Your favourite B&W portrait film

raucousimages · Dec 2, 2004

It was plus-x in HC-110 dil. b but as that is gone in sheet film I am shooting FP4 in ID-11 and 100-T-Max in Tmax RS.

modafoto · Dec 2, 2004

waynecrider said:
Isn't the film and developer just half the equation?

What are you thinking of? The other half is the photographer? If so, I totally agree. I ask this question to get inspiration for my own film/dev testing.

Morten

Nephilim · Jun 4, 2006

I use PlusX and TriX for most of my work in 135 and 120-formats
In studio portraiture PlusX is used in 135 and 120
And outdoor and or on location I let the overall lightning condition and or the use of artifical light decide whichever works best.

For Large format I use only TriX.

My main developer is currently XTol which has replaced Rodinal since the tragic dissapearance of Agfa. I'm considering evaluating R09 (original Rodinal) but as of now and due to conveniance issues I find that the characteristic curve of XTol works fine.

arigram · Jun 4, 2006

Handheld I use FP4+ and HP5+ or TriX.
In the studio I will try PanF.
(all in 120)

JohnArs · Jun 4, 2006

I show you mine:
For woman with clean skin I use Delta 100 in 35 mm up to 4x5
For woman with not so good skin I use HP5 or TMY 400 from 35 mm up to 8x10
For the male I use TMAX 100 if I will show you everything a bit on the harsh side!
Includes also the lighting!
And as always just soup it in XTOL undiluted almost!
It gives me wonderfull smooth midtones good sharpness finest grain!

tony lockerbie · Jun 4, 2006

May be sacriligious but do not discount the chromagenic films ( XP2 and T400CN ) for portrait work. I use T400CN for wedding work as it holds the blacks and whites really well with no hassles.

If you are printing in the darkroom XP2 has more guts and the printing times are less due to the lack of masking that is present on the Kodak film.

For my own stuff I tend to use Tri-X and D76 diluted 1:1, nice and smooth.

TheFlyingCamera · Jun 4, 2006

tony lockerbie said:
May be sacriligious but do not discount the chromagenic films ( XP2 and T400CN ) for portrait work. I use T400CN for wedding work as it holds the blacks and whites really well with no hassles.

If you are printing in the darkroom XP2 has more guts and the printing times are less due to the lack of masking that is present on the Kodak film.

For my own stuff I tend to use Tri-X and D76 diluted 1:1, nice and smooth.

I'm quite fond of the T400CN as a travel film - rate it at 100, and live with the very long printing times. You can get 35mm negs this way that will hold up qualitywise printed at 12x18 full-frame, or even cropped at 16x20.

For potraits these days, I'm doing FP4+ in Pyrocat HD, rated at 64, in 8x10, in my studio (AKA the dining room). I do the same thing for outdoors, but in 4x5 most often.

c6h6o3 · Jun 4, 2006

Big Camera: 400Tmax
Little Camera: Efke R50

I develop everything in the Pooka's Triple Seven Sauce.

jd callow · Jun 4, 2006

Thanks to some posts and discussions from D F Cardwell I have found TXP to be an excellent choice.

fschifano · Jun 4, 2006

For rollfilm cameras it's Plus-X in D-76 1+1. I've found nothing better and simpler. FP4+ treated the same way is good too, but Plus-X just prints nicer to me. Large format gets TXP again in D-76.

blansky · Jun 4, 2006

FP4 with studio strobes.

FP4 outdoors.

MIchael

gnashings · Jun 4, 2006

35mm - mainly FP4+, some PanF in Rodinal 1+50, TriX @1000 in Acufine
120 - FP4+, TriX in Rodinal 1+50

I shoot available light almost 99% of the time.

Having said that, I recently tried a roll of Efke 100 (in 120) for the first time, and I think I may have a contender for that "sweet spot" in my heart.

Roger Hicks · Jun 4, 2006

Varies with the camera:

35mm -- XP2
120 -- Delta 100 or HP5
LF -- FP4

Cheers,

Roger (www.rogerandfrances.com)

MMfoto · Jun 4, 2006

Good light and nice people get TX/XTOL/P.Cat HD, mean cats on dark warehouse rafters get TMZ/Rodinal.

Chazzy · Jun 4, 2006

tony lockerbie said:
May be sacriligious but do not discount the chromagenic films ( XP2 and T400CN ) for portrait work. I use T400CN for wedding work as it holds the blacks and whites really well with no hassles.

Is T400CN still available? I thought it had been replaced by BW400 something, with the obnoxious orange mask.

SuzanneR · Jun 4, 2006

mrcallow said:
Thanks to some posts and discussions from D F Cardwell I have found TXP to be an excellent choice.

I've followed Don's advice as well, and think TXP in x-tol is an excllent choice, too!

Attached... a quick RC proof print of TXP in x-tol.

Gary Holliday · Jun 4, 2006

XP2 120 two softboxes.
Agfa APX 25 120 in Rodinal until I've none left.
Will give Fuji Acros 100 a try, it's marketed for portraiture. Anyone any thoughts on this?
Anyone use red filters to reduce blemishes?

Harry Lime · Jun 5, 2006

Well, it used to be APX100 in Rodinal...
Before that it was Plus-X in D76 or Divided D76. Nice and creamy. I would rate PX at about 100 asa, which really held on to the highlights.
But these are relatively slow films.

I do most of my work with Tri-X in DD-X. Looks terrific from the Rolleiflex. Fine grain, huge tonal range and the extra speed lets me shoot handheld in most light situations.

Harry Lime · Jun 5, 2006

waynecrider said:
Isn't the film and developer just half the equation?

Yep.

What lenses and the type of lights you are using can make a huge difference.

Your favourite B&W portrait film

raucousimages

modafoto

Nephilim

arigram

JohnArs

tony lockerbie

TheFlyingCamera

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