New to APUG Forum

[Photocyan]

Hi Everyone: My name is Dave but my ID is Photocyan and I am just getting back into developing and Printing B&W film 120 & 220 and 35mm print and slide. I know that there are some pros on here and I would like to pick you brains for the type of film, Developer, print paper on different films. Everything has changed over the last 25-30 years. I also just bought a Mamiya RB67 Pro-s with extra lenses and a 120 & 220 backs. I also pick-up a Polaroid back. So if any one has a chart of the film and chemicals they use and think they are the best combination to use for great B&W shoots please email me a copy. Thanks so much, Dave. My email is accessible in my profile.

 

[AndrewB]

Hi Dave
Personally, I think a great film and developed combo is Kodak tri-x 400 film with D-76 developer, with Kodaks recommended times and agitation. I have got very good negatives so far, on both Tri-X and Ilford HP5+ but I still have to try that developer with other films.

Andrew

 

[John Wiegerink]

Another Hi Dave,
Andrew has a good recommendation and you won't go wrong using it. For film I'd stay with Kodak, Ilford or Fuji for now, but there are others out there. In the film department I'd recommend Fuji Acros as a good starter film for a couple of reasons; (one - it's cheap in 120, (two - it's not fussy about developer, (three - you don't have to worry much about reciprocity failure with it. Well, I guess that was three reasons instead of two. For developer if you do choose Fuji Across? I really like Ilford DD-x with Fuji Acros, but have had great results with Rodinal diluted 1:100 and semi-stand developed. Those two are also very good for getting negs that scan very easy with almost no grain visible. I'm just getting started on a batch of Kodak Xtol and can't give advice on that one, but from everything I've read it's really good stuff. If you are going to go the "mix your own" route I'd say a good place to start is with Sandy King's Pyrocat-HD. I just tried it for the first time and I really don't/wouldn't see the need for any other developer, it's that good. As for paper? That will depend on the "look" you want. Ilford MG papers are first rate, but a little expensive. Arista EDU paper from Freestyle is not a bad "bang for the buck" as is Adorama's brand of paper. I'm just getting ready to try both of those myself. You can go to Freestyle's web site and check their paper and film section yourself. Their prices are well within the ball park. For paper developer I only have one recommendation and that's a high one for Ethol LPD. Another suggestion from me, due to experience with the RB67, and that is buy some Weider's muscle builder. Darn nice camera and great optics, but a little on the heavy side for me. You'll get all kinds of advice from some really good folks here and I'm sure there is/might be better stuff out there then I suggested, but I only give advice about stuff I have experience with. You'll have fun I'm sure! JohnW

 

[markbarendt]

Hi Dave, welcome,

You haven't mentioned anything about your subject matter or how you like to shoot or where you like to shoot or the print size you prefer...

While Tri-X is great, and I do use some, there are lots of other good choices available.

Personally I lean toward portraits and pictorial landscape styles. So I actually prefer a slower films normally so I can get larger apertures, shorter DOF, most of the time. This is not much of an issue with 35mm cameras and a 1/4000th speed shutter but with the RB at 1/400th it really can be.

I also prefer detail and smooth tonality in the subject over grain/grittiness/texture.

Given my preferences Ilford FP4+ is my current favorite for MF and 35mm.

I like 320-400 speed films in 4x5 but 100-125 is just fine for me there too.

 

[jayvo86]

I use all Ilford products with my stuff. (ID-11 for my dev)

Ilford has a horde of great resources for developing on your own on thier website.

 

[Photocyan]

Thanks everyone for the replies. Everything mentioned sounds great and are new to me. I have used Kodak d-76 before but that was years ago. I was mainly into color when I had to give it up. I will try all of these combinations. As for shooting subjects I like the Old Landscape rustic look like olds barn surrounded by high grass that show signs from there past and wildlife stills when I can find them. What do you guys do? Thanks for your input.

 

[Athiril]

I also use the RB67 ProS, my favourite camera.

I also like Tri-X, just not in D-76, I really like Xtol.

I can't recommend what'd be 'best' without what you intend to use.

I often find higher speed film is good in the RB67, due to the slower wide-open aperture on the lenses (generally f/3.5 or f/4.5) on the RB67.


T-grain films are your standard call for fine-grain and sharp... though on 6x7cm it's less important as you'll still have plenty of resolution to work with, and Tri-X can be fine grained enough depending on development, very nice in Xtol, 1+100 stand/semi stand in Rodinal keeps grain fine, while you can make it quite coarse in 1+50 if you like that.

 

[Jeff Kubach]

Hello David and welcome to APUG. I really like my RB67 also.

Jeff

 

[Photocyan]

Thanks Jeff.

 

[i.candide]

Hi David,

I'm into the RB 67 as well. Like you, I'm just getting back into film photography.

When I went digital, my monochrome preference were Ilford's delta films - 100 & 400. I do not know what developer was used because the processing was done by a pro-lab with instructions to process for fine grain, slightly high contrast, and good detail. Whatever was used was great. But the lab no longer exists and what they used is lost to me.

I have heard great things about cafinol developer and am setting up to give it a try.

I'll let you know the results after some experimentation.

Regards,
i.candide
Dangerous to oneself

 

[Photocyan]

Thanks i.candide. Hope it works out for you. Let me know. Dave.