Is Tri-X appropriate for shooting on a sunny Floridian summer day?

[Ko.Fe.]

I don’t understand why people use 400 iso 135film in broad daylight. Iso 100 film is so much better on all accounts.

Winogrand and others used it on any day. In S16 400 ISO is 1/500 instead of 1/125 for ISO 100. For Winogrand, other and me it means no motion blur.

 

[pentaxuser]

I don’t understand why people use 400 iso 135film in broad daylight. Iso 100 film is so much better on all accounts.

A lot depends on your broad daylight and what percentage of the day such light lasts for. Those of who live above latitude 55 on a small island called the U.K. find that 400 has the range needed.

If your people reference is to U.S. people and the daylight is summer light then 100 may be fine.

pentaxuser

 

[BrianShaw]

The OP stated, "I don't do Photoshop or anything", yet you recommend:



Two people talking, but no communication happened.

Two rodents reading but not comprehending. Ha ha ha.

“If I were you...”, not “you should...”

But I’m sure that he or she thanks you for coming to his or her defense.

 

[bernard_L]

Hey I'm new to black and white film,

Sounds like you won't be developing yourself. And since you are going to order from a large store,

before I order from B&H

do yourself a favor: order Iford XP2. It's a B&W film that is processed like color negative film. You are more likely to have a place near you that processes color negative (C41) than traditional B&W. Set your camera to ISO200 (I mean 200) and shoot happily.

 

[jvo]

welcome to photrio...

like jeffreyg, i urge you to develop the film yourself... find somebody on photrio in your area, they'll walk you through a very easy and enjoyable process, plus you'll get to share some ideas that are rarely in the book!

jvo

 

[NB23]

A lot depends on your broad daylight and what percentage of the day such light lasts for. Those of who live above latitude 55 on a small island called the U.K. find that 400 has the range needed.

If your people reference is to U.S. people and the daylight is summer light then 100 may be fine.

pentaxuser

Still, 1/125@ f8 is the classic shady day with iso 100 film and it’s pretty much the sweetspot combination.

F2.8@1/1000 sounds good as well as f5.6@1/250.

I despise shooting at f16@1/1000 with iso400 film. There is absolutely no flexibility.

Also, iso 100 film gives much better quality images: contrast, shadows, highlight, it’s such a solid performance all around.

Note that I come and learned from the early 90’s on Plus-X.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Tri-X is an appropriate film for Miami as is it is for Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Albuquerque, San Antonio and New Orleans. It dynamic range is very large which will give good shadow detail and the film speed will allow a large depth of field. I use it as my got to black & white film for 35mm and 120. I use Ilford HP5+ with an ISO of 400 for 4"x5" because Kodak does not make Tri-X 400 in that size. Usually but not always I use a yellow filter to bring out the clouds better.

Welcome to APUG Photrio!!

 

[Agulliver]

I'd say "it is not inappropriate" but it does depend what you're looking for. A skim through the thread suggests the OP isn't concerned about bokeh or artsy photos with long shutter speeds. In that case, Tri-X will be fine in bright sun even if you shoot at box speed. Sure, you'll have fast shutter speeds and/or small apertures but if you're looking at simply getting nice photos of family on the beach that's fine.

My personal choice in very sunny conditions would be Ilford FP4+ or Fomapan 100....or my final roll of Efke KB100 but I've certainly shot 400 and 800 ISO films (colour and B&W) in full sun when that's what I've had handy. It works, and if you're not getting very artistic it's perfectly fine.

 

[jack straw]

Tri-x would be fine for the beach, but it depends on what type of photos you are trying to take. Screw on a yellow or orange filter, which you probably want to do anyway, and you are metering as if it were 100-200 ISO film anyway (depending on the filter). Or an ND filter. This all assumes your lens can take filters.

 

[Ste_S]

A lot depends on your broad daylight and what percentage of the day such light lasts for. Those of who live above latitude 55 on a small island called the U.K. find that 400 has the range needed.

If your people reference is to U.S. people and the daylight is summer light then 100 may be fine.

pentaxuser

Yeah absolutely. I can only imagine the 100ISO advocates are either shooting with a tripod, live in California shooting in an open sunny desert and/or shooting wide open all the time.

In the UK even on a sunny day I need 400ISO to cover sun and shade whilst keeping a decent depth of field.
If in my local wood shooting Ektar on a sunny day I need a tripod

 

[NB23]

I live in Montreal, Canada. Yes the second coldest city in the world, after Moscow, that has over 1M inhabitants, with a yearly average temp of 1c and the all shitty stuff that comes with it.

Iso 100 is a golden standard. But I guess people will argue no matter what.

Yeah absolutely. I can only imagine the 100ISO advocates are either shooting with a tripod, live in California shooting in an open sunny desert and/or shooting wide open all the time.

In the UK even on a sunny day I need 400ISO to cover sun and shade whilst keeping a decent depth of field.
If in my local wood shooting Ektar on a sunny day I need a tripod

 

[BrianShaw]

I believe the OP is in Florida USA, not Florida England (or Canada).

 

[Wallendo]

If the OP is happy with his results shooting consumer C-41 film at 200 ISO, TX400 is only one stop faster and should work just fine.

 

[ericdan]

Yup

Better as defined by who?
what if you don't want that fine grain look, but rather something more grainy?
I just shot two rolls of TMax P3200 in bright sunshine on the beach and love the results.

 

[ericdan]

I don’t understand why people use 400 iso 135film in broad daylight. Iso 100 film is so much better on all accounts.

