Film for Arizona Landscapes?

[phil146]

Looking for suggestions about the best B&W film for some landscape photography in AZ. My first choice is Delta 100 but and wondering if I should try some Ilford Pan-F, or maybe ??? Shooting 35mm(Nikon F100)
Thanks for any suggestions.
Phil

 

[Peter Schrager]

I've used trix and tmu400...no problem
Good light to you!
Peter

 

[destroya]

will you be developing it yourself or a lab? wet print or scan?

 

[Terry Breedlove]

35mm landscapes definitely go with a slower film like Tmax 100 or Acros 100 or Delta. You do not need a 400 iso film so go with a finer grain film.

 

[Paul Howell]

First thing to understand about shooting in Arizona is that are many different environments, shooting in the pine forests or the alpine views of Northern Arizona is much different than shooting the low desert which is different from the high desert. The low desert are bright but low contrast so a slow speed film like Pan F is a good choice. If you shoot with Delta or Tmax 100 increase development by 10 to 20%. In the higher elevations contrast increases so a film with good range like Tmax or Delta 400 is often a better choice. I have been shooting here for over 30 years and now use Foma 200, 35mm, MF and 4x5 as my first choice for perhaps last 7 or 8 years. If I need additional speed then I use Tmax 400 often pushed to 800. I assume you have filters? I recommend light to medium yellow, orange, if you are fan of the black sky look a red. A gradient filter is also very useful and of course lens hoods. I prefer glass filters but Lee or Corkin work as well.

 

[phil146]

Hi Peter, Destroya, Terry, and Paul,
Thanks for replying to my post. Yes, I will be doing my own processing and printing. We're planning to see quite a bit of the state, from the Canyon to Tucson, so definitely covering lots of different ecosystems. Paul-thanks for the advice about choosing a film to match lighting and contrast in different environments. I have been happy with the slower Ilford films (esp. Delta 100 and FP4) lately rather than Kodak-personal preference, but I'll have some TriX with me, too. I'll have red,yellow, and polarizing filters and hoping for some dramatic lighting.

 

[markbarendt]

Two, thoughts.

one, use a film you are familiar with if you can; if not , it won't matter that much. If you haven't been there before you could use D3200 in Rodinal and get shots you'd love.

two, take some pictures of the locals, their just as interesting, if not more so.

 

[Athiril]

I'd stick to Delta 100 over Pan F+, add a polarising filter, or yellow or orange filter. I only find T-Max to have marginally more detail than Delta 100, though that may be important or significant to you in 35mm. I find them both to have more detail than Pan F+.

If you want a slower film, then Retro 80S I think is personally a good choice when you have development dialed in, exposing at 50 works very well for me. Also seems 'yellow filtered' when shooting unfiltered vs the other films and provides an interesting look, detail is about the same as T-Max, but with finer grain.

 

[jeffreyg]

My personal choice (medium format though) Delta 400. Consider a light green filter to "darken" the red rocks and/or "lighten" vegetation. Be sure to take a tripod.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/
.

 

[destroya]

I'd stick to Delta 100 over Pan F+, add a polarising filter, or yellow or orange filter. I only find T-Max to have marginally more detail than Delta 100, though that may be important or significant to you in 35mm. I find them both to have more detail than Pan F+.

If you want a slower film, then Retro 80S I think is personally a good choice when you have development dialed in, exposing at 50 works very well for me. Also seems 'yellow filtered' when shooting unfiltered vs the other films and provides an interesting look, detail is about the same as T-Max, but with finer grain.

I pretty much agree with everything Athiril said. I found that using a dark yellow filter is more than enough to help bring out clouds while keeping the sky a close to normal tone. for 35mm, delta 100, tmax 100 and RR80s allows me to shoot box speed depending on which developer I'm using. Pan F will be much slower, though I do like it for medium format shots

 

[Terry Breedlove]

I really think a fine grain film of your choice is important since you are shooting 35mm landscapes. You don't need 400 iso speed because the Land isn't going anywhere so unless you want more grain less tonality etc why shoot it.

 

[John Wiegerink]

I really think a fine grain film of your choice is important since you are shooting 35mm landscapes. You don't need 400 iso speed because the Land isn't going anywhere so unless you want more grain less tonality etc why shoot it.

"The land isn't going anywhere" line is not necessarily true. Shoot a scene on a slightly windy day and you'll see many things moving within the land. A treeless landscape won't show much blur, but you throw in some bushes or trees and look out. Of course those big old Sequoia cacti probably don't do much swaying in the breeze.

