35mm B&W film – sources and recommendations ?

[thefizz]

April 30, 2009 at 3:23 pm

Damien, I have 3 or 4 rolls of Ilford 35mm film which I’ll never use so seeing that you want to shoot a few different films, pm your address to me and I’ll post them to you.

Peter

[damien.murphy]

April 30, 2009 at 3:39 pm

Many thanks again for the generous offer Peter – dropped you a pm with details,

Damien

[jessthespringer]

April 30, 2009 at 5:23 pm

Neopan is available in 1600 as well, might be better than pushing.

I’d agree with the advice of using one film and one developer, until you get the feel for what’s, what…

I’m using lots of different films at the moment, but always the same developer…

Sinead

[damien.murphy]

April 30, 2009 at 5:37 pm

Hi Jess,

I’m interested in simplifying at the moment, and think I’ll be taking the sagely advice of using a single developer at first.

Yeah, I’ve seen Neopan 1600, but seemed to hear somewhere that lower iso film was a bit cheaper, and was thus considering pushing film. To be honest, simplicity is a main objective, and think with a 400 speed film I can stick with just one film and make it fit my needs, faster when needed and at 400 the rest of the time.

Would be quite interested in hearing peoples experiences pushing film. I’m a lower light shooter by nature, and have no issue with grain,

Damien

[jessthespringer]

April 30, 2009 at 5:50 pm

What kind of low light? That might be a factor in choosing, maybe…

I pushed for the first time this week, Neopan 400, rated at 1600, this is a print scan.
(film section readers are probably sick of this picture of Richard)

I think the trouble with pushing film is loss of detail in shadows/blacks, so if you were using it for gigs or something like that, the 1600 might be better.

I don’t think there is much in the price, 20 or 30p a roll maybe.
I’m sure you know this already, but, you can only develop for one ISO value.

Sinead

[damien.murphy]

April 30, 2009 at 6:06 pm

Hi Jess – Late evening/ indoors/ night mainly – generally the kind of situations that would find me at 1/15- 1/30 ISO 1600 & f2.8. I think 1600 should suit my needs though, and plan on running it through a Leica, which may even help me in the shutter speed department with the quiet shutter and lack of a mirror-box in the camera.

Yeah, I know I can only develop for one ISO value, one of the main things I will miss from digital I think :)

Damien

[Martin]

April 30, 2009 at 6:53 pm

damien.murphy wrote:

I think 1600 should suit my needs though

If 1600 is your goal then….

Option 1
Pushing 400 speed film 2 stops will up the contrast and have less detail in the shadows. If this is the look you are after then go for it, HP5+ is good for pushing

Option 2
Pulling Ilford Delta 3200 to around 1000 or 1600, This films real iso is 1000. By pulling (well not really as its iso1000) you will have more detail in your shadows and basically just a fuller range of tones in your image. Chose this option if your looking for less contrast and more details in your shadows than option 1

Option 3
Use Neopan 1600, cant comment on it have never used it… but would think you will get result somewhere between option 1 and option 2 but closer to option 1. Neopan 1600’s real iso is around 640 so your basically pushing anyhow…

Have fun
M

[damien.murphy]

May 1, 2009 at 6:03 am

Martin – I’m both thankful, and slightly perturbed at the depth of your knowledge :)

Damien