Favorite 4X5 B&W film for landscapes and scenics?

[MattKing]

UPDATE!
Just got a reply from HarmanTech to my question about the possibility of Delta 400 in sheet film size. My question to them was specifically about Delta 400 and no other film.
This is their reply:

Dear John

Thanks you for your kind comments.

We do run an annual campaign for large format sheet film where we offer Delta 100, FP4 and HP5. If you contact your local wholesaler they will be able to order on your behalf usually around May for availability into the US around October.

I must have written my email in some strange foreign language they couldn't understand???

This reply sounds like it was AI generated

 

[Marcelo Paniagua]

Currently Aviphot 200, since it is very cheap and give me good resuls.

 

[Chuck_P]

I know I have my favorite, but was a little curious as to what others favor when it comes to 4X5 B&W sheet film for landscapes and scenics. Also, why you picked it over others.

4x5 TMX. When I got back into film in the early 2000's and then moved to 4x5 in about 2007, I did so using TMX and it is the only film I use. I've come to know it quite well.

 

[John Wiegerink]

This reply sounds like it was AI generated

Matt, I'm pretty sure it was, but like I said above, "Who knows"!

 

[John Wiegerink]

There is one guy on eBay selling Aviphot 200 in 8x10 sheet size. It is the aero version so the film base might be thinner. According to the Internet, Rollei IR 400 is Aviphot 200. But I don't have any experience.

If it's the thin base stuff I sure do pity the person trying to load that in an 8X10 holder. I had a hard enough time with it in 4X5, let alone 8X10.

 

[BHuij]

FP4+ in Rodinal for 4x5 is my favorite. It's got great acutance and a way of rendering shadows I find really nice, that I haven't been able to replicate with other combos (though new-to-me Pyrocat HD seems promising). I use it whenever I can get away with ISO 64 for my LF work.

HP5+ in HC-110 is second place. I shoot it at 250, and prefer it when I need the speed or when I am more worried about highlight retention than shadow separation.

 

[Lachlan Young]

I do recall there was some discussion with Simon Galley about both Delta 400 and Pan F in sheet film, and he cited technical reasons doing with the base for both, maybe 15 years ago, just don't recall the details.

From recall, Pan-F would need reformulated for coating on PET, Delta 400 was comprehensively revised just on the cusp of the digital shift, so any chance of it existing in sheets like the previous Delta 400 was probably swept away by that - much like XP2 in sheets (which would be the most likely of the 3 to return as it doesn't occupy space that other manufacturers have products in - and, who knows, it may well end up re-appearing as a consequence of research work on Phoenix). The volumes needed to sustain production are in the hundreds of thousands of 4x5 sheets - it looks awfully like Ilford decided to fill the slower speed emulsion space more and allow Kodak more space in the faster BW sheet emulsions (with TXP and TMY-II having relative specialisms compared to HP5+).

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

HP5. Mainly because of its luminous shadows, responds extremely well to Pyrocat-HD, and semi-stands, exceptionally well. Oh, and it push processes better than most films out there.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

HP5 in PMK. I do get Foma from time to time but the problem with Foma is I don't really trust it, so I'll end up shooting two negs to make sure I have one good one. That pretty much eliminates any cost saving. I have been screwing around with Ultrafine Lith film lately. It is so cheap, why not? I don't really see it replacing regular film though for me.

I'd love to try some other films. Bergger for one. Every time I look for it though it is out of stock. Such is life these days. I'd also love to try Adox 100 but again, out of stock if they even make it anymore. I "found" Efke PL100 right before they went under. That was a beautiful film and supposedly the Adox is similar or based on it. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[John Wiegerink]

