Gast
I’m heading to Scotland in early summer and have decided to pack my trusty old Nikon FM so I can get back into classic black-and-white landscape photography after such a long time.
I used to often use Plus X/Tri-X + D76. But I’m also open to trying something new, provided it has a classic ‘look’ and is straightforward and robust in terms of processing and handling. Do you perhaps have any tips or experience regarding colour processing, baryta paper or warm tones?
SimonWeber
Just to give you an idea of my preferences:
I love these combinations:
Neopan 400@400ASA + Emofin
HP5 400@800 + D76
TriX 400@400 + Emofin
HP5 pushed with D76 gives a ‘reportage’ look (yes, naturally without shadow detail, but that can be very exciting. Please no comments along the lines of ‘the average pusher...’ etc.).
Emofin for “general” photography: produces an incredible amount of shadow detail, especially when shooting in the shade. Backlit subjects can, however, become very low in contrast.
Contact prints on Polywarmtone PE and final prints on Polywarmtone FB. I just use a perfectly ordinary multigrade developer (Ilford). You could certainly make it much warmer.
Tip for measuring exposure: if you don’t have a ‘handheld’ light meter, use a grey surface (e.g. the tarmac) to measure the exposure. This immediately gives much better exposures than ‘point and shoot’. Downside: it’s a bit slower, because you have to measure the ground first and then adjust the settings manually to take the photo.
Simon
EDIT: And I’ve just noticed someone talking about landscape photography... I really ought to be able to read...
Oh well.
SamuliSchielke
If it ain't broke, don't fix it – as far as I can tell, your camera is both robust and classic, and it's easy to get hold of film for it. Ultimately, the best film-and-developer combination is always the one you're already familiar with. For that truly classic 1950s look (and high resolution, which might be important for landscapes), the ADOX CHS50 (formerly Efke KB50) is also recommended. It has a wide exposure latitude and almost zero Schwarzschild factor (very useful at night!). 7 minutes in D-76 (stock solution).
You can experiment more with the paper (if it goes wrong, you can simply make another print from the same negative). For toning, use a paper without built-in developer or brightener; these are available from Kentmere, Foma or ADOX/Forte, for example. They all also offer their own warm-tone papers, each with slightly different characteristics, but all of which respond particularly well to toner.
Have fun!
Samuli
Roman
Samuli’s quite right – TriX in D76 is a ‘classic’; there isn’t really much room for improvement (unless you mind the grain).
Here’s my setup:
Fuji Neopan 400 at ISO 250, Rodinal 1+50, 20°C, 1-minute agitation, 9.5 minutes – razor-sharp, crisp; with 35mm film the grain is visible, of course, but it’s very nice grain... ;)
But as I said, I don’t see any absolute need to change your setup; at most (if you haven’t already done so), I’d properly test the combination to find out the actual speed – that alone usually makes a quantum leap in quality!
