Why no fast film?

[mikeklensch]

Greetings all,

I'm still very wet behind the ears when it comes to large format. So please excuse me if the answer to my question is painfully obvious. But why are there no fast chrome films for 4x5? I shoot lots of night photography with 120 Fuji RHP III and I would like to try these compositions with 4x5. The slower large format lenses are already a handicap, but it's made even worse by not having a 400 ISO film. Does anyone know why this is?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[Ian Grant]

In 30 years of shooting LF, all 5x4 until 2 years ago I've never used a film faster than FP4 125's ISO until shooting Forte 200 with my10x8 more recently.

Really it's because 99% of LF work nowadays is made with the camera on a tripod, so its less of an issue

Personally I've never found a need for faster films and actually prefer the slower film as it allows for long exposures.

Unfortunately the range of specialist films is decreasing and we must make sure the range left is sufficient for all our uses.

Ian

 

[Amund]

No fast E-6 films for 4x5, but both Fuji and Kodak has ISO 400 negative films.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Greetings all,

I'm still very wet behind the ears when it comes to large format. So please excuse me if the answer to my question is painfully obvious. But why are there no fast chrome films for 4x5? I shoot lots of night photography with 120 Fuji RHP III and I would like to try these compositions with 4x5. The slower large format lenses are already a handicap, but it's made even worse by not having a 400 ISO film. Does anyone know why this is?

Thanks,
Mike

Dear Mike,

Supply and demand. Most people have more sense than to try low-light 4x5. Those of us who don't have that much sense (I include myself) are just not a very big market.

Cheers,

R.

 

[mikeklensch]

Thank you Ian, Amund and Roger,

I figured the reason was a supply and demand issue rather than something "technical". I suppose I do fall within the category of people "without much sense" The extra speed is really useful for my compositions because I want to capture as many stars as possible before they "trail". So this limits my exposures to no longer than 30 seconds (will vary depending on the focal length of the lens). So the extra film speed really does help me. If I'm shooting star-trails, then film speed is not an issue, and I prefer to use a slower film. But most of my exposures are relatively short, and I need to capture as much light as I can in that time period. I guess I'll have to stick with roll film for those compostions.

Thanks again,
Mike

 

[John Bartley]

Greetings all,

..... But why are there no fast chrome films for 4x5? I shoot lots of night photography with 120 Fuji RHP III and I would like to try these compositions with 4x5. The slower large format lenses are already a handicap, but it's made even worse by not having a 400 ISO film. Does anyone know why this is?

Thanks,
Mike

I don't know about "chrome", but for an 400 iso film there's always HP5+ by Ilford. It's available in roll and sheet sizes. Here's the link :

http://www.ilfordphoto.com/products/productlist.asp?n=7&t=Consumer+&+Professional+Films

cheers

 

[DannL]

You might want to design/fabricate a Barn Door Tracker for the camera. I have been tempted many times to do it, but failed to generate the enthusiasm. ;-) Plug the term "Barn Door Tracker" into google and see what pops up. There are many types, both electrical and hand driven.

 

[mikeklensch]

You might want to design/fabricate a Barn Door Tracker for the camera. I have been tempted many times to do it, but failed to generate the enthusiasm. ;-) Plug the term "Barn Door Tracker" into google and see what pops up. There are many types, both electrical and hand driven.

Thanks Dann for the thought...

But I have already constructed a couple of barn door trackers that work very well when I'm shooting just the sky. But for the compositions where I'm including landscape (which is most of my compositions), any tracking device would be useless since it would blur the landscape. For images including the landscape, I'm limited to very short exposures if I don't want the stars to trail.

Mike

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Provia 100F pushes one stop nicely (I do it often in flat light for a small boost in contrast), and even two stops isn't so bad (I don't do this so often, but I've tried it). Might be worth a try in this application.

 

[photochucker]

Hi

Was just on the auction site we all love and sometimes hate and they have for sale

KODAK PORTRA 400NC 8X10 COLOR NEG SHEET FILM

Could you not cut this down into 4 x 5? and use it that way?

Might not be as convienent but would possibly give you what you need for speed.

Only other way would be to get a hold of some aerial film and use it.

Only reason I was looking at this was to find fast film for my 5 x 7

Hope this helps!

