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.

[Peter Gomena]

My standard film for years has been Tri-X 320. I'm slowly shifting over to FP4+.

Peter Gomena

[Jim Noel]

Only partially true. Ansel used films with speed ratings as low as 25 by today's standards. He used what was most appropriate for the subject at hand. During the early part of his career there were no films with speed ratings equivalent to 400 that were not excessively grainy.

[Gem Singer]

Jim,

Ansel passed away in 1984.

Long before that, there were faster films available that were capable of making large sized prints without showing excessive grain.

He preferred Tri-X developed in Kodak HC-110. Not much difference in exposure time between an ISO 320 and an ISO 400 film.

He discussed this in "The Negative", which was copy written in 1981.

[Bill_1856]

No 100 ASA, er ISO, for me. It's either Efke 25 or Tri-X. 100 gives the disadvantage of both without the benefits of either.

[lbenac]

I am a newbie at LF but I am using:
1) FP4 in winter when there is low contrat scenes
2) HP5 in spring summer for high contrast scene i.e. shadow under the trees against bright sky

Cheers,

Luc

[John Kasaian]

I shoot a lot of 400 film (HP-5+) for 8x10 aerials and nocturnal stuff. I really liked TMY and TXP but I just can't afford it anymore, nor do i care to jump through the special order hoops. HP-5+ is excellent and does a beautiful job. Slower films I find useful for still life, architecture and sunny day with no wind situations. I have 8x10 sheet film as slow as ISO 4

[MDR]

My most used film is Efke 100, I use Efke 100 or Efke 50 when I am after a certain old style look (nothing looks like EFKE 25/50/100 in Pyro developer it's unique) or if I want to use long exposure times so basically most of the time. I use HP5+ if I want a little amount of grain to give it some atmosphere I also prefer HP5+ for indoor shots.

St. Ansel also used leaded fuel seriously how relevant is the material he used to today's photographers.

Dominik

[SergeiR]

Depending on light/contrast/needed look - i go between 25 and 400 (and steps in between).

[AF-ULF]

I don't really worry about film speed when shooting LF. The one or two stop difference in shutter speed makes little difference for most of my shooting. The other characteristics of the film are much more important to me.

[SpeedGraphicMan]

With large format, it can be pretty hard to tell the difference between 100 & 400... 35mm and 120 is a different story.

Although I rarely use anything over ISO 100.

400 is great for portraits.

St. Ansel... Hee Hee!

So that is what this forum calls him now?

[Mark Barendt]

The biggest struggle I have with 320-400 speed film is shutter speed.

Of course though;

The biggest struggle I have with 100-125 speed film is shutter speed.

Granted for different reasons.

[Moopheus]

St. Ansel also used leaded fuel seriously how relevant is the material he used to today's photographers.

Dominik

It isn't really, unless you are into historical reenactment, I suppose. But a lot of arguments take the form of "old so-and-so did it that way," which doesn't really mean that much, since the counter-argument is "this other old-so-and-so did it the opposite way."

The only real question is, do your materials/practices give you the results you want, or not?

[Bill_1856]

During St. Ansel's prime period, all US gasoline except Amoco had varying amounts of tetraethyl lead.

[Jay DeFehr]

Except for minor infidelities, I use TMY-2. I'm trying to become a studio photographer and to use as few different materials as possible. For what I do, nothing compares to TMY-2.

[Drew Wiley]

I use all kinds of sheet film depending on what I have on hand and where I am shooting.
TMY400 is certainly nice for the smaller apertures typical of 8X10 work, since wind is a
constant around here. Up in the high country I prefer the spectral characteristics of ACROS, esp for 4X5. For backlit intricate detail I like the edge effect of HP5. But I always
have FP4 on hand in both formats for lab use, so sometimes shoot with it too. For a rollfilm
back I prefer PanF around the coast or Efke 25 for the stronger contrast typical of high
country work. Each film has its own personality. There are plenty more I have tried. But I
too pity anyone fixated on what the canonized photographers of the past did. Some of
those famous prints look pretty gritty and fuzzy by today's standards.

[Leigh]

Except for minor infidelities, I use TMY-2.
For the education of those of us who don't (and won't) use any yellow-box products...

What is TMY-2 and what speed is it, like the original question asks?

- Leigh

[Mark Barendt]

TMX 100
TMY 400
TMZ 3200 (actually ISO 1000)

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/ppi668/ppi668.pdf

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Well for me it is most always ISO 25. 8x10, 11x14 and 8x20. I do have some Bergger 200 for the 14x17 and that gets shot at 80. X-ray is 80. Love the results.

[Jay DeFehr]

For the education of those of us who don't (and won't) use any yellow-box products...

What is TMY-2 and what speed is it, like the original question asks?

- Leigh

Leigh,

It's the newest version of Tmax 400, ISO 400 -- I get full box speed or a little better, and grain and sharpness better than most traditional ISO 100 films, with state of the art manufacturing and quality control. I've never seen a defect of any kind in any Kodak film I've ever used, and as you say, there's no substitute for quality.

[bigguy88]

i uses both Fp4 and Hp5. i use 100 when my 400 films run out :)

[Ari]

The B&W film I like best, Acros, only comes in 100 ISO; I'd love a 400 or 800 ISO Acros.

[Roger Cole]

Never, unless I am given or find a great deal on the film then I may carry some and use it when it works. I shoot TMY-2 and even some Fomapan 400. Even the Fomapan is more than good enough. I don't print larger than 16x20 from 4x5 though.

[Roger Cole]

During St. Ansel's prime period, all US gasoline except Amoco had varying amounts of tetraethyl lead.

Which has what to do with film exactly?

I also use leaded gasoline when I fly as avgas still has it. That has just about as much to do with film.

[Renato Tonelli]

Tri-X 320 all around. When hiking a reasonable distance I use Acros in QuickLoads; I think I have two boxes left.

[cjbecker]

I recenty made the switch to 100 fp4. I use it until theres not enought light.

[John Kasaian]

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?

I generally make a SWAG decision (scientific wild-@$$ guess) That or I just take whater I've already got loaded in my holders, which is usually HP-5+:)

[SpeedGraphicMan]

You might want to try some "Arista 400" it is just rebranded Foma.
Get the "unleaded" film if you can :rolleyes:

[IanG]

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.

I'd always used 100 ISO and slower emulsions like Tmax100 Adox/EFKE 25 (both of which I shoot at 50EI with identical dev times. However the need to shoot handheld with LF meant trying HP5 and the results wit Pyrocat HD are stunning it's a superb combination, leagues ahead of HP4 in D76 which I used in the 1970's :D

Ironically I find HP5 too fast when here in the UK as I like slower shutter speeds and a trace of movement in grasses, trees etc in the wind.

Ian