ok I will have my first 4x5 camera .... what kind of film (hope its correct forum)

markd514 · Feb 3, 2015

Hey Guys,
Thanks for all of the help in giving advice for my first 4x5 camera. I kept it on the cheap and bought a crown graphic with optar lens. 300 and so bucks with shipping. I can sell it when I upgrade.

I looked in the film forum but found no answer. A good b&w film? Freestyle has a large range. Should I just stick with Kodak or ilford? What do you guys like or recommend? I am going to develop myself.
I will try color as well and just get some ektar sheets.
thanks!
Mark

Ari · Feb 3, 2015

I like to support those who support us; Ilford is my choice, but any of the other film manufacturers need to know we still want lots of film to be available.
For the $$ spent, Ilford and Kodak have the best QC in the business, but Ilford seems more committed in the long-term.

wildbill · Feb 3, 2015

Any film as long as it's Ilford.

markd514 · Feb 3, 2015

Yes, I like the look of the ilford delta, and Kodak tmax. I also like the adox film out there, but never tried it

palewin · Feb 3, 2015

FWIW, I've standardized on Ilford HP5+ across all formats. In LF, I prefer the higher speed film because you are often shooting at small f-stops. Some prefer FP4 for its smaller grain, but unless you are making very large enlargements, grain is a minor consideration.

Paul Howell · Feb 3, 2015

I happen to like Foma 200, Freestyle carries it as their house brand. I also like Tmax 400, I have not bought it a box in a while, it is only sold in 50 sheet boxes, I am just not shooting that much 4X5 at the moment. My third choice is Ilford PF4. I am thinking about Delta 400 to see how it stacks up against Tmax 400.

removedacct1 · Feb 3, 2015

I really enjoy Ilford Delta 400 (in 120 roll format) and HP5 as well - both excellent films. I also use Ilford Orho Plus in 4x5 for my pinhole cameras, because you CAN develop that under a safelight as well. It has very unique tonal properties that I really enjoy.

grahamp · Feb 3, 2015

In 5x4 you will have Delta 100 (which I use a lot) but not Delta 400. I would suggest HP5 - the extra 2 stops speed will be useful and it is a widely used film without any quirks as to developer choice.

If you have a favorite, and it is available in sheets, by all means stick with what you know.

Rick A · Feb 3, 2015

If you are just starting out, I recommend cutting paper negatives to learn with. Photo paper can be cut in a darkened room under safe light, loaded and processed same, until you are comfortable with the process.

heespharm · Feb 3, 2015

When I was doing lf I only used hp5 ... Great film for lf

Mainecoonmaniac · Feb 3, 2015

This film is pretty cheap and very forgiving.

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/190415-Arista-EDU-Ultra-400-ISO-4x5-25-sheets

Old-N-Feeble · Feb 3, 2015

I haven't yet begun experimenting with modern films but after much research it appears I'll probably be settling on Acros 100, Rollei 80s, TMY2 and CMS 20 II. For developers I'll probably settle on XTOL, Rodinal and Adox Adotech II (for their CMS II film). I don't think I want to get into the Pyro developers, not because I don't think they are excellent, but because I need to keep things relatively simple these days. I hope to build a darkroom for full analog monochrome. For color I'll just stick with Ektar 100 and have it commercially processed. Once I determine a color image is worthy of printing (if any ever are) then I'll have an excellent drum scan made... shh... tell NO ONE!!

gone · Feb 3, 2015

Why update? That camera will do you fine for a long, long time.

Are you just starting out w/ developing and printing? Tri-X in D76 (or TD-16 from Photographers Formulary, which will give similar results and last a LOT longer) are the usual suggestions because it works very well, and you don't need exposure, temps & times exactly on the money to obtain great results. Very flexible. I'd recommend getting a yellow and red filter for your camera too, along w/ a hood.

You may wish to start out making contact prints. I have some from basically the same setup as yours, and the prints are sharp and the grain is smoooooth. Very different than the smaller formats. The price on the above Arista film (which is unfortunately out of stock right now) is very good, but the 100 version is even cheaper! You cannot go wrong at those prices.

