Colour and B&W fast film for low light photography

[Parchiao]

Hello Everybody,

I was wondering what type of film that is faster than iso400 is worth trying/buying/using?

I have tried Fuji Press 800 at iso640 and the results were okay, and getting it is easy. Has anyone seen NPZ800 being sold in Singapore? What about the Kodak emulsions? Anything else worth trying?

The only B+W emulsion that I have tried was Kodak's TCN400, which was excellent. But I would like to try something even faster, ans I was wondering what is good for low-light pictures, without flash. I don't really mind grainy pictures for B&W, as it does add to the mood of the pictures.

Many thanks.

 

[Zoomer]

I seem to recall recommendations of the Tmax (?) 1600 and 3200 b&w emulsions.

 

[yellow_kiwi]

The fastest film i've tried i the fuji superia 1600. covered dance competition with it and turns out quite fine. maybe u can consider trying out a roll.

 

[Parchiao]

Hello Zoomer,

Ahhhh . . . I should try that, T-MAX P3200. anybody knows what ISO speed I should shoot with this film? Where can I buy this?

Hello yellow_kiwi,

How is the grain on a 4R print on Fuji Superia 800 film? Where can I buy this? What is the best film that you have tried that has a speed above ISO400?

Anybody know anything about NPZ800? Apologies about the many questions. I have read quite a fair bit of stuff on the website about films and what is recommended, but I can't seem to find some of the film that is recommended, and I would also like to know everybody's experience of the faster speed films.

 

[yellow_kiwi]

Originally posted by Parchiao

Hello yellow_kiwi,

How is the grain on a 4R print on Fuji Superia 800 film? Where can I buy this? What is the best film that you have tried that has a speed above ISO400?

For the X-tra 800... not so bad for iso800 film at ard $5.40 a roll. grains are obvious (sometimes ok) for low light conditions without flash from personal exp. once pushed it 2 stops to 3200 and the grains are really distracting. heard that Press800 i better for pushing though. as for the best... personally, shld be Press800. still experimenting.

 

[d7t3]

B+W:

Ilford HP5+ 400 can be pushed to 800
Ilford Delta 3200 can be used at 1600 or 3200, at least

 

[Parchiao]

Aiyah, real goondu, should have asked

'How is the grain on a 4R print on Fuji Superia 1600 film? Where can I buy this?'

 

[ckiang]

Think NPZ800 not available here.

I was given a sample roll by my regular lab to try, and they didn't know whether it will be eventually be sold or at what price.

Colours similar to NPH 400 (neutral/muted look good for portraits). But grain looks a bit grainier than Press 800.

Regards
CK

 

[Parchiao]

Sigh, no NPZ 800. Looks like I will have to settle for Fuji Press 800.

 

[hazardman]

Originally posted by Parchiao
Aiyah, real goondu, should have asked

'How is the grain on a 4R print on Fuji Superia 1600 film? Where can I buy this?'

it's pretty good if exposed properly. Good for concert or theatre.
not too grainy.

 

[yellow_kiwi]

1600 is easily available at Ruby or CP at abt the same px (at most 10c - 20c diff). or else u can buy at colourlab also, but it's a whole lot more EX!

 

[Parchiao]

Originally posted by d7t3
B+W:

Ilford HP5+ 400 can be pushed to 800
Ilford Delta 3200 can be used at 1600 or 3200, at least

I don't plan to do any 'pushing' as I am still trying to learn more about exposure and the zone stuff.

I have heard a bit about Ilford, and I am interested in Ilford Delta 3200. What is the optimum iso setting I should use, or is there any optimum speed to begin with?

 

[Parchiao]

Originally posted by yellow_kiwi
1600 is easily available at Ruby or CP at abt the same px (at most 10c - 20c diff). or else u can buy at colourlab also, but it's a whole lot more EX!

hazardman, yellow_kiwi,

What do you think is the optimum iso setting for Superia 1600? With NPH400, I tend to compensate about +2/3 stops under general shooting conditions.

 

[Ian]

B/W Emulsions

Ilford Delta 3200 - Really a 1000 ISO film but with good processing is amazing at 3200 ISO. As with all highspeed films exposure is critical. Don't be underexposing this film or it will reward you with football sized grains, little contrast and the most unflattering images imaginable. Treat it respect and use it carefully and you will be rewarded with outstanding print quality.

Kodak Tmax 3200 - poor mans Ilford :devil:


Colour Emulsions:

Fuji Press 1600 - It's similar to Superia 1600 - It's a mixed bag when shooting people. Use a flash or the grain will get you! It's good for motorsports and animals at night though.

Kodak Royal Gold 1000 - A real mixed bag emulsion, is very under exposure intolerant and works best with flash. A bit grainier than Press 800 but good results can be obtained with patience. For some reason I've never had really satisfactory results when dealing with severe backlighting with this film. It's good stuff for piggyback astrophotography though.

Fujichrome Provia 1600 D - Somewhat Grainy but quite acceptable. Lovely stuff for general highspeed use.

Konica 3200
I've had varied results with this emulsion, sometimes it's good, other times it's crap. Like most other fast emulsions it will punish the photographer who underexposes it due to it's quite narrow exposure latitude. Finding the stuff is difficult and getting it properly processed can be a nightmare. It seems to do best in real Konica chemistry. As you'd expect from such a high speed colour emulsion the grain is well, golfball sized.

Fujichrome MS100-1000 - Ahh the joys of a film which can be rated anywhere from ISO 100 to 1000. Like most fast films it apprears a bit flat in colour and contrast when compared to Provia 400 and it's grainier. But its not that bad ... Quite useful for sports.

 

[Parchiao]

Okay, I just read from www.photo.net that Ilford Delta 3200 is really an ISO 1200 film, while Kodak TMAX 3200 is an ISO 800-1000 film.

