Your favourite film(s)?

FishyFish

FishyFish

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Since getting bitten by the film bug last summer, I'm going through a period where I feel the need to try as wide a range of films as possible - both out of curiosity as to the results I'll get, but also to try and find which ones I prefer. So far I've shot the following:

Kentmere 400
Ilford HP5+
Kodak T-Max 400
Kodak Tri X
Rollei Retro 400s
Agfa Vista Plus 200
Kodak Porta 160 (expired 2011)
Kodak Ultra 400 (expired 2005)
Some Dixons own brand stuff that expired around 2004.

I've still got some other rolls in the house to work through, including:

Rollei RPX 400
Rollei Superpan 200
Adox Silvermax 100
Ilford FP4 Plus

Plus some other expired stuff.

So far, the Tri X and the Portra 160 have been the standouts, although I do also like the results I get from the Poundland Agfa if the light's nice. I've only just taken the Rollei Retro 400S to be processed today, so will see what that brings tomorrow. I guess it's not really fair to judge a film on just a single roll though, especially given that I'm still very much a learner at this film lark and most of the rolls have been shot under different conditions (and with different cameras in some cases), so there are certainly others that I'll probably have a second shot at.

Anyway, is this normal behaviour for new film photographers? And if it is (or isn't), what are your own preferred films and why? There are still loads for me to try out! :D
 
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That's what happened to me too :D I was like a kid in a candy shop and wanted to try everything. My favourite C41 film is by far Portra 400 because I love the pastel tones and modern look. I used to love Ektar but now I feel like it can be a little too saturated for my taste in the majority of situations. For B&W I love Delta 100 and FP4+ as they're contrasty without being too grainy. For 4x5 I mostly use Fomapan 100 as it's the cheapest at 60p per sheet :D

I do love trying new films, but I've tried to hold back lately and stick to the two or three that I use most. I figured this will help me learn how each film looks on a given scene and I won't be as surprised when I see the final image.
 
Ahh well, depends on the format, I've done my testing and know what I like.

if its 35mm, I like Delta 100/400, AGFA apx and acros, gotta be in Xtol though, for 120 it doesn't matter what developer but add panf to the list.
Velvia 100f for colour in any format
I'm indifferent towards print film...:)
 
I went through the same process when I started, but in my case the films I tried are probably all without exception no longer made. My favorite was probably Adox KB14, followed by PanF. In colour, either Kodachrome 25 or (for unusual effects) Ektachrome Infra red. I used HP3 when I needed speed. As developer makes a big difference, my normal developer was Unitol (discontined, no formula available) with a regard for Acutol with PanF and the right subject.

These days, I use PanF in 120 (and sometimes FP4 if I need speed) and FP4 in 5x4 because I can't get PanF in that size. I use Rodinal as my developer of choice because it's easy to use and lasts forever. The only downside is large grain (I hate grain) but in 120 and particularly 5x4 it doesn't matter.

Colour doesn't do anything for me; if I want colour it will be for holiday or record snaps, and I borrow a digital camera for those things. I have used Fuji NPS160, but as far as I'm concerned it's just colour...
 
I don't do grain really

Delta 400 in Xtol is like 100 in an average fine grain dev
For me, I'd use Xtol for all my 35mm, and I'd use it for Delta 400 in 120 for the extra speed and smoothing out its grain
I use 100 mostly, but sometime you need the extra speed of 400
Xtol is not a good keeper, you can't tell by looking at it that its borked, which can make things awkward and less economical in low volume processing.
 
Fomapan 200 Creative. I have a bulk roll so can make cassettes of the size I need for a particular shoot. I develop in Rodinol diluted 1:50 - I don't mind grain.

For those times I do mind grain, I use Adox CHS 100 developed in ID11.
 
Asha said:
:thinking: I need to re try that film then cos my skies came out grey....oh hang on, they were shot in the uk where the skies are always grey!:D:D
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Don't rub it in, it's becoming a bit of a sore point at the moment! :grumpy:
 
Mr Badger said:
Don't rub it in, it's becoming a bit of a sore point at the moment! :grumpy:
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Perhaps I could do to visit....... Past experience shows that the sun generally follows me when I travel;)

Alternatively get yourself down here, fleaby jet will get you to Nice for about 100 quid return from the UK, hand luggage only ( that sorts camera kit and toothbrush, what else do ya need!:D)

An extra tenner gets you to my place where, if you don't snore, the sofa can be shared with the cats, alternatively, bring a tent and you can pitch in the garden with the badgers that occasionally visit during the night:D
 
FishyFish said:
what are your own preferred films and why?
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Difficult to answer unless you have tried them all B\W and colour and what was the subject e.g. portrait, landscape etc...but for general purpose colour I'd choose Superia 200 (some say Superia 400 is better) and keep my old stock of Reala for scenery, but then Portra or Ektar could be better but yet to try them (in the freezer for MF).
 