Well, I've pretty much narrowed my buying down to one film. Since I dug into my fridge and found a half 25 sheet box of Delta 100 I'll have that to run against the film I buy and see which I prefer. I'll use Pyrocat-HDC as my main developer for the two film test. The actual reason for this thread was to more or less educate me on a slower sheet film than HP5+ since I really haven't used much 4X5 sheet film other than HP5+. Yes, HP5+ is my favorite sheet film at this time. I have shot almost all my B&W 4X5 on HP5+ except very early on it was Kodak Tri-X. What I liked about HP5+ is it's flexible to work with, gives very good speed(at least for me) and isn't so blasted contrasty right out of the box. Grain wise, it's absolutely just fine, pun intended, and since I almost never go beyond 16X20 it's not a problem.
Now, for my choice to buy film. Well, it's going to be HP5+'s kid sister, FP4+. I think I can get along with it just fine, but will still run it against Delta 100 to make sure. I've not heard a bad comment in this thread about FP4+. So, FP4+ it is and I'll order today.

 

[John Wiegerink]

HP5 in PMK. I do get Foma from time to time but the problem with Foma is I don't really trust it, so I'll end up shooting two negs to make sure I have one good one. That pretty much eliminates any cost saving. I have been screwing around with Ultrafine Lith film lately. It is so cheap, why not? I don't really see it replacing regular film though for me.

I'd love to try some other films. Bergger for one. Every time I look for it though it is out of stock. Such is life these days. I'd also love to try Adox 100 but again, out of stock if they even make it anymore. I "found" Efke PL100 right before they went under. That was a beautiful film and supposedly the Adox is similar or based on it. Correct me if I'm wrong.

I'm hoarding some Efke PL25 in 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 sheet film. What a great film that was.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Efke 25 was awesome. Loved it in 8x10. Luckily I have a 50 sheet box of 4x5 that braxus sold me. That's a "special occasion" film.

 

[John Wiegerink]

Efke 25 was awesome. Loved it in 8x10. Luckily I have a 50 sheet box of 4x5 that braxus sold me. That's a "special occasion" film.

Andy,
Yes, I really wish I had bought some in 4X5, but dumb-dumb me. I put a PL in front of Efke 25, but can't remember if it had that designation or not? My Efke 25 is down state so I can't check. Regardless, it was a sweet film.

 

[retina_restoration]

Well, I've pretty much narrowed my buying down to one film. Since I dug into my fridge and found a half 25 sheet box of Delta 100 I'll have that to run against the film I buy and see which I prefer. I'll use Pyrocat-HDC as my main developer for the two film test. The actual reason for this thread was to more or less educate me on a slower sheet film than HP5+ since I really haven't used much 4X5 sheet film other than HP5+. Yes, HP5+ is my favorite sheet film at this time. I have shot almost all my B&W 4X5 on HP5+ except very early on it was Kodak Tri-X. What I liked about HP5+ is it's flexible to work with, gives very good speed(at least for me) and isn't so blasted contrasty right out of the box. Grain wise, it's absolutely just fine, pun intended, and since I almost never go beyond 16X20 it's not a problem.
Now, for my choice to buy film. Well, it's going to be HP5+'s kid sister, FP4+. I think I can get along with it just fine, but will still run it against Delta 100 to make sure. I've not heard a bad comment in this thread about FP4+. So, FP4+ it is and I'll order today.

My ONLY complaint about HP5+ is that for my needs, it doesn't have enough tonal separation in the high values. That makes it great for portraiture, but not so much for landscape work, where separation of the delicate high values is extremely important. This is where the Delta films excel, IMO.

 

[GregY]

My ONLY complaint about HP5+ is that for my needs, it doesn't have enough tonal separation in the high values. That makes it great for portraiture, but not so much for landscape work, where separation of the delicate high values is extremely important. This is where the Delta films excel, IMO.

That's been my observation w HP5.... I've always preferred TriX for that very reason

 

[John Wiegerink]

My ONLY complaint about HP5+ is that for my needs, it doesn't have enough tonal separation in the high values. That makes it great for portraiture, but not so much for landscape work, where separation of the delicate high values is extremely important. This is where the Delta films excel, IMO.

I haven't used FP4+ for a long time, but I do use Delta 100 in 120 and have an older bulk roll in 35mm. I do like it a lot. When using HP5+ I find I can get pretty nice highlights like, cloud separation, when I use Pyrocat-HDC and really have no complaint in that department. Maybe I'm just not as critical, I don't know.

