What film to use BW 6x7?

[2WK]

I'm going to be shooting a large fire in the desert at dusk/night. What film would you choose? I'm want good tonality from the flames to the darkness, and low grain.

Any info is much appreciated!

 

[Ian Grant]

Tmax or Delta 400.

Welcome to APUG BTW

Ian

 

[vpwphoto]

6x7 might afford you 400 speed. I'd just grab some t-max either 100 or 400. Expose for the shadows and develop for the highlights... don't go for the darkest shadows, those flames are bright. Bracket !

Something I have done for years when I know I have high contrast negatives is rather than go strait to stop bath I pour in water and agitate slightly, I let the water sit for about 2 minutes. I read somewhere that the developer exhausts in the highlights, but keeps going in the less dense areas because there is less activity. This is "inside the emulsion". I think it makes sense and seems to give me good results.

After 1-2 minutes I go to a stopbath because I re-use my fixer.

 

[jp498]

I haven't shot fire in the desert, but it sounds like the situation where I recently shot a metal concert; harsh bright lights on the performers; dark clothes, dark background. I shot TMY2 and developed it in PMK to get the longer scale. I underexposed 1.3 stops according to my camera's matrix metering as I knew the bright lights would throw off the metering based on prior experience. I'd suggest TMY2 and some bracketing and to use a compensating developer to compress the range of brightnesses into something usable.

 

[2WK]

Thanks for all the replies and the welcome.
It's going to be my first time shooting a Mamiya 7ii with a 150mm 4.5.
Based on prior experience, and the low lighting would you recommend I shoot wide open 4.5?

Cheers.

 

[jp498]

I'd suggest first time (and 2nd and 3rd) shooting a new camera in a new format be done in daylight or studio conditions.

Honestly, unless you tell more, this seems to me like the sort of situation I'd want my 35mm gear with f1.4 or f2 lenses wide open.

 

[2WK]

Yea I agree, but I just want to give it a try. I will have my m6 ttl with 35 1.4, as well as my 5dmkii with a 50 1.4 setup.

However, I want to make a large print...so I am looking for a huge neg.

 

[ic-racer]

Duraflame logs???

Sorry, couldn't resist

I'd use any ISO 400 film to maximize reciprocity in the shadows. T-max 400 in T-max developer may have a tiny speed advantage to some other combinations.

 

[Vaughn]

I'd get a fire going in my backyard and shoot a test roll.