Where does FP4+ fall in for you?

HiHoSilver · Jun 15, 2016

markbarendt said:
I tried hard not to like it in the beginning, wanted Delta 100 to be better, no old emulsions for me, silly newby.

Delta 100 is a truly great film but FP4, well FP4 is like your best friend at age 8 that'll play in the dirt with you all day. It can almost do no wrong.

Jake at Bluemoon camera (all 8x10 Deardorf) suggested HP5 orig. & I've been quite happy. 'Thought that if I'm gonna go to the trouble to lug around & set up on a 'pod, I might as well get all the goodness I can from the larger neg. What you describe, Mark, sounds like just what this age 8er can use. 'Preciate your help a bunch. You get listened to very closely on the topic.

Roger Cole · Jun 15, 2016

HiHoSilver said:
'Noob that I am, Mark & Ralph both liking it makes an impression for me. 'Had 2 rolls moderately underexposed before I realized the meter battery was dying (sigh). The images of the steam trains in the gallery are all from a roll of FP4 - after a trip to the store to find a battery. Thank goodness Luna Pro SBCs take a std. 9v.

They are great meters but they also EAT those 9v batteries. I always keep a spare in my little meter case (well, moderate sized meter case for the SBC) and buy a new one as soon after swapping to the spare as possible. I also have the light meter app on my iPhone and have had to use it when I failed to replace that spare and pulled out my SBC only to find the battery dead.

markbarendt · Jun 15, 2016

HiHoSilver said:
Jake at Bluemoon camera (all 8x10 Deardorf) suggested HP5 orig. & I've been quite happy. 'Thought that if I'm gonna go to the trouble to lug around & set up on a 'pod, I might as well get all the goodness I can from the larger neg. What you describe, Mark, sounds like just what this age 8er can use. 'Preciate your help a bunch. You get listened to very closely on the topic.

Giggle.

Harold33 · Jun 15, 2016

For me, FP4+ has a "flat" rendition, even when you give it a high CI. In the IS0 100 range, I much prefer the defunct Plus-X and, now, Orwo UN54.

DREW WILEY · Jun 15, 2016

I don't know why FP4 would necessarily look flat. You can develop it for quite a range of density. What made Plus-X different was its extremely long
upswept toe, which was popular in high-key fashion photography and Caucasian portraiture because you could so efficiently expand the midtones and highlights, yet at the inherent expense of decent deep shadow gradation.

MartinCrabtree · Jun 15, 2016

This is why I like FP4. It just looks like a B&W photo should to me. One of the first photos taken with my F5. Program with the matrix meter. All I did was push the button. Only reason it's FP4 is that roll came with the camera.

Vaughn · Jun 15, 2016

TheFlyingCamera said:
I use FP4+ a lot for my large format work and for my 2 1/4 rollfilm.

This is a platinum/palladium print using 5x7 FP4+. I developed it in Pyrocat HD, 1:1:100.

Very well done, FC. Do you use much contrast agent (Potassium chlorate, NA2, etc) in your mix?

PS...Great portrait, Thomas! Martin...you reminded me of a line in a song Steven Stills covered about his aeromobile -- "Just push in the button and you can make her sing..."

eddie · Jun 15, 2016

It's my usual for 120/4x5/5x7. Always does what I ask of it.

TheFlyingCamera · Jun 16, 2016

Vaughn said:
Very well done, FC. Do you use much contrast agent (Potassium chlorate, NA2, etc) in your mix?

PS...Great portrait, Thomas! Martin...you reminded me of a line in a song Steven Stills covered about his aeromobile -- "Just push in the button and you can make her sing..."

That was no contrast agent added - if I recall correctly, that's a pure palladium print.

Roger Cole · Jun 16, 2016

DREW WILEY said:
I don't know why FP4 would necessarily look flat. You can develop it for quite a range of density. What made Plus-X different was its extremely long
upswept toe, which was popular in high-key fashion photography and Caucasian portraiture because you could so efficiently expand the midtones and highlights, yet at the inherent expense of decent deep shadow gradation.

I don't get it either. I really liked Plus-X for a number of things, among them that it responded so well in Diafine I could use one film for medium or fast-ish (400 or so) in 35mm. I actually liked Plus-X at 400 (sometimes gave it a third stop more to 500, it was actually a tad dense at 400) in Diafine better than Tri-X at box speed in those days. FP4 doesn't do that (and it's probably that Plus-X toe that allowed that) but at anything from half box speed to box speed or a wee bit more if needed I find it just has no flaws at all. Acros is finer grained and has that pan-ortho sensitivity which looks great for some things but odd for a few. I never got along with TMX at all (though I like TMY) and never tried Delta 100.

If I could use only one medium speed current production film it would be FP4+.

Xmas · Jun 17, 2016

T

Roger Cole said:
I don't get it either. I really liked Plus-X for a number of things, among them that it responded so well in Diafine I could use one film for medium or fast-ish (400 or so) in 35mm. I actually liked Plus-X at 400 (sometimes gave it a third stop more to 500, it was actually a tad dense at 400) in Diafine better than Tri-X at box speed in those days. FP4 doesn't do that (and it's probably that Plus-X toe that allowed that) but at anything from half box speed to box speed or a wee bit more if needed I find it just has no flaws at all. Acros is finer grained and has that pan-ortho sensitivity which looks great for some things but odd for a few. I never got along with TMX at all (though I like TMY) and never tried Delta 100.

