Portrait Film Recommendation Please

[Ron Marshall]

In my 35mm world, I usually try to shoot portraits with as little grain as possible. Plus, under controlled lighting, I don't need fast films so, why would I, or anyone, want to shoot with a higher grain film than they have to?

With 4x5, and a film such as TMX, or perhaps even TMY grain will not be obtrusive.

The problem with 4x5 compared to 35mm is smaller apertures, unless you plan to shoot wide open. Regardless of the aperture, you will need four times the strobe output for a 25 ISO film than for a 100 ISO film. That may get pricey depending on your lighting set-up.

[Gary L. Quay]

Your depth of field with 4x5 is narrower than 35mm, even at the same apertures. I have shot portraits with slow films, but it's a bit tricky. When I use slower films, I couple it with a soft focus lens to give it a creamy appearance, because I have to open the lens up quite a bit. I would be interested to know the model and power of your strobes. My Power Lights at 750 watts give me almost a full stop over my Speedotron setup at 800 watts. This is why I sold the Speedotron. With the Power Lights at 4 feet from the subject, I was able to shoot 400 speed Kodak Protra at F32. An ASA 25 film would take that to F8. You would see a noticable fall off in depth pf field. Add a yellow contrast filter, and you're almost at F4. I shouls mention that my set in the shoot I mentioned above was pure white, and I had 4 strobe units cooking away. Your results may vary.

If you shoot a film like FP4, and develop it in a fine grain developer, you won't likely notice the grain until the enlargement gets to 16x20. Xtol @ 1:1 gives good results. If you want higher contrast, try developing at N+1.

But, if you're still interested in a slow speed film that will deliver the contrast you're looking for, and don't mind the depth of field issue, I suggest Adox ORT 25. The orthographic emulsion handles portraiture very well. Some normal contrast developers will give it high contrast, and some won't. I used my last few packs of Kodak Technidol, a soft contrast developer, on a 120 roll of it a few weeks ago and was pleasantly surprised by the punch the images still had. The emulsion is very soft. Handle it with extreme care.

--Gary

[Frank Petronio]

It really depends on the amount of depth of field you are after, for most practical enlargements ISO 400 film will look fine. Many of the finest, fussy, anal-retentive large format landscape photographers have and still do use TXP (Tri-X) and TMY (400) and they certainly are not notable for being "grainy".

You'll also see flesh tones move up and down the scale based on the type of film. But the major brands - Kodak TXP, TMY, TMX and Ilford FP4, HP5 render the same flesh within half a stop of each other and can filtered if desired.

In general, idiot incompetent photographers such as myself stick to one kind of B&W film out of the desire to keep some consistency to their images and just to keep the process as simple as possible.

I use Kodak TXP, I usually shoot nearly wide open, and I like hard lighting but my lighting varies quite a bit. When I do the rare executive portrait traditional commercial stuff with strobes I'll shoot at f/16 with a longer 210mm - 300mm lens (whatever I have at the time, it doesn't really matter). Good old boring Tri-X is versatile and its speed and latitude can help me out in tricky situations.

If I shot some obscure Eastern European ISO 50 film I'd have to carry a lot more lighting gear and be a lot fussier with the process, buy more in advance, and generally have a pain in the ass for very little difference in my end results, not necessarily for the better either. Sometimes a little grain is good for a photo, helping make transitions smoother, etc.

[erie patsellis]

My preference, when contrast isn't out of hand is TXP, exposed and processed carefully, there's no grain to speak of at normal viewing distances in a full frame 16x20.

[David Luttmann]

In my 35mm world, I usually try to shoot portraits with as little grain as possible. Plus, under controlled lighting, I don't need fast films so, why would I, or anyone, want to shoot with a higher grain film than they have to?

With TMax film, you won't have any grain even out to 32x40. I'm not sure how big you wish to print, but grain free 40" is as big as I ever get.

[Don Hutton]

TMY is very fast which is a great help when shooting LF portraiture. It's also very fine grained... I shoot 35mm portraiture with it all the time.

[Roger Vadim]

Tri-x 320

Rate it at 320. Cook in A-49 (Atomal). Great subtle skin tones. The classic portrait film (think of Avedon)

Me personally also likes Foma 100, but this is rather a EI 50 film - means really a LOT of strobes. Nice old school look under northern sky. It really is all about what look you want. go and find out for yourself. Its fun!

[David Karp]

I have done few portraits, but I really like the look of some I did using Arista.Edu Ultra 200 from Freestyle. This is the same film as Fomapan 200.

[William McEwen]

Kodak Tri-X. YUM.

[r.e.]

Right now, my favourite for 5x7 is HP5+ because B+H had it in stock. I wanted Delta 100, but as the nice man at B+H explained, I would have to order 45 boxes. I was looking at their web site while we were talking on the phone, and sure enough, there was this little box under Delta referring to a 45 box minimum order

Is anybody offering workshops at some esoteric locale in how to cut down 8X10 film? Or better yet, how to stretch 4x5?