fp4+ vs delta 100 vs PLUS-X 125 vs NEOPAN 100 ACROS

[Denis R]

fp4+ vs delta 100 vs PLUS-X 125 vs NEOPAN 100 ACROS

looking for b&w film available in 35 and 120 with speed close to 100 and wide exposure latitude so that results will be printable even if severely* over-exposed

severely* mystery shutter speed and aperture supposedbly 1/30 f16 on box-ish camera

the plan is to buy 35 and 120 and shoot both at the same time,
35 in semi-automatic mode, 120 in duaflex


I know nothing about these films

[P C Headland]

Well, I've always been very happy with Acros, whether shot in a box camera, folder or Fuji RF. The price is excellent too.

Works very well in Rodinal 1+100, and also in my standard developer, PC-TEA 1+50. Well worth experimenting with a roll or two.

[RalphLambrecht]

fp4+ vs delta 100 vs PLUS-X 125 vs NEOPAN 100 ACROS

looking for b&w film available in 35 and 120 with speed close to 100 and wide exposure latitude so that results will be printable even if severely* over-exposed

severely* mystery shutter speed and aperture supposedbly 1/30 f16 on box-ish camera

the plan is to buy 35 and 120 and shoot both at the same time,
35 in semi-automatic mode, 120 in duaflex


I know nothing about these films

The way you asked the question, you'll get four groups of people all voting for their favorite film. The truth is, all B&W films have an enormous latitude towards overexposure. You can print these films even if overexposed by several stops (4-8 stops no problem). You will have to live with long exposure times in the darkroom, but you will be rewarded with great shadow detail. Underexposure is a different matter. There is no latitude towards underexposure, unless you are willing to give up some shadow detail.

[markbarendt]

Ditto on what Ralph said.

I use 400 or 800 speed film in my Holga, which I have permanently set on cloudy.

Works fine even in Death Valley on the salt flats in direct sun.

[rwboyer]

The way you asked the question, you'll get four groups of people all voting for their favorite film. The truth is, all B&W films have an enormous latitude towards overexposure. You can print these films even if overexposed by several stops (4-8 stops no problem). You will have to live with long exposure times in the darkroom, but you will be rewarded with great shadow detail. Underexposure is a different matter. There is no latitude towards underexposure, unless you are willing to give up some shadow detail.

8 stops of honest to goodness overexposure is fine? really? you must get your medium speed film at a different store then me. I could have sworn that film had some sort of DMAX thing you eventually should think about. Let's see that would put my zone VII at like ... 19-20 stops above zone IIIish. I will have to try that some time.

RB

[Mark Fisher]

The characteristic curve for Acros is insanely straight (more light yields proportionally more density....http://www.fujifilm.ca/documents/Fuj...5_AF3-095E.pdf ). This does mean that over exposure just yields more density and longer print times. Conventional films are not as straight, but still are "good enough" with underexposure.

[photomem]

I was using Delta 100 because my opinion was warped by experiences using consumer color fujifilm. I finally bought some Acros 100 when my photo shop here in town was out of Delta 100. I am hooked. I shot some landscapes with it and just loved the buttery smooth skies and good separation of clouds that happened, even without a red filter. I am still trying to learn how characteristic curves work, which I should be able to grasp since I am somewhat of a statistics freak, but based off of look alone.. I have to say that Acros 100 has become my favorite ISO 100 Black and White film.

Though, to be fair.. if the Duaflex is anything at all like the Brownie Hawkeye, you have to pay close attention to how much light is available when using Acros or any other 100 speed film. I came out with a blank roll on Thanksgiving because of not paying attention.

[RalphLambrecht]

8 stops of honest to goodness overexposure is fine? really? you must get your medium speed film at a different store then me. I could have sworn that film had some sort of DMAX thing you eventually should think about. Let's see that would put my zone VII at like ... 19-20 stops above zone IIIish. I will have to try that some time.

RB

RB

Try it by all means. Actually, I remember Kodak showing a sequence of up to 12 stops without any quality loss. I tried to behave myself with saying 8 stops. I don't have an 8-stop example around at the moment, but I attached a 6-stop example. If you look close, you'll see that the ASA 400 film (left) exposed at EI 6 (right) gives more shadow detail and shows no degradation in the highlights. Overexposure is no problem, but you may notice a slight increase in grain with 35mm film.

[Colin Corneau]

All of those films will fit the few parameters you list. Unless there is something else you'd like your film to do, you might as well close your eyes and point.

Keep in mind some developers will give a bit of a speed increase - for example, a film may be about EI80 in, say, D76 but EI100 in TMax developer (for sake of example)

FP4 and Plus-X are box rated at 125, BTW.

[RalphLambrecht]

...Conventional films are not as straight, but still are "good enough" with underexposure.

Not good enough for my type of photography.