it's the one once used by Ansel Adams.

 

[Merg Ross]

That's pretty neat to shoot with a camera used by Brett Weston. I have a magnesium Kodak Commercial View 8x10 but I can only pretend it's the one once used by Ansel Adams.

Jim, for clarification, the camera that I use was given to me by Brett. It was not his personal camera, although he put a few rolls through it before giving it to me. I believe Brett's camera, through his estate, was purchased by Richard Garrod in Monterey, CA. Do a search for Richard's book, Visual Metaphors, available from Freestyle. His work is stunning.

 

[Mark Minard]

Mark, I use a Rollei SL-66 system that Brett gave me in 1973. By coincidence, I sent it ouy for a tune-up a couple of years ago and discovered that I was using Brett's same repairman. I had no idea.

Great film. That's me at Pt. Lobos with Brett, using Calumet 4x5.

By the way, some really fine images on your website!

Merg

Are you using Harry Fleenor by chance? I sent him my Rollei TLR back in 2001, he did a great job with it.

Yes I thought that was you with the beard.. Were you around for a taste of that "goulash a la Weston" or whatever he called it? That's one hell of a fire, don't see many of those nowadays. Is that even legal anymore?

Thanks for the kind words about my photos, I always appreciate someone taking the time to have a look at my work. Let me know if you're ever in upstate NY and want to go shooting.

Best,
Mark

 

[Merg Ross]

Are you using Harry Fleenor by chance? I sent him my Rollei TLR back in 2001, he did a great job with it.

Yes I thought that was you with the beard.. Were you around for a taste of that "goulash a la Weston" or whatever he called it? That's one hell of a fire, don't see many of those nowadays. Is that even legal anymore?

Thanks for the kind words about my photos, I always appreciate someone taking the time to have a look at my work. Let me know if you're ever in upstate NY and want to go shooting.

Best,
Mark

Mark, the Rollei repairman I used was Jurgen Kuschnik when he was living in California. Harry Fleenor had a long turnaround time, and Jurgen got my camera back to me in a week. I believe this was 2006. I sent him my second Rollei with the same turnaround. He told me that he had trained Harry, so I felt really fortunate to have found Jurgen. Unfortunately (for me) he has moved back to Germany. However, if you ever are in need of an excellent, honest Rollei repairman, keep Jurgen in mind.

It has been so long since watching Art's film, I assume that you are referring to the "campfire". We had a lot of pretty good blazes in our travels, always in locations where there was little danger of anything getting out of control. They were usually coaxed along with a bit of white gas or kerosene, and were always a welcome event when we were camped on the eastern side of the Sierra in the winter. I remember a few trips where the temperature was below zero. Or, perhaps you are referring to a fire at Brett's house; that fireplace was designed by my father (as was the house) and was the only source of heat. We had some pretty good blazes there, also.

Yes, your work is very good, proof that there is nothing wrong with the square format. Thanks for the shooting invitation in your neck of the woods.

Best,
Merg

 

[tom_bw]

To make sure we get every possible film / developer combination, I will add my 2 cents worth!

TMY-2 in Rodinal, ISO200, Rodinal 1:50 10' (20 deg C).

The good thing about TMY-2 is that it behaves fairly close to other films with a yellow filter. You do not loose on stop as a result. If it is bright, I still use a yellow filter. If it is getting dark, I take it off. The blue skies still come out grey verses white.

Rodinal is good for all the reasons everyone else will tell you about - cheap, long lasting and sharp. Though not fine grain, TMY-2 is quite fine and 120 negatives are quite big. So, the grain is far from obtrusive. In fact, I use 35mm TMY-2 + Rodinal for prints up to 8X10".