What's the best 120 film in your opinion?

Alan Edward Klein · Jun 28, 2022

Andrew O'Neill said:
That's a great way of looking at it

Reminds me of an old joke slightly modified for this forum:

So the photo bug goes to the film store to buy a roll of Ektachrome 100 and asks "How much is it?"

The dealer responds, “Well, it’s $15 a roll but we’re all out right now. It’s back ordered.”

So the photo bug leaves the store and goes to another store down the block.

“How much is a roll of Ektachrome and do you have any?”

The second dealer responds, “Oh, it’s $20 a roll and we have loads.”

“$20?” complains the photo bug raising his voice. “The other dealer only charges $15 a roll.”

“Well,” says the second dealer. “When we’re out of Ektachrome, we only charge $10 a roll.

grat · Jun 29, 2022

Freestyle thinks an awful lot of Kodak Tri-X and T-Max 400-- but most places in the US it's only a few cents more per frame than Delta 400 or XP2, both being in the $8-$9 per roll range when bought single (Ilford) or in 5 packs (Kodak).

In fact at B&H, the difference is about $0.01 per roll between Delta 400 and T-Max 400-- but you do have to buy the Kodak in 5 packs, and Ilford isn't available that way.

AtticusMI · Jun 29, 2022

Glausuche said:
Since i have only been shooting with medium format for a short time, and have mostly just used a Holga, i haven't had the chance to really investigate the finer points of 120 film.
Now that I'm investing in a TLR, then inquiring minds need to know.
1. B&W
2. Color
3. other odd film

My favorite all around films are:
1. Ilford FP4 and HP5
2. Portra 400 and Kodak gold 200
3. I really love rollei crossbird and Lomography metropolis

GregY · Jun 29, 2022

grat said:
Freestyle thinks an awful lot of Kodak Tri-X and T-Max 400-- but most places in the US it's only a few cents more per frame than Delta 400 or XP2, both being in the $8-$9 per roll range when bought single (Ilford) or in 5 packs (Kodak).

In fact at B&H, the difference is about $0.01 per roll between Delta 400 and T-Max 400-- but you do have to buy the Kodak in 5 packs, and Ilford isn't available that way.

True, but the single/pro pack difference is inconsequential isn't it? No one it going to pay shipping to buy a single roll of film. And with fewer places selling film, or maintaining stock, there's even more reason to keep a fridge full if you're a serious user.

markjwyatt · Jun 29, 2022

Alan Edward Klein said:
Reminds me of an old joke slightly modified for this forum:

So the photo bug goes to the film store to buy a roll of Ektachrome 100 and asks "How much is it?"

The dealer responds, “Well, it’s $15 a roll but we’re all out right now. It’s back ordered.”

So the photo bug leaves the store and goes to another store down the block.

“How much is a roll of Ektachrome and do you have any?”

The second dealer responds, “Oh, it’s $20 a roll and we have loads.”

“$20?” complains the photo bug raising his voice. “The other dealer only charges $15 a roll.”

“Well,” says the second dealer. “When we’re out of Ektachrome, we only charge $10 a roll.

Guy is hungry, sees a restaurant with a sign, "All you can eat for $10"
Goes in, pays $10, says I'll take some of that, and that... etc.
Eats
Comes back and say, "I want some more"
Server says, "That'll be $10"
Guy says, "but your sign said "All you can eat for $10"
Server says "That is All you can eat for $10".

grat · Jun 29, 2022

Local sandwich shop / bar had a sign on the wall for years that said "Free Beer Tomorrow".

.... I don't know if they ever let that beer go or not.

markjwyatt · Jun 29, 2022

grat said:
Local sandwich shop / bar had a sign on the wall for years that said "Free Beer Tomorrow".

.... I don't know if they ever let that beer go or not.

Joe's Crab Shack usually says "Free Crab Tomorrow"

GregY · Jun 29, 2022

markjwyatt said:
Joe's Crab Shack usually says "Free Crab Tomorrow"

& with film & paper it's "Free price increase tomorrow"

markjwyatt · Jun 29, 2022

GregY said:
& with film & paper it's "Free price increase tomorrow"

Or "Here today, gone tomorrow"

GregY · Jun 30, 2022

markjwyatt said:
Or "Here today, gone tomorrow"

It's not so bad.... we had Brilliant, Forte, Agfapan 25..
We have TMax , FP4+, Ilford Warmtone, Foma, Galerie..... we can still make great prints

markjwyatt · Jun 30, 2022

GregY said:
It's not so bad.... we had Brilliant, Forte, Agfapan 25..
We have TMax , FP4+, Ilford Warmtone, Foma, Galerie..... we can still make great prints

As long as we have Ilford, we are in good shape. Nice to have some variety outside that, which we still do.

