M4 & Helen shooting FILM

[helenhill]

:bugeyes::bugeyes:
Well, I have officially taken the Plunge
& am shooting more Film than Digital
there is something about Film that is just so lush & retro real....can't put my finger on it but having a BLAST
Please Critique and feel free to make suggestions....Thanx
BTW,this is with the M4 (1966) and I just ordered a BEAUTIFUL m2 (1963) black leathertone Paint Kenichi Abe...Yes I'm Whacked!
Best to You-H

 

[mwalker]

I like those shots Helen...what film are you using and how are you processing it?

 

[Jack]

Helen, *love* the grain! Is that by any chance T-Max 3200?

 

[Dale Allyn]

Aw shucks, Helen, now you're making me think about shooting some film!

Thanks for posting these. I agree with Jack that the grain is very cool. I was also wondering if it was T-max 3200 when I first opened the thread.

 

[helenhill]

Mike,Jack,& Dale.....Thank You for viewing!!

I used Neopan 1600 / however at some point in the roll I noticed
my light meter was set at 3200 so my readings were OFF...:ROTFL:
this was done at a Lab 'Imagination' in NYC (had them develop film,contact sheet.& scan)

I think this Sunday i am popping by B&H to buy a stainless steel reel
play with it w/my eyes open then closed and if I get the knack will start developing just my Film for the moment and send out for Prints

ANY IDEAS which Film I should start with (Tri X???)
that inexpensive film ARISTA (a copy of Tri x?)

Any suggestions.....
Best to You-H

 

[micek]

Any suggestions.....
Best to You-H

There is an endless variety of "looks" you can achieve with different film+developer combinations, but I think it is as easy to obsess about it as about megapixels, so I'd suggest simply going for any combination that you can regularly buy at your camera store, stick to it for a while and learn what you can and cannot do with it. I tend to use Fuji Across+ Rodinal (clean and sharp), but I'm not dogmatic about it and if necessary I'll shoot anything, HP5+, Tri X, whatever...

 

[Jack]

Mike,Jack,& Dale.....Thank You for viewing!!


ANY IDEAS which Film I should start with (Tri X???)
that inexpensive film ARISTA (a copy of Tri x?)

Any suggestions.....
Best to You-H

For really fine grain with good contrast and tonal separation, try Acros.

For fine grain, good exposure latitude and general overall usability, try T-Max 400 or HP5 at ISO 400. For same as above with a more traditional grain structure, try Tri-X at ISO 320 . If you want a single all-around B&W film, I'd start by trying a few rolls of each of these and deciding which you prefer -- all are superb IMO.

For lots of grain, try T-Max 3200 at ISO1600 but processed normally. T-grain films have a more even grain pattern than previous films, but TM3200 has a propensity to halate in high contrast lighting and can create a somewhat etherial effect.

Also, don't rule out the chromogenic emulsions for quick turn-around 1-hour C41 minilab processing and quite good B&W results.

Keep us posted!

 

[cmb_]

So Beautifully Whacked Helen!

 

[charlesphoto]

Fuji Neopan 400 is my preference for a great all arounder. For slightly more grain and classic pj ooomph I'll turn to Tri-X. I also shoot Fuji 1600 quite a bit these days.

Good luck! I'm thinking about shooting more b&w film as well. In fact I'm off to Paris next week for an opening and will have my Rollei TLR along with 20 rolls of Neopan 400 and either a Sigma DP1 or an M8, though the M7 is tempting.

 

[Joan]

Oh, boy!! Tres retro and arty, Helen. Now you may get me to resurrect my old Minolta ... It sits there and stares at me, and I neglect it because I'm too lazy to buy film and find someone to process it.

 

[johnastovall]

To me the perfect film and developer is Tri-X and one shot full strength D-76 at 68F for 7 minutes full strength.

 

[fotografz]

Hi Helen. Nice shots. Gritty realism.

Can't say I'm "retroing" it because I never really left film. Everytime I look at my B&W silver prints on the wall it reminds my why.

In fact, after selling off some digital gear, the last replacement camera I got was film based. A Nikon F6 to use wih the Zeiss ZF lenses. I miss my M film camera ... and eventually will also replace that.

I did some B&W shooting around Detroit last weekend, and am in NYC this coming weekend (my wife is running the NY Marathon.) I'll be shooting B&W film there also. When I return I'll send off all the rolls to AI in California for developing and contact sheets. (I don't have the time to process the rolls myself right now). However, I do scan my own selects.

Using Illford HP5 PLUS rated at 320 recently. But like all of them in some way or another.

Here's a great resource for films and information on each one of them: :thumbs:

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/c402-Black-and-White-Film-35mm

If you are going to get into processing your own films take a look at this one which has a very high silver content like the films used in the 1950s:

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/191364-Fotokemika-Efke-KB400-iso-400-35mm-x-36-exp.?cat_id=402

 

[helenhill]

So Cool Everyone
THANK YOU...... xoxoxoxo hugs & kisses

I will order from FREESTYLE !!!!
getting a few ROLLS of: TMAX- TRIX- & EFKE

I must be absolutely MAD .....
to be doing Film w'this economic downturn/possible looming Depression
but what an opportunity to be Drunk on Life & fixitive and to document it

Best-H

 

[asabet]

Helen these are great! I love shooting with my old Olympus OM-2N. I can't get that nice grain since I'm shooting C41 B&W, but I still enjoy the process and results of shooting film.

 

[fotografz]

Hey Helen, the last Depression was documented on film ... why not this one?

$1.99 a roll and a few bucks for chemicals ... not really that much more because the prints cost the same.

 

[helenhill]

Hey Helen, the last Depression was documented on film ... why not this one?

$1.99 a roll and a few bucks for chemicals ... not really that much more because the prints cost the same.

Well actually the only roll for $1.99 is Arista /supposedly a great trix copy
All the other film ranges from $3.99 & up
BTW thanx soooo much for the efke suggestion
lokked at shots under efke at best of flickr....Lovely Dreamy Ethereal Film but does have sharpness / Cool
H

 

[nei1]

Helen, thats a great start!Now youve tried the grainy side of life it might interest you to see the other side of the coin.Ive not used this for a while but kodak technical pan and its developer(comes as a liquid in a glass vial)will blow your socks off in the quality stakes.Not sure if its still available though but maybe there are alternatives .Its worth seeing just to appreciate what 35mm film is capable of and if you make a large (very)print the grain that it has is stunning,gradation etc,but you do need its own special developer.
As for the stainless steel spiral ,I might start with a plastic one,there a bit easier to load.Good luck_________ Neil.

 

[simonclivehughes]

Very nice, Helen! Funny, I can't help thinking that if you'd posted them without saying that they were film, that you would have had a flurry of replies about how horrible the noise performance of your camera is.

Ciao,

 

[helenhill]

ThanK YOU !! Amin. Neil & Simon

Amin: I agree Film is Great
for me it makes me see differently

Neil: I will ask about for the Kodak technical pan /Is that the proper term-name?

Simon: loved your noise thought
isn't it Funny how it can drive some people mad digital or film
and YES turn up the VOLUME on Noise :ROTFL:

helen

 

[Cindy Flood]

Helen,
What is a "and I just ordered a BEAUTIFUL m2 (1963) black leathertone Paint Kenichi Abe...Yes I'm Whacked!"? (I know what an M2 is, but the rest I don't know about????):ROTFL::ROTFL::ROTFL:
Congratulations on your exploration of film. I enjoyed these shots and am looking forward to more.