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View Full Version : Question for those of you still shooting film


jukas
5th of May 2005 (Thu), 16:43
Ok, well three questions really.

A) I'm starting to shoot more b&w candid stuff but I'm extremely unhappy with the type of film I've tried. I've tried a fuji and a Ilford FP4 Plus negative films but they had a lower grade consumer feel to them. I'm used to the quality, contrast and tonal range of Velvia and Provia. What is a good non consumer grade (i.e drug store) b&w negative films?

B) I need to get a lightbox or lighttable as I only have a 4x6 portable one now. What are some recommended brands out these days. I've been looking at some on B&H and they seem to run the gamut of the price range. What features should I be looking for and what should I be looking to avoid?

C) I've been trying out a new pro lab in my area that came highly recommended. So far I've had about 5 rolls developed through them including 2 b&w negatives with contact sheets. On on of the b&w rolls I noticed a scratch across all the images on the contact sheet, so I pulled out the negatives and to my dismay the actual negatives are scratched. It's a horizontal scratch just under the center of the strip but it's not a straight line, it meanders up and down slightly.

I checked my EOS3 for any shutter curtain damage and it's actually recessed, I don't see any way the shutter curtain could touch the negatives without such physical damage that would be easily seen. The lab isn't claiming any responsability and can't offer me much in the way of ideas. I turned in two rolls of this b&w film at the same time, both were shot within 2 days of eachother and the damaged one was actually shot first.

Any ideas?

cyclone
5th of May 2005 (Thu), 19:02
When I shoot BW film, I usually shoot Kodak's C41 process BW film, which I like. Since you already tried Fuji and Ilford, you might as well try Kodak next. Kodak's historical BW standards are Tri-X or Plus-X, which will all probably have that old time grainy look to them. I recently noticed that Kodak has a Portia400BW film out that also uses the C41 color developing process.

I can't help with the negative scratches.

Cyclone

PhotosGuy
5th of May 2005 (Thu), 20:17
A) Tri-X, Plus-X, or anything not processed in color chemicals.
B) If you're only using it to edit negs, then why not make your own? If for judging transparency color exposure, then buy one.
C) If it's a scratch on the base, it might be a nick on the pressure plate. If on the emulsion, it could be a grain of sand that's gone now. My bet though, is the lab did it since you said it wasn't a perfectly straight scratch.