Leica Indoors..What film and Rate do you use?

dwdmguy · Feb 20, 2009

Hi there...
Just made the trade / deal. Some Nikon Gear for the Leica M6 and two lenses (Leica 50mm f/2 and the zeiss ZM 35 f/2, New)

So, I don't think I'll ever want a flash on this guy, what would you recommend for indoor film, both b/w and color and your rating for it please, just to get me started?
(Understanding that indoor surroundings can change dramaticaly)

Thanks tons. I'm very excited.

mudman · Feb 20, 2009

depends on the lighting of the building really. Well lit indoors, you should be able to get away with ISO 400. Tmax 400 is nice, you can push it to 800 easily. Color, well I tend to avoid color at night due to the shift. If I had to pick one, fuji's film handles color well with the fourth layer technology.

Pinholemaster · Feb 20, 2009

I really like the high speed Fuji Neopan B&W films with my M6 cameras. Haven't shot any color neg film, other than 8x10 sheet film, so can't help you with what good at high speed for 135.

2F/2F · Feb 20, 2009

Hi,

For indoor low light shooting I use the following, regardless of the camera:

B/W:

HP5 (can do almost anything in any light)
Delta 1000 (can do a bit more than HP5 when needed, and has a unique look)
T-Max 400 (rarely, but sometimes it is just the ticket)
Agfa APX 400 (I got a lot of this from Freestyle because it was cheap. It is good, but I prefer HP5)

Color:

Fujicolor Press (AKA Superia X-Tra) 400, 800, and 1600 (Of these three, I use the 800 90% of the time, and use it as my standard color film in all lighting conditions. They are good, cheap, and I like the way they look)
Fujicolor Pro 400H, Pro 800Z, and sometimes the Kodak equivalents, Portra 400VC/NC, and Portra 800 (For me, they are medium format alternatives to Superia, but they look great in any format. I think Pro 400H is one of the neatest looking color films out there, especially in low light.)
Fujichrome Provia 400X (formerly 400F) - This film's only big problem is the color balance under tungsten lamps. If you correct with a filter, you need to give two stops more exposure, which makes it near useless in low light. I wish they made a tungsten version of this (and one stop faster while they are at it). It would be my dream film: Provia 800T
If you can find it well kept, Kodak 320T. (It is no longer made.)

clayne · Feb 20, 2009

EI 1600, 1/30 - 1/125 @ f/2, depending on the light in the area. Any B&W film should do.
EI 400 is not going to cut it unless the room is very well lit (most aren't) or you can handhold at 1/8.
Color film, defer to 2F/2F (I've been wanting to try 400H for a while as well btw).

Michael W · Feb 20, 2009

For B&W I use Fuji Neopan 1600 rated at 1600 & processed in Diafine. It gives fine grain, good tonality & shadow detail. I do a lot of night interiors, actors rehearsing under a few fluoro tubes.

ntenny · Feb 20, 2009

Indoor lighting varies so much that it's hard to make any generalisations at all---it's almost essential to meter in these situations individually. Where you shoot regularly in a location with consistent light, you can of course learn what that light means. But in general, if you want to shoot at handholdable speeds, you're probably looking at the handful of high-speed films (Neopan 1600, Delta 3200, TMZ) or at pushing a 400-speed film a stop or two.

The difference among these options seems largely to come down to taste---I like Tri-X in Diafine pretty well, but it has a distinctly harsh, gritty look and wouldn't be suitable for every use (and the alleged EI 1600 is pretty optimistic). I'm afraid you may have to do some experimenting, which I'm sure will just be *such* an unpleasant process with your new toy.

-NT

chriscrawfordphoto · Feb 20, 2009

Tmax 3200 or Ilford Delta 3200. I usually use the Tmax, it has lower contrast which works better for me, but some like Delta's tonality better.

I just got my first rangefinder, a Bessa R2, and I haven't put any high speed film in it yet, but I have shot hundreds of rolls of Tmax 3200 in my OM-4T bodies over the years.