Suppose that I shoot with either film at ISO1000, what speed should the lab develop either of these films at?

 

[Ian]

Originally posted by Parchiao
Okay, I just read from www.photo.net that Ilford Delta 3200 is really an ISO 1200 film, while Kodak TMAX 3200 is an ISO 800-1000 film.

Suppose that I shoot with either film at ISO1000, what speed should the lab develop either of these films at?

for your purposes always have it developed at the ISO raring it was shot at ...

Opinions differ on the actual ISO rating of both Delta and Tmax 3200. When I did my calculations for delta 1000 based on a dozen rolls of testing (density etc) I came up with 1000 ISO as it's natural rating, others claim 1200 while others agree with the 1000 reading I got. Proceedural differences, equipment and stringency probably account for the 1/3rd stop difference.

 

[hazardman]

Originally posted by Parchiao


hazardman, yellow_kiwi,

What do you think is the optimum iso setting for Superia 1600? With NPH400, I tend to compensate about +2/3 stops under general shooting conditions.

i shoot at 1600 when i cannot use flash at all...yes i do get 'punished' sometimes. If not i'll shoot at iso 1200 or 800. Advice from some ppl i met, and results are pretty fine.

 

[Parchiao]

Ian, hazardman,

Was at Peninsula area just now, going from shop to shop asking for fast film. Did not manage to get any coloured film at ISO1600, but managed to get Fuji Neopan 1600 and Ilford Delta 3200. Gave Kodak's TMax 3200 a skip.

What I am planning to do is to use the film to shoot at ISO1000-1200 with Ilford, and probably ISO800 with Fuji, so as to bring out more details in the photographs, and hopefully less grain. Very much like what I would do with NPH400, shoot at ISO320, and processed normally. So no push or pull processing.

What I cannot figure out is this. How will the labs rate the film in the course of processing the film? My assumption is that they will do it normally i.e. at 1600 or 3200.

But I read somewhere from some comments on www.photo.net that the labs will take reference of the film's rating at ISO1200 and push process it if you shoot at ISO3200. On the other hand, when I asked the gentleman at the machine at Epic about Fuji's Neopan 1600, he told me to shoot at 1 stop slower, and they will process the film normally, and I assume that he means ISO1600.

Any comments?

 

[Ian]

Originally posted by Parchiao
Ian, hazardman,

Was at Peninsula area just now, going from shop to shop asking for fast film. Did not manage to get any coloured film at ISO1600, but managed to get Fuji Neopan 1600 and Ilford Delta 3200. Gave Kodak's TMax 3200 a skip.

It's the other way round here in Perth at present, I can get bucket loads of Press 1600 and Provia 1600 but Delta 3200 in single roll quantaties is impossible to obtain. Not that I buy in single rolls, normally it's 20 rolls at a time.

Originally posted by Parchiao
What I am planning to do is to use the film to shoot at ISO1000-1200 with Ilford, and probably ISO800 with Fuji, so as to bring out more details in the photographs, and hopefully less grain. Very much like what I would do with NPH400, shoot at ISO320, and processed normally. So no push or pull processing.

What I cannot figure out is this. How will the labs rate the film in the course of processing the film? My assumption is that they will do it normally i.e. at 1600 or 3200.

Ok firstly for B/W film you're far better off developing it yourself, most labs do a quite pathetic job with B/W emulsions as they use a single chemistry (whatever they are using) and just adjust the development time to suit.

In my case I normally don't screw around re-rating Delta 3200, I shoot it at 3200 and process it in my darkroom using optimum development times and chemistry. and the results are exceptional for a fast emulsion.

My standard development table for Delta 3200 with a developing temperature of 20[deg]C with stop and wash water within +/- 0.5[deg]C of developing temperature.

EI 1600
Microphen 8m 12s Perceptol 15m 9s

EI 3200
Microphen 9m 8s Perceptol 10m 43s

EI 6400
Microphen 12m 20s Perceptol 18m 20s

Note developer is at stock solution mix.
Microphen gives the best overall image (contrast, acutence and sharpness)
Perceptol gives the finest grain.

As always it's a trade off with film!

Originally posted by Parchiao
But I read somewhere from some comments on www.photo.net that the labs will take reference of the film's rating at ISO1200 and push process it if you shoot at ISO3200. On the other hand, when I asked the gentleman at the machine at Epic about Fuji's Neopan 1600, he told me to shoot at 1 stop slower, and they will process the film normally, and I assume that he means ISO1600.

Any comments?

No comment at present, I'm late for a job ...

 

[hazardman]

Originally posted by Ian


It's the other way round here in Perth at present, I can get bucket loads of Press 1600 and Provia 1600 but Delta 3200 in single roll quantaties is impossible to obtain. Not that I buy in single rolls, normally it's 20 rolls at a time.



Ok firstly for B/W film you're far better off developing it yourself, most labs do a quite pathetic job with B/W emulsions as they use a single chemistry (whatever they are using) and just adjust the development time to suit.

In my case I normally don't screw around re-rating Delta 3200, I shoot it at 3200 and process it in my darkroom using optimum development times and chemistry. and the results are exceptional for a fast emulsion.

My standard development table for Delta 3200 with a developing temperature of 20[deg]C with stop and wash water within +/- 0.5[deg]C of developing temperature.

Parchiao, I agree with wat Ian says. Most of e labs produce poor results when processing BnW film. The best results is usually when u process it urself. I also shoot delta 3200 as it is at iso3200. Though the next time i shoot, i'll try it at 1200. I've heard that Tmax 3200 is better than delta 3200, u might wanna try that n compare. I've used it only once and i liked it pretty much.