When do you choose to use ISO 100 B&W over 400?

[stradibarrius]

When You are making the decision of which film to use for a given shot, what are some of the factors that cause you to select a 100 speed B&W film over a 400 speed?
Or do you shoot a 100 speed at all?

[Leigh]

I never shoot anything faster than 100, not even in 8x10. I don't even own any film faster than 100.

There's no substitute for quality.

- Leigh

[Brian Ellis]

Now that TMax 100 isn't sold in Readyloads I don't use any 100 film. In my experience and for my purposes "quality" of the TMax 400 and Ilford HP5+ is as good and I gain two stops more shutter speed for moving foliage etc. I don't know that there are any really "bad" films made these days, I think it's more important to select one and stick with it so that you get to know it well than it is to bounce around from film to film trying to find the perfect one.

[mikebarger]

No 100 at all. HP5+ only.

[jp]

I mostly shoot tmax400; it's quality is good as / better than most 100's.

I switch to fomapan100 (which is not quite 100) when I want to show a person's freckle's better. It must have a different spectral sensitivity. It's also used when I want to shoot outdoors wide open. Some of the big lenses are too big for my normal cokin style ND filters or I'm not always carrying ND filters.

[Kirk Gittings]

For years I standardized on Acros because it is a great film in many ways including very good long exposure characteristics. Now I am finally running out of my stash of Acros ready loads. Looking to the future I wanted to standardise on a reasonably priced film that has a good chance of being around for awhile. So now my standard is FP4+. I normally shoot a 100 film and only go to a faster film when I need the speed. My fast film is TMax 400.

[Gem Singer]

My favorite film is Ilford HP-5+ developed in Pyrocat-HD, with semi stand agitation.

Ansel Adams preferred a faster film.

The extra speed of an ISO 400 film enables the use a faster shutter speed when shooting outdoors in the wind, especially when using a filter.

[bob carnie]

I like FP4 for the work I am doing , I need to be able to make mural size prints, speed is actually not required in my work , if so I would use HP5.

[BrianShaw]

Almost always -- 99% of the time

[Andrew O'Neill]

There's no substitute for quality

So you can't make quality images with 400 speed film? Film speed is one aspect. What about its characteristic curve and rendition of tones? When I'm out in the field I don't decide which speed. I decide which film.