 

[Terry Breedlove]

LOL Well unless you are in a Hurricane I don't think wind is going to be much trouble. I live in a rainforest and it is always windy here and we have zillions of trees and it just is not an issue.

 

[Paul Howell]

Not knowing when OP is planning in his trip, but this time of the year is monsoon season, yesterday light to no wind then the storms popped up, 35 to 50 MPH gusts, dust storm then for a while it rained mud, just enough rain to mix with the dust, then a thunderstorm. The afternoon cloud build up makes for interesting skis. Today the thunderheads are building to the North and East of the Phoenix metro area. For color sunsets, go to Papago Park, find Hunt's tomb, it is a pyramid on top of small hill overlook to the west of the Valley and downtown Phoenix in the distance and the mountains to the west beyond downtown. If any cloud cover really terrific sunsets.

 

[phil146]

An interesting discussion so thanks to everyone who's offered some advice. We'll be in Arizona(Sedona and other spots) in October; not too sure how much precipitation to expect or how stormy it can be. I'll be staying with films that I know, esp. Delta 100 and FP4, with some ISO 400 rolls as well. Had no idea about Retro 80s(sounds nice, Athiril, but not this trip)-decided against that and PanF. I don't care for the "creamy look" of many PanF images I've seen on line. Definitely will have my tripod. Paul-good tip about Papago Park.

 

[peter k.]

Hmmm Sedona in autumn with just B&W.. nah..
Bring some color with the B&W for the red rocks, fall changes in Oak Creek Canyon, West fork,, ect.. go early AM.. take first north parkway 179 parking lot as you head south to Village of Oak Creek, just pass the Back of Beyond roundabout.. park.. walk west across 179 and get lost on the hillside that will give you a sight of Cathedral as the morning light hits.. yum..

 

[phil146]

Peter-my F100 is not the only camera I'll have with me. I'll also have my D7100. Thanks for the tip about a good spot-actually sounds quite close to where we'll be staying. Looking forward to seeing your town and the area!

 

[jeffreyg]

Phil

I've been to Sedona a couple of times. You should check this out . I know many will say nothing happens but my experiences were unusual and positive. Even to this day recalling visiting the vorticies energizes me.
Dead Link Removedsedona.com/area/vortex.htm

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

 

[Paul Howell]

Oct is usually a quite weather wise, the monsoon season ends late August to early September. In the old days, meaning 5 year so years ago, the monsoon season was determined by the dew point, not there are firm dates which don't really mean much. Our wet season starts in November with most rain in Jan and Feb. There is always the possibility of early snow in the higher elevations, don't recall it ever snowing in Sedona in Oct. Even if you are bringing a digital camera I would still take a roll or two of color, Extar 100 or Porta 400, film has a different look than digital color.

 

[phil146]

Phil

I've been to Sedona a couple of times. You should check this out . I know many will say nothing happens but my experiences were unusual and positive. Even to this day recalling visiting the vorticies energizes me.
Dead Link Removedsedona.com/area/vortex.htm

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

Thanks Jeffrey-I've heard about these vortices-could be interesting.

 

[phil146]

Hmmm Sedona in autumn with just B&W.. nah..
Bring some color with the B&W for the red rocks, fall changes in Oak Creek Canyon, West fork,, ect.. go early AM.. take first north parkway 179 parking lot as you head south to Village of Oak Creek, just pass the Back of Beyond roundabout.. park.. walk west across 179 and get lost on the hillside that will give you a sight of Cathedral as the morning light hits.. yum..

OK-checking out your directions on Google-Have found Back of Beyond Road so I'll know where to go. Thanks!

 

[phil146]

Oct is usually a quite weather wise, the monsoon season ends late August to early September. In the old days, meaning 5 year so years ago, the monsoon season was determined by the dew point, not there are firm dates which don't really mean much. Our wet season starts in November with most rain in Jan and Feb. There is always the possibility of early snow in the higher elevations, don't recall it ever snowing in Sedona in Oct. Even if you are bringing a digital camera I would still take a roll or two of color, Extar 100 or Porta 400, film has a different look than digital color.

Hi Paul. We spent many Octobers in St. George UT and with weeks of cloudless days, but also some very stormy weather at the North Rim of the Canyon. I think it was 3 or 4 years ago that a huge storm hit the Southwest with flash flooding and high winds. Some clouds would be nice but hope that there's nothing too wild.