8"x10" ISO 320/400 B&W Films.

[Keith Tapscott.]

I want to try a faster film for 8"x10" and have made a short list of Ilford HP5 Plus which I like a lot in 120 rolls, Kodak 320TXP and T-Max 400 TMY-2 which I still haven`t tried in any format. For convenience, processing will be done in a Jobo print drum which works well with FP4 Plus sheets in D-76. I think that a faster film stock than FP4 Plus would be better for me for general use. How do the Kodak films compare in tonality to the Ilford film?

[David A. Goldfarb]

If you like FP4+, you'll probably like TXP.

[Ron Marshall]

I have used HP5 and TMY for 4x5 and 5x7, but prefer TMY. Both have good tonality; I prefer the finer grain and long straight curve of TMY since I scan my negs. For 8x10 if you are not scanning, then grain is obviously not an issue.

Try TMY in 120, it is a very good film, but you have to be more careful in processing than with conventional emulsions. D76 works well with TMY, but XTOL is a bit better. Pyrocat is also very good with TMY.

[Daniel_Buck]

I use Tri-X 320 8x10 in print drums and 4x5 in jobo daylight tank, works good!

[Jim Noel]

If you are looking for speed, tests by my students show that HP5+ is one stop faster than Tri-X in D-76 as it achieves an EI of 400 as compared to an EI of 200 with Tri-X.

No 320-400 ISO film will produce a film curve like FP4+ or any other 100-125 film. By their nature, faster films exhibit less contrast.