Good film for my daughter to learn on?

[Jeff Kubach]

Tri-X!

Jeff

 

[cmacd123]

Considering the posters location is given as Poland, it might be more cost effective to look at a European supplier? FOMA makes some quite good films, and the Kentmere line is also a good product. At least one AUPG sponsor sells Foma in europe by mail order. Macodirect may have some good ones also.

(Fomapan is essentially similar to the ARISTA EDU ULTRA film and is made in the Czech republic. )

I would concur that a 400 ISO film would allow a higher shutter speed. And the 24 exposure rolls DO allow things to progress to the print stage faster.

 

[winger]

I vote for Tri-X or Arista 400. I learned on Tri-X with a totally mechanical camera (no meter). The few times my dad gave me something slower to shoot, I was very disappointed at what didn't come out. With 400, I have shots from inside my high school classrooms, handheld. I started around 7th grade without supervision, btw; 4th grade with supervision. At those ages, I really didn't think as much about how much light there was.

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

At that age does it really matter what film she uses?

Agree.

Photography with film, from a technical standpoint, is about learning a system. The film is just one piece of this puzzle. Get her a film that is likely to exist in a couple of years, and the rest will work itself out.

 

[Jedidiah Smith]

Ok that makes sense. So I wonder - doesn't seem like there will be anything to replace Plus-X so maybe the best bet is the Arista branded Tri-X stuff for now. There are some pretty bright days down here where a lower ISO film like the Plus-X equivalent Arista film would be nice, though.

 

[Dan Daniel]

Ok that makes sense. So I wonder - doesn't seem like there will be anything to replace Plus-X so maybe the best bet is the Arista branded Tri-X stuff for now. There are some pretty bright days down here where a lower ISO film like the Plus-X equivalent Arista film would be nice, though.

Fuji Neopan ACROS is ISO 100 film. Adox CHS 100 is an interesting film.

 

[markbarendt]

Ilford FP4+. Very forgiving, easy to work with, not so grainy that you can't make a decent enlargement off of 35mm with it. Develops well in just about anything.

Yep!

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Ok that makes sense. So I wonder - doesn't seem like there will be anything to replace Plus-X so maybe the best bet is the Arista branded Tri-X stuff for now. There are some pretty bright days down here where a lower ISO film like the Plus-X equivalent Arista film would be nice, though.

Tri-X is as good as it gets. For a beginner, and for a seasoned expert.
If she wants finer grain in the future, there are lots of good alternatives. You can find 400-speed films with less grain than Tri-X, but few that looks as good.

 

[madgardener]

I'm going to vote for the Arista Premium, its cheap and looks very nice. If they still carried it, I would have suggested the Legacy Pro brand, it was an amazing film and had a really good price too.

 

[wblynch]

I completely forgot to mention Photo Warehouse (UlltrafineOnline.com) as they are right there in Ventura. They have all kinds of film and at very low prices.

 

[dehk]

I completely forgot to mention Photo Warehouse (UlltrafineOnline.com) as they are right there in Ventura. They have all kinds of film and at very low prices.

Their HP.. ahem, i mean Ultrafine Extreme 400 is indeed very good.

 

[Jedidiah Smith]

I completely forgot to mention Photo Warehouse (UlltrafineOnline.com) as they are right there in Ventura. They have all kinds of film and at very low prices.

Huh. I didn't even know these guys existed. They're only 7 miles from my office! Hmmm...I'll have to take a look. Nothing like buying local when you can.

 

[Athiril]

Neopan Acros

Get a cheap $20 IR filter off ebay from HK or China (I've used one they work very well) and get her some Retro 80s or Retro 400s or Rollei IR400.. they should all be inexpensive, and give quite a thrill/kick of a different image.