Is your LF film of choice different than your other formats?

[MatthewDunn]

Just wondering if folks who shoot both large format as well as other formats tend to standardize on a single film/developer combination across all formats (say, e.g. HP5+ and ID-11), or do people prefer one film stock/developer for large format (or a specific type of large format) and something different for smaller formats? If so, why?

 

[dpurdy]

My favorite film is ACROS but it is too expensive if even available in LF so I shoot it only in 120. 4x5 tends to be Fp4 for me and 8x10 tends to be Arista. price is a big consideration for me.

 

[Alan9940]

For 35mm, my primary choice is a stock of EFKE25 that I'm working through which I develop in a few different formulas--Spur Acurol-N, Beutler, Pyrocat-HD--depending on my needs and how lazy I feel about mixing stuff up. For MF, it's generally either Acros 100 or FP4+. For LF, I'm typically shooting Delta 100 or FP4+ in 4x5 and mostly Fomapan 100 in 8x10. All my LF film is developed in various formulas that I mix myself.

 

[Bill Burk]

Absolutely, sort of! For 4x5 I shoot TMY-2 as my “fine grain” film whereas for 35mm I shoot TMY-2 as my “fast” film (and then 100TMAX for my “fine grain” film. Same film but I think of them differently in the different sizes.

p.s. Thanks for your kind words in the other thread.

 

[grahamp]

I use a lot of Delta 400 in roll film, but it is not available in 4x5 or 8x10. I use Delta 100 (4x5) or Bergger Panchro 400 (8x10) in sheet film mostly. The developer is Thornton Two Bath. I rarely use 35mm.

Format size (and resulting enlargement) does seem to play a part. With roll-film I may find myself hand-holding or using a monopod more than a tripod. While I do have a 4x5 I can hand-hold, it is far more likely to be used on a tripod where camera motion is not an issue. That encourages slower film.

Subject matter can be different between formats, and that may influence the choice of film.

 

[destroya]

yes. for 4x5 I shoot mainly delta 100 and hp5 with some foma 100 mixed in. for 120 its tmax 400 and 100, trix, my stash of apx 25 and a few surviving rolls of acros. most of the 120 was bought years ago, but the 4x5 was bought in last year. wont pay the kodak sheet film premium anymore as I cant tell the difference at the sizes I print at. for color, its still velvia 50 and provia regardless of size
john

 

[BrianShaw]

Predominantly standardized on FP-4+ and DD-X in both 4x5 and 120, and 35mm too. Occasionally deviate to HP-5+ for cloudy weather. Color... Portra 160 (4x5 and 120 and 35mm) or Gold 200 (35mm) and outside processing.

 

[abruzzi]

since I'm not that experienced with LF, I still shoot cheap films--Fomapan 100, Fomapan 200, Bergger Pancro 400, but while I've shot that in 35, I more often shoot Kodak films--TMX and TriX--and Fuji Acros.

 

[winger]

I kinda do. I had been shooting Delta100 in 120 and 4x5, but it gets contrasty too easily for me. I'm trying out FP4, so we'll see. I do also have HP5 in 4x5, but I like slower films most of the time. My Holga always has 400 in it, usually HP5. I use DD-X for everything.

My old go-to was TMax 100 in Ilfosol S, but I didn't like as much in Ilfosol 3 so have been trying others out since then.

 

[dkonigs]

I'm still very much a "mix and match" when it comes to smaller formats, depending on my mood at the time.
For 4x5", I started on HP5 and have more recently been doing Delta 100. I really wish Acros was available in that format, because of its reciprocity characteristics. Longer exposures on Delta 100, common once you stop down, have been getting extremely annoying.

 

[Two23]

I've settled on FP4+ for 35mm, 120, 4x5, 5x7, and 8x10. If I need faster I shoot HP5.


Kent in SD

 

[Tel]

I have a box of 50 sheets (now 35) of Efke 100 in 8x10 that I shoot very judiciously. In 5x7 I shoot Portra 160: maybe ten years ago it popped up at B&H in 50-sheet boxes, so I bought two of them. Still slowly working through that; otherwise I shoot FP4. I have a large stash of Portra in 4x5 and FP4 for black and white work. In smaller formats, I shoot Portra and Acros in 120 cameras and for 35mm it's usually Portra or Ultrafine Extreme. In 127 I have a stash of HP5 and a few 100-foot rolls of Agfa XPS.

 

[wiltw]

A long time ago...Used to be Plus-X in 135, Tri-X in 4x5
You can easily get away with 'grain' when you do not have to magnify negative by 4X to make the same end size print!...4x from 4x5 vs 16x from 135

Have not routinely shot B&W in a long time, which is why the past tense.