[rwboyer]

All you nay sayers are missing the point here.

The OP CAN'T adjust the exposure reliably.

I'm with Ralph, any of the listed negative films will be quite printable, even with huge over-exposures.

Would they be better close to their box speed? Probably, but so what.

I didn't miss any point anywhere I was just being a D**K about unqualified statements like 8 stops of overexposure is fine. Well if it really is over exposure (like 8 stops over the point where you have optimum shadow detail) and your scene is not one tone, it actually has a pretty good range to start with - then 8 stops is not "fine". Black and white film is fantastic in it's ability to put a huge range of EV on the negative but it does have a DMAX and a significant amount of typical scenes you might be shooting will reach that point easily if you really truly overexpose by 8 stops. Translation for the non-technical - if you really truly "overexpose" by 8 stops you will more likely than not actually block a significant amount of highlight values.

RB