Portrait Film Recommendation Please

[Pawlowski6132]

So, I'm trying to start my study on the best portrait film for me but was hoping to start with a short list. The constraints are:

• • 4x5
  • Studio Strobes
  • 210mm Lens

That's about it. I would also like to find a developer that's simple enought to make myself.

My style preference is relatively dramatic and contrasty.

If anyone has had great success and would like to share, I'd love to know:

• Film
• EI
• Best Exposure Levels
• Developer and Developing Details
• Anything else that made your final print its best

Thank you very much in advance for reading this thread and your contributions.

Joe

[Ron Marshall]

Lots of great choices: FP4, TXP, TMY.

If you don't need the extra two stops, go for the FP4.

[Pawlowski6132]

Lots of great choices: FP4, TXP, TMY.

If you don't need the extra two stops, go for the FP4.

Hmmm, I would have expected something in the 25-50 ISO range.

[Ari]

Shanghai film; 100 ISO, EI of about 80 and process in HC-110, 20˚C for 7,5 minutes.
Very nice portrait film and you can play around with it to get a nice range of contrasts.
Plus, it's one of the lowest-priced films available.

[Armin Seeholzer]

TMAX 100 if you like it contrasty use it at 100 or 125 ASA and you get good contrasty and very sharp results, with almost any developer!

Cheers Armin

[jp]

I'd use TMY with an extra minute or so in the developer for what you're asking for some extra contrast. You could also shoot it without abnormal contrast and control the contrast result purely through the printing filtration/grade.

[jnantz]

xxx

[Anthony Lewis]

Remember you will be shooting at a least F8, if not higher. The fastest modern lenses are around 5.6 and you will want to stop down at least one stop. Outdoors in average overcast conditions, on 100ASA film you are down to about 1/15 at f8 - f11, taking into consideration bellows extension of losing 1 stop (I go for pretty tight head shots). I think to make life easy on yourself you need 100 asa film for outdoors.

If you are shooting under lights, I feel 400 asa is essential, unless you have strobes, flash, or lots of soft light. I use continuous floro lighting for indoor portraits, and 400 asa is essential, ie, Porta 400 for colour or HP5 for B&W.

[Ron Marshall]

Hmmm, I would have expected something in the 25-50 ISO range.

Why would you expect that?

[Pawlowski6132]

Why would you expect that?

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?