What is your favorite B&W film and why?

bruce terry · Oct 14, 2006

35mm: 400TX because it does everything with no fuss, and using only it, more years than I can count, I can use a camera without a meter.

8x10: HP5 when I must, FP4 when I can. Both, are so good.

Terence · Oct 14, 2006

Ilford SFX when photographing old buildings and bridges. With a red filter, the rivets, brick, clouds, etc really "pop". Now we just need to get them to bring back the 120 size.

FP4 for everything else, although I'm slowly coming 'round to Pan F.

Tom Hoskinson · Oct 14, 2006

I contact print 8X10 on Azo, and my primary B&W films are:

Efke 100 (smooth tonality, great latitude and microcontrast).
Efke 25 (fine grain, high acutance, smooth tonality).
Kodak TMAX 400 (smooth tonality, great latitude and excellent microcontrast).

I also use Ilford FP-4 smooth tonality, good latitude and good microcontrast).

I develop all of these films in Pyrocat-MC with either minimal agitation or semi-stand agitation.

wilsonneal · Oct 14, 2006

HP5. I like the tonality, speed and it's predictable for me in D76.
Neal

sterioma · Oct 14, 2006

Caveat: I am just a beginner.

Of the few I have tried, PanF is the one I like the most, but so many times you need more speed...

I am sure the film I like best I haven't tried it yet

Paul. · Oct 14, 2006

Hp5 in ID11, Push it pull it hang it upside down, always gives results. Its available its reasonably priced but most inportant IT'S GOOD.
Regards Paul.

rjas · Oct 14, 2006

hp5+ in hc110, simple and you can't go wrong. get whatever look you want using different developers too.

Travis Nunn · Oct 14, 2006

Fuji ACROS 100 is far and away my favorite film. Ilford Delta 400 when I need a faster film.

There are very few films I don't like. I never could get Fuji Neopan 400 to work for me. About every 3rd roll of Ilford FP4+ (in 120) I shoot, doesn't matter which camera I use, the sticky label comes off in the camera/film back. I like the look, but label issue always bugged me so I gave up on it.

Jim Chinn · Oct 14, 2006

Delta 100, Pan F and TriX for 35mm
Delat 100, HP5 and Trix for MF
HP5 and FP4 for LF and ULF

the occaisional foray into Efke, Berger or other brand for LF.

Why mostly Ilford and Kodak?

Because I know when I order the film it will be consistent from batch to batch and of the same high quality I have always got from Kodak and Ilford. Plus it is what I have pretty much used for the last 10 years. I have yet to ever get a bad sheet or roll of film from either Kodak or ilford.

Eric Leppanen · Oct 14, 2006

HP5+ for 8x10. Great exposure latitude and I like the extra speed for field shooting, and Tri-X is a bit more expensive.

TMX for 4x5. No other reason than it comes in Readyloads and doesn't have a small hole punched in the corner of each negative (unlike Acros).

c6h6o3 · Oct 14, 2006

Kodak 400TMax. Smooth, fine grained, more expandable than any other b&w film. No other black and white film is even close.

removed account4 · Oct 14, 2006

i am not too particular.
my favorite film is outdated film.

and it's mainly because i have a lot of it!

John McCallum · Oct 14, 2006

c6h6o3 said:
Kodak 400TMax. Smooth, fine grained, more expandable than any other b&w film. No other black and white film is even close.

cough cough ... or if you don't like T-grain ... TXP320 .

c6h6o3 · Oct 15, 2006

John McCallum said:
cough cough ... or if you don't like T-grain ... TXP320 .

The question posed in the original post is: "What is YOUR favorite B&W film and why?", and not "Why don't you like somebody else's favorite B&W film?"

He asked. I answered. Please cover your mouth when you cough.

Annemarieke · Oct 15, 2006

FP4+ in Ilford DD-X (or Tri-X in D76 if I want something faster and grainier).

TechPan and Scala were my favourites too! :confused:
Anne Marieke

keithwms · Oct 15, 2006

My current favourite is Rollei 400 IR, which I use with #72 or #87 IR filters.

I adore agfa scala 200x and am considering some dr5 processing to get 4x5 and larger positives.

I suspect Rollei R3 is going to become my favourite, it seems to be so versatile, but I am in the early stages of using it.

Truth be told I like just about everything that was mentioned, they all have different oersonalities and I definitely don't stick to one film.

raucousimages · Oct 15, 2006

Plus-X. I get an "Old School" look in portraits with Plus-X I don't get any other way.

Schlapp · Oct 15, 2006

HP5 or tmax400 in 120. Era or Foma 100 in 35mm.

DeanC · Oct 15, 2006

Eric Leppanen said:
TMX for 4x5. No other reason than it comes in Readyloads and doesn't have a small hole punched in the corner of each negative (unlike Acros).

Has anyone ever gotten Fuji to say what's up with that hole?

Keith Tapscott. · Oct 15, 2006

DeanC said:
Has anyone ever gotten Fuji to say what's up with that hole?

To allow each processed sheet to be hung to dry on a thin wire hook, perhaps?:confused:

John McCallum · Oct 15, 2006

just for clarification

c6h6o3 said:
The question posed in the original post is: "What is YOUR favorite B&W film and why?", and not "Why don't you like somebody else's favorite B&W film?"

He asked. I answered. Please cover your mouth when you cough.

I didn't offer a reason why I don't personally like T-grained film ...

But I was responding to the comment "No other black and white film is even close".

Though I must say Jim, you are able to get the results, from what I've seen.

mikebarger · Oct 15, 2006

tri-x in 120
HP5 in 4x5 since real tri-x isn't made in this size

Mike

braxus · Oct 15, 2006

My two favorite B&W films are Efke 25 (though I wish I could get consistent skin tones with it) and Tri-X 400. Runners up would be Pan F and Plus X. I still have some Panatomic X as well, but I won't list that since its not available anymore. I like the older tech B&W films. TMAX didn't look right to me, so I switched. As one would expect I get my best results with Tri-X. All get done in Xtol.

Soeren · Oct 16, 2006

Fuji Neopan 400 in both 35mm and 120 and both in Rodinal 1/50. I have some Pan F (120) but havn't come around findidng the proper devtimes yet.
Bummer, what am I to do when getting that 5X7":confused:

David Lingham · Oct 16, 2006

I'd like to use FP4 more often, but the amount of light we get here in the UK means I end up using HP5. I also use HIE.

What is your favorite B&W film and why?

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