If I could use only one medium speed current production film it would be FP4+.

There are only a few 100s left or rather Acros is the only Fuji, with Plusx, Efke, and Leaverkausen Afga, distant memories of happier days.
In my stash I've got Delta, Kentmere and Foma as well as FP4, must get some more of the others, before (sic in case) they dissappear.

Roger Cole · Jun 17, 2016

Xmas said:
T

There are only a few 100s left or rather Acros is the only Fuji, with Plusx, Efke, and Leaverkausen Afga, distant memories of happier days.
In my stash I've got Delta, Kentmere and Foma as well as FP4, must get some more of the others, before (sic in case) they dissappear.

How many do you need? There are at least seven I count, assuming that Rollei RPX 100 is actually one of the others (not sure what it actually is.)

Adox CHSII
Fomapan 100
Fuji Acros
Ilford Delta 100
Ilford FP4+
Kentmere 100
Kodak TMX

You may not have included TMX because you shoot 35mm loaded from bulk. If I did that I agree the price is just silly. But in rolls it isn't much different. I shoot black and white almost exclusively in 120 and sheets so 35mm bulk roll pricing I don't even notice.

David Lingham · Jun 21, 2016

Richard S. (rich815) said:
Just curious, if you don't mind me asking, how many times did you try FP4 in Rodinal? Also, are you saying you don't like other's results from FP4 in Rodinal?

Sorry for the late reply. I’ve used Rodinal for over 30yrs with a wide variety of films. Most of the time I like FP4 in it, but even with reduced agitation and shortened developement it does go a bit grainy in the mid tone to high lights. Which does not suit certain subjects. The beauty of FP4 is it is great in just about any developer, meaning you can tailor the film to produce a look and feel. At the moment I use D76 1+1. But if I could justify the cost, I would use DDX with FP4.

TheToadMen · Jun 21, 2016

Ilford FP4+ in Ilfotec DD-X is a perfect combination!

markbau · Jun 22, 2016

I still use it but less enthusiastically than the old FP4, same with Tri X, it's a very different film now that they introduced T Grains into the emulsion to cut down on production costs (I'm also led to believe that they don't have as much silver now as they incorporate sensitised dyes to further reduce production costs) T grain technology was a huge backward step in my opinion.

My soup is PMK on a Jobo

Jos Segers · Jun 22, 2016

TheToadMen said:
Ilford FP4+ in Ilfotec DD-X is a perfect combination!

I prefer Ilford FP4+ in a Pyrogallol formula by Jed Freudenthal. This gives good tonal gradation and subtle highlights.

DREW WILEY · Jun 22, 2016

I don't consider any of the 100's as true box speed films except for TMX, more like wishful thinking 100's if you sacrifice shadow gradation. The closest thing to Plus X pan is Delta 100, with its relatively long toe, yet not as long a sweep as Plus X. Interesting things could be done with that classic old film, especially if you were surfing the highlights. But it was always a poor choice for long scale subjects with deep shadows, where
Super XX ruled supreme. But again, calling FP4 "flat" ???? - that would be a developing problem, not any inherent characteristic of the film itself.

markbarendt · Jun 22, 2016

I agree Michael.

RalphLambrecht · Mar 11, 2022

David Lingham said:
FP4 works for me, D76 1+1 box speed. Didn't like it with Rodinal.

interesting;I like it a lot in Rodinal 1+50.

markjwyatt · Mar 11, 2022

FP4+ and Rodinal worked well for me:

Old and New by Mark Wyatt, on Flickr

Brick Building by Mark Wyatt, on Flickr

RalphLambrecht · Mar 12, 2022

it's my g-to film these days;HP5 is too soft and the Deltas have no grit.

markbau · Mar 12, 2022

RalphLambrecht said:
it's my g-to film these days;HP5 is too soft and the Deltas have no grit.

Agree. If there was only one film available I'd want it to be FP4. Any problems with it are the photographers development. It's dependable in D:76 1:1 but I really like it in PMK and D-23 1:1.

Dusty Negative · Mar 12, 2022

markjwyatt said:
FP4+ and Rodinal worked well for me:

Old and New by Mark Wyatt, on Flickr

Brick Building by Mark Wyatt, on Flickr

I am not particularly fond of architectural photography, particularly B&W architectural photography.

I am particularly fond of that second photograph.

Cowabunga. What a picture!

mrosenlof · Mar 12, 2022

Monkeypod, Alae Cemetery, Hilo, Hawaii
4x5, HC-110 1:50

GregY · Mar 16, 2022

Bob Carnie said:
plus one

Plus 2 from 35mm to 5x7 (& used to be 8x10)...... if it were the only film i could have i'd still be happy

Where does FP4+ fall in for you?

Membership Council

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency