Request for your 8x10 film recommendation

[Jay Decker]

Getting pretty close to doing something that I have dreamed of doing, shooting 8x10. Have just about gathered all the monkey motion (equipment) to make exposures and develop the film. But, I'm looking for film and film supplier recommendations.

I'll be shooting Galli style, i.e., old, fast barrel lenses with a Packard shutter, so I'm looking of a recommendation for a couple films, say one with an ASA of somewhere around 125 and another with an ASA of somewhere around 25. So, what are your film recommendations and where would you source them?

[77seriesiii]

I'm not shooting 8x10 but am really digging shooting Efke PL25M. but your best bet is to try a few films and see what you like. Have you shot other large format films? If so, use those films that you are used to using, get used to the camera shutter and then start branching out. So you have been bitten by the Petzval bug? :-) for old lens the older style films may work to your favour and the $ cost per sheet for Efke/Foma is buckets cheaper than yellow box. Best thing to do is get used to the tool without changing much up, meaning film. Get consistent shots and understand how the light/shutter/lens play together. Then branch out. My .02, either way have fun working the light.

Erick

[jnantz]

hi jay

paper is around asa 6.
i would recommend expired paper
to hold you over.
trim the edge so it will fit into
your film holders ( not really 8" x 10" )
and process in somewhat dilute or exhausted print
developer.

have fun!
john

[Ron Marshall]

For the 125 film Ilford FP4+ would be wonderful, especially in XTOL.

[Jay Decker]

For the 125 film Ilford FP4+ would be wonderful, especially in XTOL.

Why do you like XTOL? I have not tried it. A lot guys rave about it, which kinds of makes you wonder if you are missing something... so, why is magic?

[David Karp]

I really like HP5+, but another very interesting film that I have been using lately in 5x7 is Arista.edu Ultra 200 (which is Freestyle's store brand, the film is Fomapan 200). It is really renders a very nice photograph. Different than the other films I have used. I wish I could explain it, but it is quite nice. In addition, the price is very reasonable.

[John Kasaian]

FP-4+ is wonderful stuff----very forgiving & decent reciprocity too when the lighting gets tricky. Arista .eduUltra 100 (Fomapan100) is also excellent but the reciprocity is kind of wierd (to me, anyway) so it has become my "sunny day" film (the price is right and the quality is excellent, btw)

[Ron Marshall]

Why do you like XTOL? I have not tried it. A lot guys rave about it, which kinds of makes you wonder if you are missing something... so, why is magic?

No magic; it takes time to learn any film developer combination.

XTOL has better speed, sharpness and shadow detail than many other developers:

[venchka]

I agree with David and Ron re: Arista.edu Ultra 200 and Xtol.

I am fond of the Arista 200 rated at 100 and processed in Xtol 1:3 with continuous agitation.

Inexpensive learning film/long term use film: x-ray film, green or blue sensitive flavors, under $30 per 100 sheets. Hard to beat that deal.

Good luck and show us what you get.

ps: I also like HP5+ in the same processing treatment.

[eddie]

if the OP wants to shoot "galli style" then i would have to steer him away from hp5....just too fast!

i use and love foma100 (arista.edu.ultra) great film. you loose some speed at portrait distances and you could even use a ND filter to slow it down more if you need.

i soup mine in pyro 2:2:100 for 8 min. great negs for silver and VDB.

[venchka]

I'm not well versed in Galli Style and old lenses. However, I rate HP5+ at 250 and Arista 200 at 100.

Seems to me, back to the original request for 100 & 25 speed films, with a bit of testing something FP4 could serve both purposes. The Arista 100 & 200 certainly could serve the 100 & 25 criteria.

[eddie]

I'm not well versed in Galli Style and old lenses.



fast lenses wide open. f3-f6.

[Jay Decker]

IHave you shot other large format films? If so, use those films that you are used to using, get used to the camera shutter and then start branching out. So you have been bitten by the Petzval bug? :-) for old lens the older style films may work to your favour and the $ cost per sheet for Efke/Foma is buckets cheaper than yellow box.

Erick - it is funny how you mature... many of the 8x10 portraits that I seen are wonderful photograhs. I did not think that I would ever enter 8x10 portraiture myself, because 8x10 portraiture was beyond my reach technically and practically. So, the idea of entering 8x10 portraiture had been settled matter in my mind for sometime.

A while ago I started working with a 4x5 Sinar P, developing film, and scanning and printing the negatives. I also found a funky old barrel lens and mounted it on a lens board. Within about a year, I had taught myself to shoot a 4x5 view camera, develop the film, and I am now starting to end up with a decent print with more regularity. And, I have the space for a home studio and a good place to develop film, so the practical considerations were resolved. So, all the barriers are gone and I'm going for 8x10 photography.

As to your questions, right now I enchanted with FP4+ shot at an ASA of 100 developed using Pyrocat-HD as a two part compensating developer. This combination scans well. Lately, I have been shooting wide open (or nearly wide open) with a 300mm f/4.5 Heliar and I'm now starting see some old barrel lens, large format magic in my 4x5 photographs. I have not shot a Petzval; however, I have one that I am mounting to a lens board and will be picking up a large Petzval in November. There are some Petzval photographs that I find lovely and others that look gimmicky to me, i.e., the coma is so strong that it distracts from the photograph. But, I am a guy who wants to make great photographs and not a guy who gets off playing around with funky old lenses (even though there is fun in it). So, while I do like many Petzval images that I've seen, I don't think that Petzval lenses intrinsically have more magic than some of the Heliar and Tessar lenses with beautiful bokeh.

[77seriesiii]

Jay,

I agree there are many wonderful lenses with incredible bokehs. Eddie has a serious love affair with voightlander (speeling? :p ). Even some modern nikkor lenses have some really neat bokeh. I would take a look at some of the rapid rectilinear (RR) lenses, and some of the early lenses that were attempts to make corrections/improvements of petzval lenses. these lenses come under a multitude of names, I dont have any of my lens info w/ me (traveling in the US, live in Germany) but ask on the forum for old lens recommendations...but that is like asking people what film/developer combo they like, for every person will have at least 2 answers :D. On finding the perfect old lens, I think a friend of mine used/tried 20 some odd lenses before he found the ONE. Once hitting the magic, he sold almost all the remaining and is down to 5 lenses. Notice I didnt sell sold ALL.

I am in the same boat as you, discovering old lenses, finding which ones I like, which are ok, and others I want to sell as rapidly as i bought. The problem is I havent found any I feel comfortable selling...is that bad? :rolleyes:

On the ilford film, never tried it. I started with Foma, went to Efke and havent gone beyond that. I do have ilford and tmax in the fridge, just havent cracked the seals yet.

Good hunting and post the results of the pursuit.

Erick