Alan Edward Klein · Jun 30, 2022

markjwyatt said:
Joe's Crab Shack usually says "Free Crab Tomorrow"

Reminds of the Wimpie comic strips where an always broke Wimpie, a hamburger fanatic, would go into a restaurant and say: "I'll pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today."

wimpie tuesday - Google Search

Sirius Glass · Jun 30, 2022

markjwyatt said:
Joe's Crab Shack usually says "Free Crab Tomorrow"

I cannot deal with that at the moment, I am still dealing with the "Tattooing In Rear" signs.

Huss · Jun 30, 2022

grat said:
..

In fact at B&H, the difference is about $0.01 per roll between Delta 400 and T-Max 400-- but you do have to buy the Kodak in 5 packs, and Ilford isn't available that way.

What's the problem? Buy the 5 pack, throw 4 of the rolls away.

Sirius Glass · Jun 30, 2022

Huss said:
What's the problem? Buy the 5 pack, throw 4 of the rolls away.

grat · Jun 30, 2022

Huss said:
What's the problem? Buy the 5 pack, throw 4 of the rolls away.

OK, I think we've slipped into bizarro world here.....

campy51 · Jul 1, 2022

There are two cannibals in the woods eating a clown when one turns to the other and says, does this taste funny to you?

jay moussy · Jul 1, 2022

Could someone graph the results so I do not have to!

Or use the old Sears ratings in ads like
"Good" "Better" and "Best"?

ragazzo · Jul 8, 2022

I love that eve

Craig said:
Whenever I hear the "whats the best XXX?", my thought is best for what?

I liken it to asking "what's the best vehicle to drive?" The answer changes dramatically if your're looking for a commuter car that is cheap to run and easy to park, or if you're a road construction contractor and need to haul gravel. "Best" could be a bicycle or a Kenworth.

Without a context, it's impossible to say what is best. Favourites? Sure, we all have those! It will end up being a list of every film in production!

I love that eventually we'd compile a list of every film available if everyone were just inputting their favorite film. It's nice to think of the variance that this practice allows for. And it's a great testament to how (relatively) versatile the film types are.

Sirius Glass · Jul 8, 2022

ragazzo said:
I love that eve

I love that eventually we'd compile a list of every film available if everyone were just inputting their favorite film. It's nice to think of the variance that this practice allows for. And it's a great testament to how (relatively) versatile the film types are.

Yes, but everyone is pushing their drug film of choice.

ragazzo · Jul 8, 2022

Sirius Glass said:
Yes, but everyone is pushing their drug film of choice.

Kodak-addict here, lol. Kodaddict?

Sirius Glass · Jul 8, 2022

ragazzo said:
Kodak-addict here, lol. Kodaddict?

Yes for me but I am an Ilford-addict & Rollei-addict, but there are others:

Fuji-addict

Foma-addict

Kentmore-addict

...

Glausuche · Jul 8, 2022

I went with some Ilford hp5 and some portra 400 for now to try them out.
Thanks for all the input and sorry if my question was too broad!!

oxcanary · Jul 14, 2022

Can I go with one not mentioned - just to take us nearer completeness! Delta 400 at 200 in Perceptol - good for using filters and blows up well to 16x12 as lith prints

removedacct3 · Jul 14, 2022

Now that the OP has made up his mind, I dare to mention the least likely candidate ... Fomapan 400.

Last weekend I used it for the first time on an indoor portrait/boudoir shoot. Rated at 200 ASA and developed in FX 55 (Gainer variant) I got excellent sharpness with deep blacks and crisp highlights, great tonality and absolutely drop dead gorgeous skin tones. Really, really nice.

From a technical point of view most certainly not the best 120 film, but from an artistic or creative point of view it blew me away on this occassion.

What's the best 120 film in your opinion?

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