Fastest film for 8x10 other than TMY

[Bruce Watson]

TMY-2 gives me an EI of 500 with N development in DS-10.

I get an EI of 500 with TMY-2 also, in XTOL. Just sayin'.

About the best you can do in 10x8 is going to be HP5+, but HP5+ shoulders off where TMY-2 keeps going, and HP5+ is going to go into reciprocity failure in the shadows far sooner than TMY-2. Enough to make it difficult to control shadow detail in a lot of situations. This can be a moot point, until it isn't. I had many frustrating shooting sessions trying to figure out how to control this until I finally tried TMY-2. It's expensive stuff, but how expensive is missing a shot because your film crapped out on you?

Really, I did the math on what I was doing and figured that the cost of film (any film) was meaningless compared to the costs of travel (airline tix, hotel, meals away from my own kitchen, car rentals, etc.).

So maybe you need two films. One to use locally when you can go back and take a shot again if the film lets you down. But for those longer distance photo trips where coming back isn't happening, use TMY-2. Just a thought.

Personally I just use TMY-2 for everything. But it's somewhat easier to do that in 5x4. Oh well.

[Drew Wiley]

The now extinct Bergger 200 was an impressive 8x10 film; but at least they realistically marketed it at 200. Foma not so. And I agree with Bruce. One sheet of reliable, versatile TMY can be cheaper than wasting shots with lesser films.

[Peter De Smidt]

Hi Bruce. I agree with everything you say. The proposed photo in question is local.

[HoodedOne]

Polaroid 8x10 is rated at 640 asa. But I have shot it at e.i. 1000. Polaroid film is getting a little more sensitive with age
Only downside is that you’ll need special equipment to develop the film, and it’s expensive.

[Dugan]

Is "hyper"-ing (like astrophotographers do) an option?