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/190125-Arista-EDU-Ultra-100-ISO-4x5-25-sheets

Freestyle also sells a Microdol-X clone developer for it. I haven't used that particular developer yet, but do use the old Kodak Microdol-X w/ the Arista EDU ultra 100 in 35mm at full strength and love it. Sold all of my Tri-X and switched to that. Beautiful results in 35mm. I'm looking to try it in 120, but at the prices for 4x5, I'm going to order some for my 4x5 homemade pinhole camera. I meter it at 100 w/ a yellow filter and develop it in the Mic-X for 8:40 minutes at 68 degrees w/ a Tri-X agitation scheme. That may be a little different if you are using tray development, but should work fine for "taco" development in a Paterson daylight tank.

markd514 · Feb 3, 2015

momus said:
Why update? That camera will do you fine for a long, long time.

Are you just starting out w/ developing and printing? Tri-X in D76 (or TD-16 from Photographers Formulary, which will give similar results and last a LOT longer) are the usual suggestions because it works very well, and you don't need exposure, temps & times exactly on the money to obtain great results. Very flexible. I'd recommend getting a yellow and red filter for your camera too, along w/ a hood.

You may wish to start out making contact prints. I have some from basically the same setup as yours, and the prints are sharp and the grain is smoooooth. Very different than the smaller formats. The price on the above Arista film (which is unfortunately out of stock right now) is very good, but the 100 version is even cheaper! You cannot go wrong at those prices.

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/190125-Arista-EDU-Ultra-100-ISO-4x5-25-sheets

Freestyle also sells a Microdol-X clone developer for it. I haven't used that particular developer yet, but do use the old Kodak Microdol-X w/ the Arista EDU ultra 100 in 35mm at full strength and love it. Sold all of my Tri-X and switched to that. Beautiful results in 35mm. I'm looking to try it in 120, but at the prices for 4x5, I'm going to order some for my 4x5 homemade pinhole camera. I meter it at 100 w/ a yellow filter and develop it in the Mic-X for 8:40 minutes at 68 degrees w/ a Tri-X agitation scheme. That may be a little different if you are using tray development, but should work fine for "taco" development in a Paterson daylight tank.

No, I have been doing 35mm for years. Well I used to , and just got back into it. 120mm a little bit. This is my first large format camera.

Sirius Glass · Feb 3, 2015

For my Pacemaker Speed Graphic and Graflex Model D: I use Ilford HP5+ which gives me both grain and the enough speed to handle almost all daytime photographs hand held. Ilford FP4 for finer grain. Kodak Portra for color prints.

GKC · Feb 3, 2015

Handheld---HP-5+ or Tri-X or even TMY-2. If you use a tripod then FP-4+ or Arista.edu Ultra 100 (rate it at 50 but avoid this one if you're going to have reciprocity issues, such as with night photography, timed exposures etc...) YMMV of course.

Robert Ley · Feb 3, 2015

Mark,
As you are just starting out and have wisely started on the cheep, I would continue on the cheep and get some of the Arista Ultra 400. You will invariably make some bone headed errors, we all do when starting 4x5. When you can load your holders and make an exposure without any of the many things that can screw up a picture, then you can graduate to the high priced film. I would hate to tell you how many times I pulled the dark slide with the shutter open or took a prize winner with the dark slide in. Get your technique down before investing in better film and enjoy your new 4x5 ;-)

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Regular Rod · Feb 3, 2015

Just because you are starting out doesn't mean your eye is at fault. You might waste a bit of film through operational errors but if your eye is good and you get it right you will make great images right from the start. So, use the best quality film you can buy. Imagine creating an image of a lifetime only to find you had a faulty sheet of cheap film in that marred your image. ILFORD film is free of such defects.