I understand it. The OP probably prefers the look for 400 speed film but wants to shot it in bright sunlight. I also prefer to have some grain in my images. 100 speed film doesn't give me enough grain.

 

[BrianShaw]

Better as defined by who?
what if you don't want that fine grain look, but rather something more grainy?
I just shot two rolls of TMax P3200 in bright sunshine on the beach and love the results.

As defined by me. That’s my experience. I respect yours and glad that you like your results.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I live in Montreal, Canada. Yes the second coldest city in the world, after Moscow, that has over 1M inhabitants, with a yearly average temp of 1c and the all shitty stuff that comes with it.

Iso 100 is a golden standard. But I guess people will argue no matter what.

Nah, you just full of it.
https://www.holiday-weather.com/montreal/averages/

D for geography for you, as well.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novosibirsk
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Petersburg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krasnoyarsk

I have been in all, including your cosy place, in Montreal you are spoiled.

 

[Arklatexian]

Using filters would be one advantage of using 400 speed film...use a yellow, orange, or red filter and you are down in the equivilent of 200 to 50 ASA films. For snapshots, Tri-X will allows one to hand-hold at faster shutter speeds...or worry less about focus and DoF. Have fun!

+1

 

[Agulliver]

I'd echo the use of at least a yellow filter, not only will it cut some of the light reaching the film but it will help render skies as something other than "pure white".

As for 100ISO film in the UK, I use it frequently and rarely with a tripod. But then I learned with Kodacolor 80ASA film on a medium format camera with maximum aperture of f3.5 and "guess the distance" manual focus. I still think that if I could do that aged five, the average adult ought to be able to....but am frequently proved wrong. Having said that, I still cannot reliably tie my shoe laces so I guess we all have different skill sets.

 

[NB23]

Nah, you just full of it.
https://www.holiday-weather.com/montreal/averages/

D for geography for you, as well.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novosibirsk
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Petersburg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krasnoyarsk

I have been in all, including your cosy place, in Montreal you are spoiled.

Thanks for that. It’s a pretty romanced view of Montreal’s weather. Funny it doesn’t mention the -25c we’ve had for something like 4 weeks in a row this past winter, and it started in November.

I’m not creating false information, this was well known info, but maybe it shifted over time. Or it waspropaganda. And I’m also glad that my city is not the coldest on the planet although it is brutal.

 

[mshchem]

Using filters would be one advantage of using 400 speed film...use a yellow, orange, or red filter and you are down in the equivilent of 200 to 50 ASA films. For snapshots, Tri-X will allows one to hand-hold at faster shutter speeds...or worry less about focus and DoF. Have fun!

Absolutely, try some contrast filters. Medium yellow is the old standby . But a 25A red filter at the beach, dark sky and water, clouds really show up.
Smart thing is just get a K2 medium yellow filter, use for all outdoor shots.
And don't be like me and forget to take it off when you switch back to color film. HA!

 

[Ste_S]

I'd echo the use of at least a yellow filter, not only will it cut some of the light reaching the film but it will help render skies as something other than "pure white".

As for 100ISO film in the UK, I use it frequently and rarely with a tripod. But then I learned with Kodacolor 80ASA film on a medium format camera with maximum aperture of f3.5 and "guess the distance" manual focus. I still think that if I could do that aged five, the average adult ought to be able to....but am frequently proved wrong. Having said that, I still cannot reliably tie my shoe laces so I guess we all have different skill sets.

*Sigh* Why do people always attack or insult posters ? That's the internets I suppose.

I'm glad ISO100 works for you. Personally, when I'm shooting a high contrast scene where I'm over exposing a stop, at f8/11 and want to keep a decent shutter speed whilst hand holding, ISO100 doesn't cut it.

Heck, I still shoot on a medium format camera every now and again with a top aperture of f4.5 and guess the distance focusing.... and that always has ISO400 film in it.

 

[Agulliver]

*Sigh* Why do people always attack or insult posters ? That's the internets I suppose.

I'm glad ISO100 works for you. Personally, when I'm shooting a high contrast scene where I'm over exposing a stop, at f8/11 and want to keep a decent shutter speed whilst hand holding, ISO100 doesn't cut it.

Heck, I still shoot on a medium format camera every now and again with a top aperture of f4.5 and guess the distance focusing.... and that always has ISO400 film in it.

My goodness that's not an attack and I apologise if it's come across that way. I genuinely don't know the average adult cannot use a fully manual camera when I've been doing so since five....and said average adults roll their eyes at me for not being able to tie my shoes. As I said, we're all born with or develop different skill sets. The boy scouts gave me my knot tying badge out of sympathy on the 7th try.

What would you consider a decent shutter speed? I can shoot f11 and 1/100s is still erring on over-exposure on a sunny English day. f8 and I would fear blowing out the highlights.

 

[guangong]

Neutral density filters. I may have missed their mention in this thread, but ND filters are very useful. I need them for movie work because shutter speed is constant, development is constant, so only variable is aperture. Very handy for still photography also.
The only real PITA regarding photographing in FL is that indoors temperatures are usually close to winter temperatures in Montreal and camera lens becomes covered with condensation as soon as you step outside.

 

[Bill Burk]

average adults roll their eyes at me for not being able to tie my shoes. As I said, we're all born with or develop different skill sets. The boy scouts gave me my knot tying badge out of sympathy on the 7th try.

As a scout leader, I know the feeling. It's all how you look at it... as long as you see the shoe as an obstacle, you won't be able to tie it.

But I bet if you imagine your shoelaces are a strip of film, and you think of threading a movie camera, one loop above the gate, one loop below.

You'd get knot tying right away...