Your film history?

[chassis]

Inspired by the thread of a similar title in the Camera forum, what is your film history over time?

I started with 126 and 35mm, graduating to 120 and now shoot only 4x5. I am a Kodak guy, mostly due to training and habit.

My list is in chronological order. I don’t typically shoot more than one film format at a time.

126 size: Kodak Plus-X Pan
135 size: Kodak Tri-X, Plus-X, Tech Pan, Kodacolor, and a little Kodachrome 64
120 size: Kodak Tri-X, Plus-X Pan and Verichrome Pan, some early Tmax in 100 and 400, and a little Ektachrome 100
4x5 size: Kodak Tri-X

Today my mainstay is Tri-X in the 4x5 size. I am tempted to try other 4x5 emulsions, based on what I see on this forum, but for me I have a system that is working and I like the results.

[Kirk Gittings]

All 4x5. Used Tri-X for 30 years in HC-110, but eventually wanted less grain. Tried T-Max 100 when it first came out-found it finicky. Then switched to Acros in Readyloads-love it till my stash ran out. Started using FP4+ when it was under Freestyle brand loved it and stuck with it-now developing in Pyrocat HD.

[Peter Lewin]

Started with 35mm Tri-X in Microdol, then switched to D-76 1:1 (my current 35mm standard), but also switched to Ilford HP5+, so for 35mm now use HP5+ with D-76 1:1.
When I started with 4x5, it was the Ansel Adams/Fred Picker era, so Tri-X and HC-110. Somewhere along the line I switched from Tri-X to HP5+ (see a pattern?) and after reading Gordon Hutching's articles and book, switched from HC-110 to PMK, which is my current standard (except when I'm shooting some of my remaining out-dated Tri-X, which still gets HC-110). Must admit that while HP5+ was the obvious manufacturing switch from Tri-X, so many on this forum shoot FP4+ that I may have to try that for 4x5; its just hard to change when you are really used to how one film and developer combination work.
I got into medium format relatively late, so (surprise!) for 120, it's HP5+ and PMK.

[Jim Andrada]

Oh come on, must be lots of us still standing that started on Verichrome in 620 box cameras. "fess up, we're all among friends here!!!!

[Vaughn]

120(Rolleiflex)
Verichrome
Settled on Panatomic-X for a long time
TMax 100 after the Pan-X stopped

4x5
Royal Pan
Super XX
Tmax100

5x7/8x10/11x14
I am not picky about film these days, though I use more FP4 than anything else.

[Oren Grad]

Oh come on, must be lots of us still standing that started on Verichrome in 620 box cameras. "fess up, we're all among friends here!!!!

Actually, Verichrome Pan in a 127 Brownie.

It would take all afternoon to write up all my film and developer meanderings over the years. I've always come back to Tri-X in D-76 1+1 for roll film and HP5 Plus in D-76 straight or 1+1 for sheet film, and that's where I am now.

[Tony Evans]

From very hazy memory,
1945-1955: Kodak??? 620 & 127 (Box Brownie types)
1955-1970: Kodachrome (35mm)
1970-1980: Fuji Color???. (35mm)
1980-2010: Pan F/Reala. (35mm,MF)
2010 +: Pan F+/Reala/Portra/Ektar/ (35mm & MF), Acros100/ FP4+ (LF)

[bigdog]

Actually, Verichrome Pan in a 127 Brownie.

It would take all afternoon to write up all my film and developer meanderings over the years. ...

Ditto. And I couldn't remember it all if I tried ...

I've used it all. But I am lately gravitating away from traditional emulsions (TriX, HP5, etc.) to the T-grain.

[IanG]

1956 folding camera aged 2 but not allowed film

Verichrome Pan in a Brownie 127 early 60's

Agfa ISS in An Agfa Rapid late 60's

FP4 & HP4 later HP5 (FP3, HP3 ex Government surplus as well, 1969-1986 35mm & 120

MF & LF: 1976-86 FP4
1986 APX100 until discontinued, also Tmax 100
2007 Delta 100 and HP5 in Pyrocat HD

Also MF & LF: Efke PL25 for over 25 years, later Fortepan 200 (10x* 3 boxes left and Fomapan 100/200

Colour all formats: Fujichrome E3/4 and then E6 50D or 100D

Ian

[Tin Can]

I was 9 and wanted to learn photography, it was 1960, semi-rural Minneapolis. I had a loaned Minox. Shot it, developed it and contact printed it all by myself. My dad did build a box closet for me in the basement. However he thought an enlarger was a stupid waste of money and I lost interest with contact printing miniature film.

Then, a few years later, Pentax H3 35mm, I shot and store developed, for 4 decades.

Now, I gots me a darkroom and 10 enlargers...