Ferrania P30 Results?

[braxus]

Since people have been using this film a bit, what other film does it closely look like? When I was seeing some pics, I wondered if it had a Plus X look to it? But I didnt see enough of them to know for sure.

People have commented on the tricky use of this film and its results. What problems are people running into with this film? I can only send it to a lab that uses Ilfotec DD, so I am wondering what I might expect?

A current store has some stock of this film, but they want over $16 Canadian for it. If I buy any rolls, I might search out a US source, since some only want $9.50 US for a roll. Is this film worth bothering with? Especially since there are so many other good films in this speed range, like Acros 100, Adox CHS II 100, Shanghai GP3/ Catlabs X80, and old stock of Plus X.

 

[Disconnekt]

Film Ferrania does have a North American site where they sell it directly to people, chances are it may be a cheaper option for you: https://usa.filmferrania.com/

 

[Agulliver]

The best place to see actual user's pictures on P30 there's an official Film Ferrania facebook page as well as a "Ferrania P30 users" facebook group. Both contain photos that ordinary people who have bought the film have shot and in most cases developed themselves. A variety of developers and techniques are discussed, and the official Ferrania page has info from the company from time to time.

 

[Alan9940]

Most or all(?) of the pictures from this film you'll find online are, IMO, of too high contrast making one think this is generally a high contrast film. I have tested it in D-96 1:1 and at my EI and development time it provides quite smooth tonality. I can't really say what other film it might look like, but it is very workable. At $9.50 per roll, it's kind of expensive, but, nowadays, all film is getting expensive. You should order a few rolls from the US store linked above and give it a go. Let us know what you think of it.

 

[fs999]

Canon A-1 • Canon New FD 20mm f:2.8
Ferrania P30 80 ISO in Caffenol CL stand 60min. @20°C

 

[braxus]

Almost every picture I've seen seems to show it is a high contrast film. Almost all dark tones and not many in the middle. This would seem to tell me it makes thin negatives, since black tones in negatives are clear areas on the roll. Makes me wonder where all that silver is being used ha ha.

 

[twelvetone12]

I used quite a bit of the Alpha P30, and it I like this film. When you get it right it has a great tonality with high contrast and fantastic midtones. I found the Alpha version to be a bit finky in the sense that I never got repeatable results from different batches. It is very high contrast and the highlights tend to explode. I tried it a iso 80 using some of the datasheet recommended developers and I found that the times gave extremely hard negatives, very underexposed and very overdeveloped. My best results were at e.i. 16 or 25, in rodinal, pulling a lot the development, but I could never reproduce reliably my results. Again this was the Alpha.
It has a super fine grain (I could not see it on the enlarger for a 24x30 print!) and when you get the right contrast it is a joy to print in the darkroom. IMHO it makes for a great porttrait film or for when you have very controlled lighting conditions, I wish Ferrania would make it as super8, it would be terrifinc in the format!
I have yet to try the non-alpha version. The image attached was shot at midday in a sunny day, at ei16 and developed in rodinal for 5 minutes.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I shot four rolls so far. I've come to the conclusion that is not for me. It doesn't give me the luminous shadows that I prefer. Got one roll left. Maybe after I use it up, I'll stick it in caffenol and leave it there to stand on its own.

 

[Don Harpold]

Here are a few of mine shot at 80iso and developed in Paranol S
Leica IIIg Elmar 2.8

 

[Alan9940]

Almost every picture I've seen seems to show it is a high contrast film. Almost all dark tones and not many in the middle. This would seem to tell me it makes thin negatives, since black tones in negatives are clear areas on the roll. Makes me wonder where all that silver is being used ha ha.

It doesn't produce thin negatives in my experience. If you follow the exposure and development recommendations found in the recesses of the 'net, including Ferrania themselves, you'll definitely get soot-n-chalk negatives. If you test it for personal EI and proper development for Zone VIII tone, then you'll have beautiful, easily printable film. YMMV, of course.

 

[braxus]

The above pictures that are of the cars, looks a lot like the results I got from Double X film in Xtol, slightly over developed.

 

[mshchem]

What's the difference between P30 and Super XX, cine emulsions and something like good ol' FP4 plus? For still photography?

 

[Donald Qualls]

Ferrania has rated P30 at ISO 80; most places that sell Super XX for still camera use give it a rating of ISO 250. XX has much more grain than P30, at the same contrast -- but when it's going by on a big screen at 24+ frames per second, I can't see grain unless it's Tri-X and Super-8 level. Double-X has been used for a LOT of big budget movies with black and white segments (or the whole movie in B&W, like The Raging Bull). P30 started as motion picture stock, too -- seems to me I've read Fellini was fond of its original incarnation.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

EI 80 gave me empty shadows. EI 32 got me in the ballpark.

 

[Scott Micciche]

I have always shot the P30 at EI 80 and have great mid-tones. It is all in the metering. I treat the P30 like slide film, shooting in even light and no high contrast scenes. The best results I've had are with the TMAX Dev recipe, Rodinal Stand (60m 2 min pre soak, 30s initial, 1 inversion at 15, 30 and 45m marks), Tetenal's Paranol S and Adox Silvermax (use their 100 ISO film recipe). If you would like some samples, let me know.

 

[BarneyL]

Hello, has anyone tried this film with either Tetanal Neofin Blue, Adox FX-39 or Spur Acurol-N? I got my hands on a few rolls, but those are the only chems I've got at the moment...

 

[Donald Qualls]

Unless you get a better answer, I'd suggest sacrificing one roll with bracketing and cutting to try the three and get a usable speed at the same time.

Shoot triplets, all same subject and light, one as metered (EI 80), one a stop over, another a stop under (or one a stop over and another two stops over, perhaps), then cut the film in the dark into three segments and develop one in each developer. Then you'll have your answer, both on what developer you like and what speed to shoot at.

 

[Ivo Stunga]

Ferrania P30 test shot by Ivo Stunga, on Flickr

 

[Ivo Stunga]

Ferrania P30 test shot, O1VSK by Ivo Stunga, on Flickr

 

[bluechromis]

What's the difference between P30 and Super XX, cine emulsions and something like good ol' FP4 plus? For still photography?

To me, P30 is more like Adox HR-50 (modified Aviphot 80). Both are contrasty and with very fine grain. P30 is blue-biased and HR-50 is red-biased.

 

[runswithsizzers]

By now, I am guessing @braxus may have lost interest in this topic, but in case anyone else is looking for P30 examples, I have results posted from a couple of rolls <here> and <here>. I believe exposures for both rolls were metered at ISO 80, and both were developed in Adox Silvermax chemistry. All shots have been Photoshopped to some degree, so maybe not that helpful.

 

[braxus]

Yes. I have read a bit on this film and its difficulty in taming contrast with developing, etc. I basically gave up on this film. Doesnt matter, as there are so many other good films out there.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I shot four rolls so far. I've come to the conclusion that is not for me. It doesn't give me the luminous shadows that I prefer. Got one roll left. Maybe after I use it up, I'll stick it in caffenol and leave it there to stand on its own.

I'm replying to 2020 me... Sorry Andrew, but guess what? You will learn to love this film so much so that you have been buying and shooting it and loving it... You are patiently waiting for it to come out in 120, and one day in 4x5. 2023 you have even put in an order for that new Orto stuff...

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

...you're even making videos about the stuff!

 

[MattKing]

It's got you talking to yourself Andrew.
Should we worry?