Mr Badger said:
Don't rub it in, it's becoming a bit of a sore point at the moment! :grumpy:
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I recently came across The Online Darkroom blog, and he has a whole collection of shots taken in damp, overcast conditions and they're really nice. It's inspired me to get out in the grey and see what I can get. Hopefully, all being well, I'll get something I like when I get the roll of Retro 400s back tomorrow <crosses fingers>...
 
FishyFish said:
I recently came across The Online Darkroom blog, and he has a whole collection of shots taken in damp, overcast conditions and they're really nice. It's inspired me to get out in the grey and see what I can get. Hopefully, all being well, I'll get something I like when I get the roll of Retro 400s back tomorrow <crosses fingers>...
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I appreciate that if it's persisting down then wandering outdoors with kit is not ideal nor pleasant, however there are a 101 ways to be inspirational with wet, dank weather conditions.

Even here where I live, we get some grey overcast, even wet days ( not too many but we do have them!} and if I'm out with a camera, the first thing folk say to me is "it's not suitable weather for photography"

Why not, the wet on subjects, be it the droplets or simply the sheen it offers or the way it brings vegetation to life, the street scenes of people grimacing or fighting with brollies, animals looking fed up and sad at being soaked, locations that are typically packed out and difficult to shoot become deserted of people, streams, rivers, waterfalls become alive with the force of nature, the lighting from street lamps, vehicle lights, shop frontages, advertising screens, all give a new look and reflections which are often not captured cos togs are too scared to go out in the wet..... the list of opportunities is endless.

Obtaining shelter is the headache at times in the countryside, but in towns there is generally some sort of cover every few yards

If you have a partner / assistant to hold a brolly and shelter you and your kit then the job is sorted;).
 
Asha said:
Perhaps I could do to visit....... Past experience shows that the sun generally follows me when I travel;)

Alternatively get yourself down here, fleaby jet will get you to Nice for about 100 quid return from the UK, hand luggage only ( that sorts camera kit and toothbrush, what else do ya need!:D)

An extra tenner gets you to my place where, if you don't snore, the sofa can be shared with the cats, alternatively, bring a tent and you can pitch in the garden with the badgers that occasionally visit during the night:D
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Cats are fine, but not sure about other badgers, we're apt to be very clannish you know. :D Wildlife jokes aside, after holidaying in France as a youngster in the early 1970s I'd rather live with wonderful memories, than revisit and potentially be disappointed at the change (and I'm sure there will have been some, if only as an increase in the number of people and traffic?). We used to visit Brittany (around the Benodet, Quimper, Concarneau and Beg Meil area). Very happy memories of beautiful, unspoilt, scenery; clean uncrowded beaches; wonderful seafood, and comparatively few other British tourists! Happy days, and If I don't revisit then it stays alive in my memory as it was. :).
 
My favourite film? Well, currently it is;

Kodak Ektar 100
Fuji Acros 100

and when the light is poorer:

Kodak Portra 800
Ilford XP2 400

However, I do tend to prefer fine grain and sharpness and my choice is also based on using 120 film in pre-1970s medium format cameras, so I find a bit of extra 'pop' and contrast helps with the slightly less 'contrasty' lenses my cameras seem to have. I find that Kodak Ektar and Fuji Acros 100 seem to get the best out of my Yashica 635 TLRs in terms of sharpness, so perhaps give a roll of either of these a go if you have a Yashica 635 and see what you think?

I've not tried Fuji's current range of slide film, so I'd welcome recommendations based on my above preferences (and for any other film you think might suit me too). Years ago, I used to favour Kodak Ektachrome, so I'd be happy if Kodak bring something that looks the same or very similar back in 120 size soon. :)
 
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These are my favourite films in speed order

Rollei RPX 25
PanF 50
Rollei retro 80s
ACROS 100
Tmax 400
Delta 3200

Velvia 50
Ektar 100
Portra 160
NPH 400 - got some portra 400 to try which mightbe better
 
I picked up the Film camera in the Summer for the first time in many years.
I have only used Kentmere 400 and Fuji Superia 400.....until I get something decent and have worked out what the hell I'm doing, I'll stick with the cheap films ;)
 
Well, the Rollei Retro 400s has been a bit of a dissapointment. Not sure of the reason, but the whole roll came out underexposed. Given that, if anything, I'd overexposed most of the shots by a bit according to the camera's meter, this is a bit of a surprise.

