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

[munz6869]

Tri-X, Acros 100, HP5+

Marc!

 

[R.Gould]

Fomapan retro,200,400

 

[removed account4]

what we need is for the emulsion to be sold in a 40" by 20" sheet rolled in a tube and for the
photographer to use it as he or she sees fit. if the photographer has backing paper from a previous life
use the film as 120 or whatever weird roll size s/he has. film cartridges use it in a 35mm camera
larger format sheet cameras cut and use it for that ...it will free up the manufacturers to do what they do best
which is make and coat the emulsion. its almost 1880 all over again, and its gonna be nice when it is.

 

[Lachlan Young]

The Delta 100/400/3200 family. It's probably the best compromise I've found, as much as I like (and routinely use) most of the other Ilford/ Kodak/ Adox/ Fuji films. Or Kodak TMY-II if choosing only one film.

 

[BrianShaw]

what we need is for the emulsion to be sold in a 40" by 20" sheet rolled in a tube and for the
photographer to use it as he or she sees fit. if the photographer has backing paper from a previous life
use the film as 120 or whatever weird roll size s/he has. film cartridges use it in a 35mm camera
larger format sheet cameras cut and use it for that ...it will free up the manufacturers to do what they do best
which is make and coat the emulsion. its almost 1880 all over again, and its gonna be nice when it is.

But it has to have a magic substrate that will automatically adjust its thickness based on how its cut.

Let’s keep thinking “out of da box” folks and maybe we’ll forge a new future that is unlike any future that came before!

 

[removed account4]

just make it a thin substrate .. people will figure out how to use it ...
but not too thin .. if rolls have to only be 12 exposures because of thickness
that's the price we have to pay ..

 

[lantau]

Adox Silvermax/Scala - It's good as a negative film in general and the only dedicated b/w slide film.
Fuji Acros - It has some sort of magic about it
HP5 - Great 400 all round film. Though sometimes a modern emulsion is great to have in 400. And TMY-2 in 120 is my b/w slide film for medium format.

 

[Wallendo]

1) Tri-X (TX400), I could live with HP5+ if needed.
2) FP4+
That's really enough for me, but as a 3d option I would list
3) TMax 400

 

[Vaughn]

Sheet film:
FP4+ for most things
Kodak Copy Film for images for high contrast negatives -- especially with scenes of lower contrast (I just was given a box of 50 shts of 8x10!)
Tri-X

 

[Sirius Glass]

1. A traditional high speed emulsion ==> Tri-X 400, Ilford HP5+
2. A traditional medium speed emulsion
3. I ISO 3200 speed film

 

[Alicouscous]

For me it woul'd be
a - a low speed film = efke25
b - a regular speed film = efke50
c - a high speed film = efke100

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

For me, FP4+, Tri-X, Fomapan 200, if I had to limit things to something that restrictive.

 

[JensH]

1, and not one that you have listed
i would only need an orthochromatic film or in other words something pre 1920s
slow is fine ( when i say slow it can be iso 24 )
it could be available in all sizes from 35mm on up
...

Yes, a fine grained low ISO film would be great for my old cameras, on glass plates and 120 rolls.
Like the Perutz Silbereosin (ISO12) I exposed this summer. It's ortho, but pan is fine, too.
Anyway that is no realistic wish, on the other side making glass plates with similar characteristics seems makeable by ourself (so I say after reading PE's book)...

My choice apart from that:

Most important: Low speed Pan: Agfa APX 25 (or Ilford PanF Plus) in 120 and 135
Second: 400 Pan: TriX in 120 and sheets
Third: a fine100 Pan: Adox Silvermax 100 (or CHSII 100, Acros 100, Delta 100) in 135, 120 and sheets

Best
Jens

 

[Kevin Ekstrom]

I like shooting with grainy B&W film. Tri-x usually foots the bill.

I could get through life with Tri-x only.

 

[removed account4]

Anyway that is no realistic wish, on the other side making glass plates with similar characteristics seems makeable by ourself (so I say after reading PE's book)...

it is unfortunate that it isn't a doable / realistic wish !
i agree old slow emulsion is great-stuff. and definately makable
i made my first emulsion as a cheese eating college student back in the 1980s
no book !

 

[Slixtiesix]

APX 25, FP4+, Konica IR 750
(Hey, nobody said that the question was only for films still in production, right?)

 

[railwayman3]

I could definitely get by with just HP5+ (in 120 for preference). A slower film for 35mm would also be useful, ideally Agfa APX100, or either of the Ilford 100ISO films if it has to be a current film.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

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.

those would be my choice as well.

 

[mshchem]

TMY-2, FP-4+, Acros in 120

FP-4+, HP-5, Delta 100 in sheets

I love TMY but Ilford is so much easier price and packaging wise on sheet film. I would be dead without Ilford

 

[Craig]

Acros 100
HP5+
Ortho for special effects.

 

[Chris Coppola]

1. Tri x (though I would love for it to flatten better)
2. Hp5
3. Fp4+.

 

[chiller]

Fomapan 200 5x4 and 120
Fomapan 100 5x4 and 120
I still have frozen APX100 in 5x4 and 120

 

[Nige]

APX 25, FP4+, Konica IR 750

there 'ya go...

 

[Slixtiesix]

Too cool to be true! You must have access to a time machine...

 

[theyankeesnapper]

Films today are the best they have ever been.

First film, Adox CMS 20 , APX-25 or take that time machine back for some Tech Pan.

Second Film (s), TMX, D100 but we must give a nod to Across for it's reciprocity characteristics.

Third film (s). TX, TMY, D400.

We've lost a few great developers in the past couple of years, but we have a lot left.

Bob