Testing and evaluating CatLabs "X Film 320 Pro (2022 version)

[Huss]

I've only got one camera capable of altering exposure by less than 1/3 stop, and that only in certain shutter speed ranges. I'm referring to my Speed Graphic; the focal plane shutter in its slower ranges is able to produce some pretty fine gradients in exposure time. Nothing else I own can divide a stop any finer than 1/3 stop, and most of my cameras only do half stops.

I think the Nikon F2As has stepless shutter speeds. Leica M7 does but that is electronic. And pretty much any of my cameras that have lenses with aperture rings can be adjusted as finely as I want.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Okay, yeah, apertures with no click stop -- but can you read the aperture scale accurately enough to confidently apply even a 1/3 stop change on one of those, never mind smaller adjustments? Some of them, maybe, or only when they're near wide open. There are some leaf shutters with stepless speed setting, too -- but I don't own any of those that I recall.

 

[aparat]

The Wood effect is named after Robert Williams Wood, and references the fact that a lot of foliage strongly reflects IR radiation.
Ilford SFX does have some sensitivity in the near infrared, so you can see some Wood effect with a 720nm filter. You won't see any with a #25 filter though, because that filter transmits too much visible light, which will overwhelm any results from the near IR radiation present.
The red #25 may lighten the look of the foliage though - perhaps that is what is meant by "pseudo Wood" effect.

Thank you, Matt. Gotta love Photrio for the chance to learn something new every day. Does this picture show the Wood effect? I took it with a Hoya R72 filter at ISO 3.

 

[MattKing]

Does this picture show the Wood effect? I took it with a Hoya R72 filter at ISO 3.

Almost certainly - because the R72 filter transmits almost no light in the regular parts of the visual spectrum.
Although the Wood effect description references foliage, there are other surfaces that reflect IR - the building façade is evidently one of them.

 

[pentaxuser]

The usual giveaway for the Wood effect, aparat, is the unreal white wispy look from the grass and foliage. On occasions a scene with enough grass and the right kind of foliage can resemble an almost snowy scene. Your scene isn't as extreme as this but I suspect as opposed to know that the extreme wispy snowy look seems to vary. It may depend on the season. Early to mid-summer seems to be the time that grass and foliage gives out the most IR

pentaxuser

 

[aparat]

@pentaxuser @MattKing Thank you for the explanation! I see it now. It's an interesting look.

 

[Romanko]

can you read the aperture scale accurately enough

If you are desperate you can use Waterhouse stops in some ancient lens - as accurate as you can machine/measure it.

There are some leaf shutters with stepless speed setting

The accuracy of a leaf shutter at high speed would be way less than 1/4 of a stop. For all practical purposes 1/3 of a stop is within the uncertainty of your exposure metering/exposure/developing/printing procedures. I have no information about the differences in speed between batches of the same film. It was a problem decades ago which I assume was resolved. There are additional factors like film storage time/conditions and time between exposure and developing.

 

[Huss]

If you are desperate you can use Waterhouse stops in some ancient lens - as accurate as you can machine/measure it.

Lomography currently sells a few lenses that have Waterhouse apertures. I have a few of them.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Of course, measuring the actual aperture for a homemade Waterhouse stop isn't the whole deal. You then need to determine and apply the magnification factor for the group(s) in front of the aperture. You can to this by calculating magnification from diopter strength, but this is a little ambiguous; you can also do it by actually measuring the visible aperture with the front group in place, using a caliper or scale (held at arm's length, by preference, to minimize geometric distortion). I doubt you'll do better than a quarter stop either way.

 

[aparat]

I have to share this one. It's Buster, our neighborhood cat. He lives around here. He stays with a family for a week, then moves on to the next, and on to the next after that.

 

[Huss]

I have to share this one. It's Buster, our neighborhood cat. He lives around here. He stays with a family for a week, then moves on to the next, and on to the next after that.
View attachment 323024

Looks really good. This film gives great results, it's a shame that Catlabs had to market it as an 'edgy' street film that can be pushed etc. Instead of what it actually does best.
$6.99 is a very good value IMO.

 

[aparat]

Looks really good. This film gives great results, it's a shame that Catlabs had to market it as an 'edgy' street film that can be pushed etc. Instead of what it actually does best.
$6.99 is a very good value IMO.

Agree 100% . By the way, this cat photo comes from a negative I developed in XTOL for 7 minutes and it was overcooked, which is why it's a bit grainy looking. But it does have that unique look that this film is known for.

 

[aparat]

Here's another of Buster the cat. I can't help myself. He is so awesome.

This film is not for everything, but there are times when it works really well, as @Huss @Dwight Anderson , and others have shown.