I've got the following list of potential reasons:
  1. User error - I've somehow misread the meter, or have set the film speed incorrectly on the camera. I'm fairly certain that neither of these is the case though. I've shot a roll in the same camera (my OM-1) before without this problem occuring, and the speed dial was set to 400.
  2. Meter fault. The camera uses a modern battery instead of the original mecury cell, so there may be a discrepancy between what the camera says and the actual metering due to the different voltage (or maybe the battery is failing or something). Again, the metering worked ok last time though.
  3. Processing error. The roll was processed at Peak Imaging, so I'm sure they know their stuff, but is there a possibility that Retro 400s needs to handled differently to other more common B&W films that they've overlooked?
  4. A film fault of some sort.
  5. Something else that my limited experience doesn't know about.
Luckily I quite like the look of some of the results. They have a bleak and forbidding look to them. I've posted one already in Show us yer film shots, and will post more as I work through them. Some of the shots are write-offs though.
 
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FishyFish said:
Acros and Ektar are definites for me to try at some point. Not sure whether in 35mm or 120 yet (although maybe they'll add extra pop to my Lubitel 166 U).
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I'd recommend giving some fomapan 100 a bash... I've never liked it with the exception of every time I put it through my 166B


swisscheese said:
I picked up the Film camera in the Summer for the first time in many years.
I have only used Kentmere 400 and Fuji Superia 400.....until I get something decent and have worked out what the hell I'm doing, I'll stick with the cheap films ;)
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I was quite impressed with Kentmere film, their 100 is surprisingly good I thought.


FishyFish said:
Well, the Rollei Retro 400s has been a bit of a dissapointment. Not sure of the reason, but the whole roll came out underexposed. Given that, if anything, I'd overexposed most of the shots by a bit according to the camera's meter, this is a bit of a surprise.

I've got the following list of potential reasons:
  1. User error - I've somehow misread the meter, or have set the film speed incorrectly on the camera. I'm fairly certain that neither of these is the case though. I've shot a roll in the same camera (my OM-1) before without this problem occuring, and the speed dial was set to 400.
  2. Meter fault. The camera uses a moder battery instead of the original mecury cell, so ther may be a discrepancy between what the camera says and the actual metering (or maybe the battery is failing or something). Again, the metering worked ok last time though.
  3. Processing error. The roll was processed at Peak Imaging, so I'm sure they know their stuff, but is there a possibility that Retro 400s needs to handled differently to other more common B&W films that they've overlooked?
  4. Film fault of some sort.
  5. Something else that my limited experience doesn't know about.
Luckily I quite like the look of some of the results. They ave a bleak and forbidding look to them. I've posted one already in Show us yer film shots, and will post more as I work through them. Some of the shots are write-offs though.
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I've found retro 400s to be one of the most frustrating films I've used... I've had some (to me) stunning results, but for the most part its really hit or miss, particularly in medium format.
 
I've used quite a few now since jumping back into film last year. I intend to shoot waaaaaaaaaay more yet though, but I have to say that some of the cheapest film has been amongst my favourites. I'd have to say, that so far, Agfa Vista 200 is my favourite. I love the colour tones, especially the reds.
I've only used a couple of B&Ws so far, but HP5 400 is up there. I still have Across 100, Fomopan and some other Ilford films to use yet though, so early days. But yeah, Agfa Vista! I love it.
 
Definitely Tri-X for B&W in 35mm. I bought some Delta 100 in 120 after seeing some of the results people have achieved on here, shot some of it and it's still in the fridge waiting for me to think about tackling my backlog. I was also impressed with Shanghai GP3 in 120, great results for a quid a roll but it doesn't look as though it's available any more.

Favourite colour film in 35mm would be either Fuji Superia 800 or Portra in any speed. The colour balance in the Fuji just seems to work really well for the subjects I like to shoot, though I don't use it as often as I should because I've got too many films that I bought to try out.

Honourable mention to Velvia 50 for landscapes. Absolutely gorgeous but it appears to be in short supply with AG asking £11 for a roll of 35mm! :eek:
 
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