films to by 4x5

[Steven Ruttenberg]

I am looking at buying more film, b/w, color neg and slide. For the b/w, I noticed the Fuji Across 100 (which apparently will be discontinued here in the near future. Is this film all it's cracked up to be? If so, I will stock up on it I am looking for a bw that is good with landscapes/architecture/night and people to a lesser extent. I know that Kodak has Tmax, and there are others out there. Looking for input on preferences for bw. I like contrast. I have found the Ilford D100 seems soft on contrast even when using a red or green filter.

B/W Fuji Across 100 What about Neopan? Others?
People
Architecture
Landscapes
Night time

Color Neg
I have been using Extar 100 What else would be as good or better
People
Architecture
Landscapes
Night time

Slide Film I use the provia 100F Going to try Velvia 100 as well, but if they are going out of production, what is an equivalent or better for slide choices?
People
Architecture
Landscapes
Night time

I know this get's asked a lot I am sure, but I am asking now as I am still learning and there are many choices that can be made and I am still a novice. I don't want to pass up not stocking up on something like the Across or Neopan if production being halted and they are as good as it gets.

[jp]

Contrast isn't so much from the B&W film but how you use it. For night time use, you'd want either Acros 100 or Tmax. I like tmax 400. Using fewer films is better as we are often more limited by our practice and familiarity with a film rather than any shortcoming of the product.. I pretty much only use tmax 400 and FP4+.

For color I like Porta 160 a little more than Ektar. It's lower contrast, but I can more easily add contrast in photoshop curves than remove contrast and have things look good. Some people really like slide film aesthetic, but I don't understand it's purpose in the current age and it's being discontinued all over the place. I'd rather invest my time in film that will be around.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

That is true on slide film. It is impressive though to look at on a light table, it has a 3D quality to it. I was looking at the tmax, I used it a long time ago for 35mm and liked it. I will look more closely to the Portra. Perhaps I will get lot's of Across before it dies off, just to have it. Then from there start stocking up on what is still available.

I would like to have it down to 3 or 4 films at most for color and b/w. Boy I got spoiled on digital.

On b/w, which of the films responds better if any when using a red or green filter? Even yellow though it is difficult to see a change.