RR

winger · Feb 3, 2015

I started in LF with HP5+. I've added Delta100, but I doubt I could tell anyone which frame is which film without seeing the notch codes. I don't make such large prints that it's likely to matter either. And I needed to get a grain focuser because it got enough tougher to see the grain to focus.

mdarnton · Feb 3, 2015

Head over to http://largeformatphotography.info and check out the two x-ray film threads in the forum. I've been using Tri-X since about 1963, happily, but all I've been shooting for the last six months or so has been x-ray. Dirt cheap, forgiving, develop under red light. Did I say dirt cheap? Ten cents a shot for 4x5. Dirt cheap. Check my large format flickr page for examples.

fotch · Feb 3, 2015

markd514 said:
No, I have been doing 35mm for years. Well I used to , and just got back into it. 120mm a little bit. This is my first large format camera.

That is a great camera, professional grade, you would have to spend a great deal of money to better it and even then, that is doubtful.

Christopher Walrath · Feb 3, 2015

I shoot Ilford Delta 100. Good slow speed, versatile film and reasonably priced. Of course, that is just one voice crying in the wilderness.

Roger Cole · Feb 4, 2015

Start out with the Freestyle Arista branded version of Foma that several people have recommended. The reason is simple: it's the cheapest "normal" film (in other words "not x-ray film") available, and when you get started in LF, even if you've been doing 35mm and MF for decades, you will be amazed at the incredible variety of new and infuriating ways you find to screw up a shot. Really. Work out the basics with cheap film (it's pretty good - it's not Ilford or Kodak but it isn't bad) and then move on to whatever you want to use. Experience in smaller formats will serve you well.

If superb reciprocity failure characteristics are important and price isn't, use Acros. Otherwise, any of the 100 and 400 (and for Kodak, 320) offerings from Kodak and Ilford are excellent. Kodak TMY-2 is quite possibly the most remarkable black and white film available now or ever, but the price is getting ludicrous and I'll be moving to HP5+ which, for my purposes will serve just as well.

A couple of things to keep in mind: LF lenses are usually slower and you'll be stopping down more, but OTOH probably always shooting off a tripod. Secondly, enlargement factors will be much less for the same size print. This may mean a 400 film will be more suited where you'd have used a 100 in medium format or 35mm. (Or not if the reason for going to 4x5 is to make much bigger prints.) I print up to 16x20, and more often 11x14. 16x20 uncropped is only a 4x enlargement from 4x5, equivalent to a 4x6 or so print from 35mm.

Roger Cole · Feb 4, 2015

mdarnton said:
Head over to http://largeformatphotography.info and check out the two x-ray film threads in the forum. I've been using Tri-X since about 1963, happily, but all I've been shooting for the last six months or so has been x-ray. Dirt cheap, forgiving, develop under red light. Did I say dirt cheap? Ten cents a shot for 4x5. Dirt cheap. Check my large format flickr page for examples.

Yeah, it's cheap and you can develop it under red safelight. But that's because it's either blue or blue and green sensitive only. Ok for some things but maybe not all. Most (all?) of it has emulsion on both sides which either reduces sharpness or requires you to strip one side.

I think it starts to make a lot more sense for 8x10 and up where regular photo films get quite expensive. But shooting LF is slow and contemplative by nature so I at least don't burn through much film in an outing. Arista branded Foma is as cheap as $0.66/sheet (Arista EDU Ultra 100 in 50 sheet boxes.) At that price I'll choose the "real photo film" every day and twice on the weekends. YMMV of course.

Roger Cole · Feb 4, 2015

Robert Ley said:
Mark,
As you are just starting out and have wisely started on the cheep, I would continue on the cheep and get some of the Arista Ultra 400. You will invariably make some bone headed errors, we all do when starting 4x5. When you can load your holders and make an exposure without any of the many things that can screw up a picture, then you can graduate to the high priced film. I would hate to tell you how many times I pulled the dark slide with the shutter open or took a prize winner with the dark slide in. Get your technique down before investing in better film and enjoy your new 4x5 ;-)

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Went back and read the thread in more detail after I posted - see.

I've done both of those, and many others I shan't confess to here!

ok I will have my first 4x5 camera .... what kind of film (hope its correct forum)

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