 

[BHuij]

I'll use Pyrocat-HDC... <snip> I've not heard a bad comment in this thread about FP4+. So, FP4+ it is and I'll order today.

I've only tried this combo in 6x6 so far, but was absolutely thrilled with the results. Maybe even thrilled enough to do a side-by-side against my trusty Rodinal in 4x5. Only issue for me is that I use rotary processing for my 4x5 negs, and it seems the Pyrocat really comes into its element with lower agitation, so I might have to mess around with building some BTZS tubes or something.

FWIW, here's an 8x10 from a fairly heavily cropped 6x6 negative, FP4+ in Pyrocat HDC, at box speed, printed at grade 3 on Ilford MG FB. I was very impressed with the resolution, acutance, and especially shadow separation. Got those awesome deep tones that are nevertheless full of detail.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

I know I have my favorite, but was a little curious as to what others favor when it comes to 4X5 B&W sheet film for landscapes and scenics. Also, why you picked it over others.

I picked it because I was used to it frm my MF shooting.

 

[John Wiegerink]

I've only tried this combo in 6x6 so far, but was absolutely thrilled with the results. Maybe even thrilled enough to do a side-by-side against my trusty Rodinal in 4x5. Only issue for me is that I use rotary processing for my 4x5 negs, and it seems the Pyrocat really comes into its element with lower agitation, so I might have to mess around with building some BTZS tubes or something.

FWIW, here's an 8x10 from a fairly heavily cropped 6x6 negative, FP4+ in Pyrocat HDC, at box speed, printed at grade 3 on Ilford MG FB. I was very impressed with the resolution, acutance, and especially shadow separation. Got those awesome deep tones that are nevertheless full of detail.

Very nice separation in those very low values. Love the deep blacks.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

I've only tried this combo in 6x6 so far, but was absolutely thrilled with the results. Maybe even thrilled enough to do a side-by-side against my trusty Rodinal in 4x5. Only issue for me is that I use rotary processing for my 4x5 negs, and it seems the Pyrocat really comes into its element with lower agitation, so I might have to mess around with building some BTZS tubes or something.

FWIW, here's an 8x10 from a fairly heavily cropped 6x6 negative, FP4+ in Pyrocat HDC, at box speed, printed at grade 3 on Ilford MG FB. I was very impressed with the resolution, acutance, and especially shadow separation. Got those awesome deep tones that are nevertheless full of detail.

Amazing and I believe I even know the location; I shot there myself. A stream in Wales.

 

[GregY]

I also got fine results from Kodak TMY-2 in 5x7..... but K Canham was the only source and it was pricey to begin with and i dropped out of the market when a 50 sheet box with exchange & shipping topped $500 cdn /$350 USD.
FP4 has beautiful tonality, is more widely available and costs less.
(photo w TMY2)

 

[John Wiegerink]

I loved TMY2 in 120, but only tried a few sheets of 4X5 from a box that was given to me. Would I use it again? In a heartbeat, but cost kills it for me since this isn't the only hobby I have to finance. I'll work with FP4+ for now and see how it goes.

 

[John Wiegerink]

Amazing and I believe I even know the location; I shot there myself. A stream in Wales.

Those acorns aren't boulders and that ain't no stream. Of course it might be a stream when it rains, but it'd be a small one.

 

[william lester]

I too wanted to use Delta 400 in sheet film. On a visit to Mobberly in 2007 I asked Simon Galley whether they would make it, and his response was a firm "no". I have a hazy memory that they did, in fact, attempt to make it but there was a problem with adhesion between the emulsion and the base. For landscape work in MF, it's my no 1 choice.

They did make it. I used it for a while around 1999 and I think 2000 before switching exclusively to Tmax 400

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Andy,
Yes, I really wish I had bought some in 4X5, but dumb-dumb me. I put a PL in front of Efke 25, but can't remember if it had that designation or not? My Efke 25 is down state so I can't check. Regardless, it was a sweet film.

I think it's PL, as it's a sheet film...