35mm- What's your favorite and why do you like it

CMoore · May 30, 2017

I am still just a beginner, but.......
I started with FP4+
It certainly is a great film, but i am into Street/Outside/Industrial/City-Scape/Etc etc type stuff. I was constantly in dim light and frequently had to select either a slow shutter speed or a small number aperture, or both. Switching to HP5 has really helped for what i do. I cannot thank Ilford enough for sticking with us. Who would have Ever Thought people would be taking pictures (millions and millions of them) with cameras, that did not require film.?

If i am a beginner with Black and White, i am a new-born with Color. I am trying to make a record of our granddaughter's first 5 years.
I am hoping to use mostly Fuji Provia 100..... and then a mixture of color Neg Film. I have tried the Lomo stuff and also have recently bought Fuji.....both 200 and 400 i think.?

So there is my master plan for success. My forthcoming Pulitzer and Guggenheim awards will, no doubt, have a positive financial benefit for the above mentioned films.

removed account4 · May 30, 2017

hi OP
my favorite 35mm film is anything i can get ahold of expired.
i process in dektol and caffenolc or ansco130 and caffenol c
( 10+ years ) can't complain ...
YMMV

TheTrailTog · Jun 3, 2017

Favorite B&W has been FP4+ ever since Plus-X was discontinued. I've never been a big color shooter, but when I do, I generally prefer Provia. That said, I just ordered 10 rolls of ColorPlus 200 to try out. For the price, I figured why not?

PGillin · Jun 4, 2017

Superia 1600, ESPECIALLY printed wet.
Delta 400 anywhere between 400 and 3200
Kentmere 400 anywhere from 400-1250
Rollei Superpan 200, which is (IMO) the closest "feel" (very subjective) to PX one can get these days. I started shooting PX a bit before its introduction and miss it dearly.

I've also enjoyed rollei CR & CN 200, the retro 80 is very nice (but a bit slow for my taste) and have been playing around with a short end of Vision 500t.

I like to shoot a lot (I use a motor and bulk film for this reason) and dig the film-era journalist/Daido aesthetic, so kinda grainy hot prints and scans are fine by me, correspondingly I'm pretty pleased with both Superia 1600 & KM400. Delta pushes well, so I keep some around, and I even like the 3200. The 500t hasn't given me any stellar results yet, but it was SO CHEAP that I'm determined to figure it out. With cost of chemistry it's working out to about 2.50 CAD per roll.....

JensH · Jun 4, 2017

Hi,

ILford PanF Plus and Adox Silvermax 100 in Moersch MZB developer.
I hardly take any color in 135 since Kodachome 25 is gone.

Greetings
Jens

Cholentpot · Jun 4, 2017

PGillin said:
Superia 1600, ESPECIALLY printed wet.
Delta 400 anywhere between 400 and 3200
Kentmere 400 anywhere from 400-1250
Rollei Superpan 200, which is (IMO) the closest "feel" (very subjective) to PX one can get these days. I started shooting PX a bit before its introduction and miss it dearly.

I've also enjoyed rollei CR & CN 200, the retro 80 is very nice (but a bit slow for my taste) and have been playing around with a short end of Vision 500t.

I like to shoot a lot (I use a motor and bulk film for this reason) and dig the film-era journalist/Daido aesthetic, so kinda grainy hot prints and scans are fine by me, correspondingly I'm pretty pleased with both Superia 1600 & KM400. Delta pushes well, so I keep some around, and I even like the 3200. The 500t hasn't given me any stellar results yet, but it was SO CHEAP that I'm determined to figure it out. With cost of chemistry it's working out to about 2.50 CAD per roll.....

What've you been rating the 500t at? I shot about 10 rolls of the stuff so far and have not settled completely on a speed.

Dennis S · Oct 13, 2017

Most of the summer my favorite film is Orwo UN 54 @ 100-200 developed in Pyrocat HDC in semi stand developing 1-1-200

mshchem · Oct 13, 2017

T-Max 400, Fuji Provia F and Kodak Portra 160

macfred · Oct 13, 2017

My favorite 35mm film(s) :
- Ilford XP2 Super (@ISO200); T-MAX 400 = for b/w
- Kodak Portra 160 (@ISO100); AGFA Photo CT Precisa 100 slide film = for color

WilmarcoImaging · Oct 13, 2017

35mm for me is a street/travel format. Mainly I am shooting Portra 800 in color negative. In black and white I mainly shoot expired 400 speed film developed in D-76.

For client and other personal projects I use larger formats and a variety of other films.

Minoltafan2904 · Oct 13, 2017

Hooked on Agfa CT Precisa 100 lately, since it's Provia 100F for almost half the price!! only available in 35mm though, not a problem for me though because that's all i shoot.

RalphLambrecht · Oct 13, 2017

Logan Becker said:
Logan Becker submitted a new resource:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists) - Looking for different films to try out

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Since my favorite Kodak films are gone, I switched to Alford FP4 and it's growing on me; not quite as good as TriX but we are starting to like each other.

George Mann · Oct 13, 2017

Since discovering Fuji Neopan Acros 100, I think that I will stick with it for awhile.
For color, Fuji Provia 100F.

LeftCoastKid · Oct 13, 2017

35mm: Favorite color was PKM25 (current "replacement" is E100G); favorite black and white is Tri-X/HP5+.

120: Favorite color (current) is E100G (still have 14 deep-frozen pro-packs of PB 01/14, that I'm working through, but don't know what the future holds); favorite black and white is PanF+ for landscapes/fine art, and Tri-X/HP5+ for portraits.

