If there could only be three black and white films...

[mrosenlof]

It's also easy to forget that not so long ago, in the pre-ultra-high-speed (TMZ & D3200) era, most manufacturers had a core range of 2-3 B&W films & that of those, the slow films (Pan-F, FX, etc) were really marketed towards the 'Advanced Amateur' who either didn't have/ didn't want/ couldn't afford to move up a format size to get finer grain. How many of you could live with only FP4/ HP5 or PX/ TX etc (or their successors) today?

I agree. I posted 3 films a couple of days back (D3200, hp5, tmx), but really I use hp5 for practically everything and change film formats for different situations.

 

[Harry Lime]

1) Tri-X
2) Delta3200
3) HP4 Plus

Tri-X as an all-round everyday film.
Delta3200 for shooting at night
HP4 for extra detail and big enlargements


I'm a little torn on TMY-2 400. It's a really great film, but I don't think I could live without Tri-X.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Even back in Harry Lime's day, they didn't have HP4 Plus

 

[Peter Schrager]

Even back in Harry Lime's day, they didn't have HP4 Plus

No but I have stash of HP3.75@

 

[drpsilver]

22 Nov 2017

My choices would be ...
Plus-x, otherwise FP4+ (35mm, 120, 4x5)
Tri-x, otherwise HP5+ (35mm, 120, 4x5)
HIE (4x5)

Regards,
Darwin

 

[sportster44]

Acros 100 for the reciprocity
Tri-X, HP5 or Pancro 400
Delta 100

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

No but I have stash of HP3.75@

 

[Red Tractors]

1.Tri-X
2.Plus-X
3.Anything not T-Grain.

 

[Born2Late]

M

OK, I realize that there have been some discussions along these lines already, but it's the nature of people to engage in discourse, even on topics that have been discussed before, so here goes:

If there could only be three black and white films available to us, what should they be? I'll take a crack at answering the question, not so much based on my experience but more on comments in various discussions over the years. I am not asking which emulsions do I think will be the survivors in the market place, but more along the lines of which three films would provide the breadth of capabilities along with high quality of the products.

1) A traditional medium speed emulsion... fp4+
2) A modern medium speed emulsion... T-max 100
3) A fast emulsion, either traditional or modern technology... T-max 400

What do you think?

My guess is that the biggest disagreements will be on the fast emulsion. By the way, I am thinking more along the lines of 35mm film. Also, you don't have to stick to the three categories I defined, but I think these categories may be a good way to frame people's thoughts.

My Holy Trinity would be Kodak Panatomic - X, Plus - X and Tri - X

 

[BrianShaw]

M

My Holy Trinity would be Kodak Panatomic - X, Plus - X and Tri - X

Yes, you certainly were “Born2Late”. Those were the good-old days!

 

[Born2Late]

Yes, you certainly were “Born2Late”. Those were the good-old days!

How do you think I came up with that "handle"?

 

[keenmaster486]

I would rather have been born in 1898 than 1998, to be honest.

 

[DavidJRobertson]

1. Fomapan 200
2. Ilford HP5+
3. ?? ???

 

[MattKing]

I would rather have been born in 1898 than 1998, to be honest.

I'm willing to bet that any one who was born in 1898 and read this would disagree with you.

 

[destroya]

1) APX 25
2) Rollei Retro 80s
3) TMAX 400

 

[keenmaster486]

I'm willing to bet that any one who was born in 1898 and read this would disagree with you.

Think about it... I'd come of age just after World War I. The world will have just come off of this horrible war... right into the roaring 20's. The market crash and depression would suck, of course, but jobs abounded during the second war. The chances are I would have been an engineer (technical stuff is my forte and I'm an engineering student; this might also get me through the 30's) so I could have worked at NASA in the 50's and 60's and been at the forefront of the space revolution. A retirement in the 70's and 80's would have been rather nice.

The entire 20th century was the most exciting and eventful one in all of history.

And for most of my adult life I would have been able to enjoy Kodachrome.

 

[MattKing]

Yeah - but you would also now be 120 years old!
As you say - think about it!

 

[keenmaster486]

Yes, I'd never get to see the internet, probably -

Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

My 120-year-old self would probably care as much about living to see 2018 as I do about expired Wheaties.

 

[Craig]

I'm willing to bet that any one who was born in 1898 and read this would disagree with you.

Especially if they happened to be diabetic, or ever got an infection that needed antibiotics before they were invented. Consider that in 1895 in the east end of London (the poor working class portion of the city) the average life expectancy was 30. In the wealthy west end of the city the average life expectancy was 50. We have come a long way in the last century. Consider that the flu epidemic of 1919 killed more people than died in WW1, so you might never have come of age, the flu would kill you. Look at graveyards from that time, it's amazing how many infants didn't make 2.

 

[faberryman]

Think about it... I'd come of age just after World War I. The world will have just come off of this horrible war... right into the roaring 20's. The market crash and depression would suck, of course, but jobs abounded during the second war. The chances are I would have been an engineer (technical stuff is my forte and I'm an engineering student; this might also get me through the 30's) so I could have worked at NASA in the 50's and 60's and been at the forefront of the space revolution. A retirement in the 70's and 80's would have been rather nice.

Of course, you'd have to listen to disco while you were clipping coupons, so life wouldn't exactly be a bed of roses.

 

[keenmaster486]

True, true. Ah, the 70's.

Of course, I am assuming here that I don't catch or am born with any debilitating diseases.

 

[MattKing]

For my money, the prevalence of flush toilets during my lifetime (and where I live) is enough reason to be glad that I am not 120 years old.
And by the way, some parts of the 1970s were excellent - in particular the music. The 1980s - I'm not so sure about that.

 

[SilverShutter]

1. A slow speed film, like Pan F Plus 50 or similar, for when you need low grain or a more classic look.
2. A medium speed film, probably would go for SFX 200 as it's unique enough to be preserved and can work perfectly as a normal black and white.
3. High speed film: something like Tri-X or HP5+ as they can be pushed up until 1600 or more if needed and still work well.

 

[David T T]

HP5+ (if I had to pick one, this would be it)

Acros 100

T-Max 400