 

[mikeklensch]

Thanks photochucker and David for the tips. I did think about pushing 100 ISO, and might have to experiment and see what the results are like. And I was also considering the Kodak 400 C-41 as an option. But I sure do like the Fuji 400 chromes in 120.

 

[DrPablo]

Hi

Was just on the auction site we all love and sometimes hate and they have for sale

KODAK PORTRA 400NC 8X10 COLOR NEG SHEET FILM

Could you not cut this down into 4 x 5? and use it that way?

This film comes in 4x5 as well, I have a box of it in the fridge. It's a print film and not a slide film, for what that's worth.

I'd be happier if there were portra 400 VC in sheet film too.

 

[photochucker]

Agpha Aviphot 200

What about this film?

I know it is only ASA200 - but looks like it could be pushed and it is a chrome film.

From the tech sheet

:Aviphot Chrome 200 PE1 is a panchromatic colour reversal film for aerial photography from low to medium altitude (15,000 ft or approx. 5,000 m). The film has a clear, dimensionally stable polyester base.

Thickness of the base: 0.10 mm; total thickness: 0.126 mm.

Applications

:Aviphot Chrome 200 PE1 is designed for making aerial photographs in different types of cameras.
The film is used for the interpretation of aerial photographs, in photogrammetry, for reconnaissance and publicity.
Although this is a chrome diapositive, the film renders clear information in the shadows thanks to its excellent contrast properties.

This film is particularly suitable for mapping and oblique photography. Since the images can be used directly in plotting equipment, copying is superfluous.
Prints can be generated on Agfa’s CRN colour paper, or on Agfa’s CN colour paper using an internegative film. For generating a dimensionally stable internegative the use of Aviphot Color N400 is recommended with standard processing in AP 70 Process.


Features
• Sharp image, even in the smallest details.
• High colour saturation and colour purity.
• Exact grey balance.
• Good reciprocity characteristics.
• Good processing stability.
• Processing in AP 44 or E6 chemistry.
• Good archival properties when correctly processed.
• Excellent dimensional stability.

Photographic data

General sensitivity
ISO 200/24.
ASA 200.
DIN 24.

Film structure

Aviphot Chrome 200 is composed of three light-sensitive emulsion layers, sensitised for the spectral colours blue, green and red. Each of the separate emulsion layers contains a slow and a fast layer.

Darkroom lighting
The film has to be handled in total darkness.

Exposure
The sensitivity of the film is 200 ASA. It can be exposed in all classical cameras. Exposure depends on the light reflected by the earth, the altitude and flying speed of the aircraft and processing conditions (pushed or not).

Assortment

Aviphot Chrome 200 PE1

Size Spool/Winding/Perforation Order code
24 cm x 76 m 9.7/16 in x 249 ft AH897 – EI – NP 3DEUQ
24 cm x 135 m 9.7/16 in x 443 ft AM897 – EI – NP 3DE13

Regards,

Chuck

 

[Petzi]

But why are there no fast chrome films for 4x5? I shoot lots of night photography with 120 Fuji RHP III and I would like to try these compositions with 4x5. The slower large format lenses are already a handicap, but it's made even worse by not having a 400 ISO film. Does anyone know why this is?

The reason is that LF cameras have been used mostly in the studio where large powerful flash units are available. This lead to low demand for high speed LF film.

 

[Zach in Israel]

Large format sky photography.

Thank you Ian, Amund and Roger,

I figured the reason was a supply and demand issue rather than something "technical". I suppose I do fall within the category of people "without much sense" The extra speed is really useful for my compositions because I want to capture as many stars as possible before they "trail". So this limits my exposures to no longer than 30 seconds (will vary depending on the focal length of the lens). So the extra film speed really does help me. If I'm shooting star-trails, then film speed is not an issue, and I prefer to use a slower film. But most of my exposures are relatively short, and I need to capture as much light as I can in that time period. I guess I'll have to stick with roll film for those compostions.

Thanks again,
Mike

Nice to find someone else who does sky photography. I have been using the Provia 400 in 35mm and 120 format (on a Rolleiflex) for deap sky shots. I would love to be able to use it in 4x5 format.

I guess you could try to use the provia 100 or Astia 100 and push them. I haven't tried this yet, as I have not yet moved up to large format. I am going to tryand build a barn door and then get a telescope to do piggy pack first.

However after that I am planning to build a 4x5 astrograph