GarageBoy · Oct 14, 2017

TMAX 400 for 35mm b&w, though, I'm still burning through my neopan 400 stash - I'm not that picky when it comes to film, but the clean grain and smoothness is nice

Color - i don't know what I'll do in the future. Maybe just use digital. I loved Provia 400x (REALLY need to burn off my expired rolls before the color shifts happen), and E100vs/g - I wish I liked Provia 100 more, I can't get past the way it renders skin a bit too pink. Porta is great for skin tones, but landscapes and urbanscapes are a bit gloomy for me.

cooltouch · Oct 14, 2017

B&W: Plus X Pan. It isn't available anymore is it? I believe Ilford has an equivalent; I should give it a try. Else, Tri-X Pro
C-41: Portra 160, 400 (in that order)
E-6: Velvia, Provia (maybe the new Kodak when it becomes available?)
But, I feel I must comment that my favorite film emulsion of all is Kodachrome! Dang it.

Minoltafan2904 · Oct 15, 2017

cooltouch said:
B&W: Plus X Pan. It isn't available anymore is it? I believe Ilford has an equivalent; I should give it a try. Else, Tri-X Pro
C-41: Portra 160, 400 (in that order)
E-6: Velvia, Provia (maybe the new Kodak when it becomes available?)
But, I feel I must comment that my favorite film emulsion of all is Kodachrome! Dang it.

Nope, Plus-X was discontinued in late 2011 saldy, however you can probably still find some expired rolls for sale, being a medium-slow blacka nd white film if it's been cold stored it should be perfectly fine.

sportster44 · Oct 15, 2017

My favorites are Acros 100 and HP5 Acros for reciprocity, and HP5 because it gives me a look similar to Tri-X.

In colour I really like Ektar and Cinestill 800.

Sirius Glass · Oct 16, 2017

Kodak Tri-X 400
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Ultra Color 400

Alan Gales · Oct 16, 2017

Sirius Glass said:
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Tri-X 400

Yep, that's what I shoot!

Velvia is nice for shooting hot air balloons, fall foliage or anything where you want to exaggerate color.

eric antonio · Oct 16, 2017

For a long time it was tri-x @ 200 developed d76 1:1. Now cause Kodak stuff is just too expensive, it's HP5+. I wish I can get Neopan.

I'll probably keep shooting all this HP5 I have until I run out and will start wtih FP4. I like to use 1 film for all formats so it's easier to meter and process different formats together.

Pioneer · Oct 16, 2017

Right now JCH Streetpan 400 developed in Beutler 1:1:8 is by far my favorite film. Excellent tonality, dries flatter then any other film I use and scans perfectly. So far I use this only in 135 but it is now available in 120. It is still expensive though so my second favorite is...

Arista EDU Ultra 400. Rodinal 1:50 is by far my favorite developer for this film but D-23 works very nicely as well. It is very inexpensive so I can shoot as much as I want without feeling like I am going broke. I use this in everything from 135 all the way to 8x10. It is actually a terrific film, especially for the price. However, it does not push very well so...

My 3rd favorite is Ilford Delta Pro 3200. This film is perfect from EI800 all the way through to EI6400 so it is my choice whenever I shoot sports. I love Ilfotec DDX for this film but use Rodinal as well. Rodinal brings out the grain a bit but I actually like it that way sometimes. If I could only shoot one film this one would probably be the one. It is a bit more expensive but it is the most flexible film I shoot with the possible exception of Kodak Portra 400. Speaking of Portra...

When I do shoot color, which isn't often, I love Kodak Portra 400 and Fuji 400H. Portra holds up better to pushing (all the way to EI3200 without breaking into a sweat) so I love using it. But, I also have a lot of Portra 160 and Fuji Pro 160 in 135 and 120 that I picked up at an insanely low price a year or so ago because it was expired. So far it is doing well so I haven't had to de-rate it yet. As for color slide film...

I love Fuji Provia 400X. Of course it has been discontinued (or so I hear) so once my 10 or so remaining rolls are gone I will probably quite shooting slide film. Unless Kodak really does start producing Ektachrome again, then all bets are off.

Of course this is all as of October 2017. Although I have been several of these films have been favorites of mine for several years I could certainly change my mind in the future. I use a little Ilford HP5+ sheet film, and it does produce beautiful negatives, so this film could certainly work its was up the list and replace a current favorite. I also have a whole lot of Kodak TMX 100 and Eastman Kodak Double XX in 135 stockpiled in my freezer. These have both been favorites of mine in the past, they could certainly become favorites again.

EDIT - Right now someone is selling 5 rolls of Fuji Provia 400X for over $200. Maybe I am missing a great opportunity for making a little extra money.

ginandtonic · Oct 28, 2017

For me, part of the wonder of film is trying out the different developers and film combinations.

Personally I am a huge fan of Fuji Acros developed in Rodinal. Its stunning, sharp, detailed, with wonderful silky smooth tones. I find it both gorgeous and punchy. Here are a couple of examples:

Then you have the wonder of xtol. In my opinion a brilliant developer - together Tmax film. For me the combination gives you really deep but detailed blacks. The quality of the grain and the image has a certain gentle beauty and lustre to it.

tessar · Nov 9, 2017

I shoot almost all b&w. My general favorite is Ilford HP5; I like the look of the prints and find the 400 ISO speed convenient. For critical work, e.g with a tripod I like Ilford Delta 100.

bimmey · Nov 9, 2017

Most of my film shooting is B&W. I like to experiment with films once and a while but Ilford HP5 is my most used film in 35mm. It's readily available and it gives me consistent results. When using it at box speed or pushed to 800 it gets souped in D76. When shooting at 200 my preferred developer is Spur Acurol-N.

When I shoot color film it's always Ektar 100. I happened to put a couple of rolls of Velvia 100 in my cart this past summer and was shocked at the price. I'm surprised it was not locked up in a case for what it cost. Have yet to shoot it.

35mm- What's your favorite and why do you like it

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