Jeremy · Feb 20, 2009

I like Neopan 1600 rated @1250 in microphen. Between the iso1250 and the f/1.2 I'm using I can shoot in the dingiest bars.

Chris, I just wanted to say that is a gorgeous shot.

chriscrawfordphoto · Feb 20, 2009

Jeremy said:
I like Neopan 1600 rated @1250 in microphen. Between the iso1250 and the f/1.2 I'm using I can shoot in the dingiest bars.

Chris, I just wanted to say that is a gorgeous shot.

Thanks. That was shot with Tmax 3200 in my OM-4T with Zuiko 50mm f1.4 lens. That is my grandpa's cat after he died. She stayed in that window in his kitchen for weeks looking outside or sleeping.

stealthman_1 · Feb 21, 2009

When you get your M6, don't be afraid to shoot at 1/15th or 1/8th, especially with the 35. It may take some practice, but the Ms are very capable of shooting at these speeds which makes ISO400 indoors a more versatile film.

clayne · Feb 21, 2009

stealthman_1 said:
When you get your M6, don't be afraid to shoot at 1/15th or 1/8th, especially with the 35. It may take some practice, but the Ms are very capable of shooting at these speeds which makes ISO400 indoors a more versatile film.

Yep, and even better with a soft release. But at the same time he may want to exchange slower EI for larger DOF.

Alex Bishop-Thorpe · Feb 21, 2009

I use HP5+ rated at 1600 in ID-11/D-76 (I'll check my notes for the time, but it's just taken from the Massive Dev Chart). Nothing exotic, but I like the grain and it works well for me, pretty versatile. You'll have to forgive the bad print scans on the last two images, but you see what I mean about the grain.

kavandje · Feb 21, 2009

Films I've used with some happiness hand-held in low light: Agfa APX400 (and its weird cousin, Rollei Retro 400). Kodak Tri-X. Ilford HP5+.

For some reason, and it's really no reason at all, I don't seem to like the Ilford. I have no idea why; it's a fine film.

Pete H · Feb 21, 2009

I like Delta 400 & Rollei Retro 400 (Delta at 320, Rollei at 400) for low light in a rangefinder. For even lower light, I like Delta 3200 rated at 1000 (usually, sometimes 1600 when it is dark). DD-X is my preferred developer for all of these situations.

cheers
Pete

eddym · Feb 21, 2009

HP5+, rated anywhere from 400 to 1600, depending on conditions. Processed/pushed in Ilfotec HC/Kodak HC110.

dwdmguy · Feb 22, 2009

chriscrawfordphoto said:
Thanks. That was shot with Tmax 3200 in my OM-4T with Zuiko 50mm f1.4 lens. That is my grandpa's cat after he died. She stayed in that window in his kitchen for weeks looking outside or sleeping.

Chris, I have to agree with Jeremey, what a wonderful shot

dwdmguy · Feb 22, 2009

stealthman_1 said:
When you get your M6, don't be afraid to shoot at 1/15th or 1/8th, especially with the 35. It may take some practice, but the Ms are very capable of shooting at these speeds which makes ISO400 indoors a more versatile film.

Stealthman, that's what I understand also, that I could pick up a stop or two Thanks.

dwdmguy · Feb 22, 2009

Wanted to take a moment and say thank you for taking the time and giving me some very good advice from your history.

efreddi · Feb 22, 2009

For indoor photos my standard film is a 400 Iso (normally TriX). With my M6 I shot at F:2, 1/8 or 1/15 sec. No need to use a flash, it's one of the advantages of Leica M

Regards

Elia

chriscrawfordphoto · Feb 22, 2009

dwdmguy said:
Chris, I have to agree with Jeremey, what a wonderful shot

Thanks. That cat is 18 years old, she had lived there her whole life.

Leica Indoors..What film and Rate do you use?

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