choosing a 8x10 BW film for big digital enlargement

[archivue]

reading comments about 8x10 films, i've notice that most of the time people are speaking about contact print...

i need to buy a film to start a new serie in BW.
the goal is to make the best ultra large print possible
i will shoot with an apo sironar s 300 and arca swiss camera
the negative will be scan via an eversmart scanner
and the print will be made on a large epson using photo rag matt and satin

the subject will be a sort of still life

speed is not a criteria of choice...

I don't like the kodak way of treating customers... but if Tri X is the best solution, i will go for it...

i was thinking of FP4 vs HP5


the film will be develop manually, and i will go with ID11 or HC110... i don't want a complicated process...

what's the best choice then ?

[archivue]

same questions but for urban landscapes by night...

[Brian C. Miller]

What film do you use now? Are you using something that isn't available in 8x10 size?

I'm a big fan of Fuji Acros, but 8x10 is only available from Japan. Otherwise, I personally don't have a firm opinion. Mind the reciprocity calculation during exposure, and you'll be fine.

[D. Bryant]

reading comments about 8x10 films, i've notice that most of the time people are speaking about contact print...

i need to buy a film to start a new serie in BW.
the goal is to make the best ultra large print possible
i will shoot with an apo sironar s 300 and arca swiss camera
the negative will be scan via an eversmart scanner
and the print will be made on a large epson using photo rag matt and satin

the subject will be a sort of still life

speed is not a criteria of choice...

I don't like the kodak way of treating customers... but if Tri X is the best solution, i will go for it...

i was thinking of FP4 vs HP5


the film will be develop manually, and i will go with ID11 or HC110... i don't want a complicated process...

what's the best choice then ?

Kodak TMY-2 processed in TMAX developer is a good bet. Try rotary processing 1:9 @75F for 8.5 minutes for very scannable negatives for your still lifes.

Night photography is a different challenge for which I have no experience or advice with 8x10 but TMY-2 will be a good choice for night photos do to it's excellent reciprocity characteristics.

[ic-racer]

In terms of resolution, if you are using f45 then that is going to be the limiting factor. Any films resolution will be greater than the lens in that case. I'd pick any film you can still find.

[BetterSense]

I'd pick TMAX. Fine grain and high latitude, and good reciprocity characteristics, which is important for LF. TMAX400 is still the best, but I don't think you will be able to find any.

[CG]

How big are you printing?

You can't get much better for the combination of grain and reciprocity than the TMAX films and for reciprocity the king is Fuji Acros film.

[Drew Wiley]

I think Tri X or HP5 would be horrible choices for a high degree of enlargement - big grain. Just how big do you want to print? I'd rate the best choices in the following
order: 100TMax, Fuji ACROS, FP4. Unfortunately, the first two choices are now disc
in the US in 8x10, so you'll have to scramble to find the film. You could use Tech Pan
but that's even harder to find in 8x10 since it was disc quite awhile ago. Another problem you will have is getting an even image plane. You'll need a vaccum or adhesive
filmholder for the kind of critical focus needed for really big enlargements. The film sags a bit in conventional holders, especially if it's thin film base.

[Jay DeFehr]

How large will your prints be? Availability aside, my first choice would be Acros, followed by TMY-2, followed by anything else. I know I can make a grainless, sharp, 10X enlargement from Foma 400 developed in Halcyon, and I assume the same should be true of most other ISO 400 films. I would use Halcyon for large prints, regardless of the film I chose.

[Gary Samson]

If you can get 8x10 Kodak TMY-2 it would be my first choice since you could use it for both images and the reciprocity characteristics of TMY-2 will help for the night shot. If speed is not an issue then Ilford FP4+ would be a good choice. I have made 44x70 inch prints from 5x7 inch Ilford FP4+ negatives developed in Pyro PMK that have great detail and tonality at that large size.

[archivue]

enlargement : 64"x 80"

what about the FP4+ reciprocity ?

Kodak Tmax are now things of the past... isn't delta 100 similar to it ?

[Allen in Montreal]

enlargement : 64"x 80"

what about the FP4+ reciprocity ?

Kodak Tmax are now things of the past... isn't delta 100 similar to it ?

Given the question really is what is the best film I can still manage to buy:

Tri-x does not scan that well.

1)
Jump on the special order band wagon and pay 7 dollars a sheet for T-400 via Canham. I take it you are in Europe?

2)
You may try to order FP4, 8x10 Catalogue number is:1678325.

HP5 slightly under exposed and under developed scans very well. But I have never made a print as large as you are hoping to make, so I would test first. I have some HP5 negs processed in PMK pyro that scan beautifully. I read here on LFPF that PyroCat negs scan even better than PMK negs, but have yet to try it first hand.

[D. Bryant]

Given the question really is what is the best film I can still manage to buy:

Tri-x does not scan that well.

1)
Jump on the special order band wagon and pay 7 dollars a sheet for T-400 via Canham. I take it you are in Europe?

2)
You may try to order FP4, 8x10 Catalogue number is:1678325.

HP5 slightly under exposed and under developed scans very well. But I have never made a print as large as you are hoping to make, so I would test first. I have some HP5 negs processed in PMK pyro that scan beautifully. I read here on LFPF that PyroCat negs scan even better than PMK negs, but have yet to try it first hand.

Tri-X will scan fine. Just more grain but at 8x10 it's a non issue for me.

[John NYC]

enlargement : 64"x 80"

what about the FP4+ reciprocity ?

Kodak Tmax are now things of the past... isn't delta 100 similar to it ?

FP4 Plus works at night and retains lots of detail. You will have to experiment with reciprocity factors. This is about a 10 minute exposure at f/22 past nautical twilight time.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4035/5129464344_273de0bc07_b.jpg

[Filmnut]

I've used Delta 100 in 4X5, processed in Rodinal, and it is an extremely sharp, fine grain film, which has also scanned well for my uses. TMY-2 would be a fine choice also, if you can get it in 8X10. I've shot it in 4X5, and as others have noted, it has excellent reciprocity and fine grain.

[Martin Aislabie]

Have you considered Delta 100 ?

Available world wide in 10x8

Both sharper and finer grain than FP4 and with better recoprocity characheristics

I prefer the tonality of FP4 to Delta but is worthy of consideration

Martin

[mcfactor]

Delta 100 is noticeably sharper than FP4 and would probably look better at extreme enlargements.