 

[warden]

Here's another of Buster the cat.

That is one comfortable cat! He's cool.

 

[Huss]

Here's another of Buster the cat. I can't help myself. He is so awesome.

This film is not for everything, but there are times when it works really well, as @Huss @Dwight Anderson , and others have shown.

View attachment 323109

Love it!

 

[Moose22]

Agree 100% . By the way, this cat photo comes from a negative I developed in XTOL for 7 minutes and it was overcooked, which is why it's a bit grainy looking. But it does have that unique look that this film is known for.

Stock xtol? Or replenished?

I assume shot at 200.

Stock time for 320 on their website was 11 minutes. I took a stab in the dark at 7:15 or so when I shot at 200. I figure 1 stop push is x1.5, so 11/1.5 7.33333.

I think I overcooked mine a bit, too. But not enough to make distracting grain.

I'm doing replenished now, so I'll have to nail it down for xtol-r going forward.

Always good to have a cat around to pose for you. Alas, my neighbor's cat is black and she runs up to me whenever I try to take her photograph, but when I had my own cat she posed for me often.

 

[Dwight Anderson]

Here's another of Buster the cat. I can't help myself. He is so awesome.

This film is not for everything, but there are times when it works really well, as @Huss @Dwight Anderson , and others have shown.

View attachment 323109

The picture of the cat is great, but my concern is the cracked concrete step just above him. I'm in the concrete business and I would have that replaced.

 

[aparat]

The picture of the cat is great, but my concern is the cracked concrete step just above him. I'm in the concrete business and I would have that replaced.

Yes. Good point! I saw them fix up a fence the other day. I'll let them know about the stairs.


@Moose22 This was exposed at ISO 64 and developed in XTOL that was half-way to being seasons. I underestimated this film's propensity for high contrast. I should have cut the time by at least 2 minutes.

Speaking of XTOL-R, I might actually run the curve family test in XTOL to see if there's any change to the S-shape of the curves.

 

[Donald Qualls]

This film is not for everything,

Seems to work well for cat portraits, though, as Catlabs film should...

 

[Moose22]

Speaking of XTOL-R, I might actually run the curve family test in XTOL to see if there's any change to the S-shape of the curves.

Thanks for the data point. I looked at my notes and what I shot at 200 was in developer for 7:20. I'm guessing 7 minutes full strength (these were rolls 2 and 3 in freshly mixed xtol) would be a good balance.

And thanks again for sharing and experimenting. When you do xtol R I'll definitely be interested. I started replenishing after that batch hit 6 rolls so that's what I'll be doing going forward for xtol.

 

[Craig]

I've heard that Ilford Pan F also has something of an S curve , and is an inherently contrasty film. Have you ever tested it and can you make any comments about it relative to the Catlabs film?

 

[pentaxuser]

I have to share this one. It's Buster, our neighborhood cat. He lives around here. He stays with a family for a week, then moves on to the next, and on to the next after that.
View attachment 323024

So based on how many houses there are in your neighbourhood and a week at each, have you worked out when you will manage another picture of Buster. I like this picture - he looks as if he is listening to Jailhouse Rock

pentaxuser

 

[aparat]

@Craig That's really interesting. No, I haven't had a chance to compare Ilford Pan F to the CatLABS X FILM 320 Pro. Perhaps, at some point I might do that. I've been meaning to test the Pan F for some time.

@pentaxuser Buster's got his favorite lounging spot when it's warm outside. I took this picture as he was coming down the stairwell to his spot, so it was easy

 

[Craig]

@Craig That's really interesting. No, I haven't had a chance to compare Ilford Pan F to the CatLABS X FILM 320 Pro. Perhaps, at some point I might do that. I've been meaning to test the Pan F for some time.

Seems like they are both ISO 50 films, so it might make an interesting comparison!

 

[aparat]

I have another set of curves of the CatLABS X FILM 320 Pro for you, this time in replenished XTOL. I ran the test twice and averaged the numbers for the final analysis. The results are very similar to those in D76 1+1, though I did give the film a bit of extra exposure to see how the curves would look. They look very similar, so the film is going to have a similar overall character. CatLABS recommends 11 min in XTOL, which should give the film that punchy look it's known for (CI of around 0.7). The curves marked "L7" and "ISO" are theoretical curves for the "normal" LSLR=2.2 and G=0.62, respectively. These curves are useful in figuring out the best exposure and development for your needs. For example, on a typical sunny day, in mid-late afternoon light, if you want good shadow detail, set your meter to around ISO 50, expose for shadows and develop for 7:20 minutes, etc.

I am not sure this brings anything new to the discussion but since I already have the data, I might as well share it.