Gast
Hello
I’ve been flicking through your catalogue and my head is spinning from all the information.
I’m not exactly a beginner, but I haven’t done anything for years; now I’d like to start developing my own photos bit by bit, especially black and white ones.
I need an affordable all-round combination of film and developer so I can experiment. I don’t have any specific requirements for anything extreme. Normal grain, good grey-scale reproduction, forgiving, and cost-effective are my criteria.
As for film, I’ve got my eye on ClassicPan. Both 200 and 400. Perhaps an Efke 25 now and then.
What’s the best developer to use?
Is there anything against the Maco LP Grain Liquid?
I don’t like the powder form of Calbe A49, which is highly recommended. I reckon concentrates are easier to handle.
According to the description (and the forum), Classic F09 accentuates grain; I’m not exactly insisting on ultra-fine grain, but I don’t want the developer to be overly grain-enhancing either.
I’m planning to buy the slightly larger bottles so I can take lots of photos, so I’d like the developer to be as versatile as possible.
Practice makes perfect :rolleyes:.
What are your recommendations?
Gast
Hello Chaos,
Since you’ve asked us for advice, we’d recommend powder developers, specifically the A49.
That said, we’ve got no complaints about LP Grain, of course. However, it’s probably not the best choice for your purposes, as it doesn’t produce a fine grain like the F09 – and you don’t want that anyway.
What exactly is your problem with the powder method?
It takes me 3 minutes to prepare it, and then I have my ‘concentrate’, which easily lasts for six months.
When I want to develop a film, I take 100ml of it, add 200ml of water at room temperature, and off we go in mode 1+2 (double development time).
The powder also has an indefinite shelf life (unlike liquid concentrates) – so I always have a supply at home – and it’s cheaper too.
Well, that was my advice.
Now for the salesman’s pitch: Buy LP Grain, because it’s more expensive and we earn more!
Mirko
FOTOIMPEX
Gast
Hello!
Here’s my take on your questions:
If you’re not particularly keen on grain (and perhaps even shoot in 35mm), forget about ClassicPan – so far I’ve only used the 200 speed as a medium-format roll film, and even then it’s brutally grainy; what’s more, the base material is difficult to handle (it curls, etc.) Of the affordable films at FOTOIMPEX, I find Fomapan much more forgiving and has finer grain; I’ve already used the 100 and 400 in both 35mm and medium format (not the T200 yet), and the 100 is now my go-to film in this speed range.
Regarding developers: Why don’t you like powder developers? One major advantage they have is their much longer shelf life (even as a pre-diluted stock solution) compared to liquid concentrates (with the exception of Rodinal); if you don’t engage in much development, liquid concentrates might go off (I’ve had a particularly bad experience with Ilfosol-S in this regard). If you also want a single developer for all films, ID11 would be a good choice; it produces good results with pretty much any film, and preparing powder developers isn’t rocket science either.
Gast
Thanks for the info.
My aversion to powder in any form stems from my special talent for scattering it far and wide :rolleyes:, sometimes very far indeed...
But I’ll give it a go.
Gast
Chaos,
By the way, Roman is right. The Classic isn’t a fine-grain film. It’s simply a classic film with a conventional emulsion and all the advantages and disadvantages of these old emulsions. The advantages are the ‘flat curve’ (zone system!), the grain clustering and the edge effect (visual sharpness), and the harmonious, ‘realistic’ grey-scale reproduction.
This film is particularly recommended for sheet films or for zone system work. Here, the advantages of such emulsions outweigh the disadvantage of the relatively coarse grain.
The Foma is significantly more finely grained and “flattens” the curve, making it more suitable for all-round use. Particularly with 35mm films, where the material offers fewer reserves, prints from the Foma “set” more quickly.
Powder preparation: Stir in SLOWLY! Fill the mixing cup only halfway with water and it should work.
Regards
Mirko
Gast
Hello,
I, too, am ‘once again’ a newcomer to black-and-white photography.
You all seem to rate Fomapan film very highly, and I’m wondering what you think of Efke film? I shoot almost exclusively on transparency film, but I’d like to get back into black-and-white photography.
My kit consists of some older cameras, such as the Canon AE-1 and the Canon T-90, and last year I bought a Pentacon Six with two Zeiss lenses (2.8/50, 2.8/80mm) and a 2x converter from Kiev. I also shoot transparency film with the Six and then scan some of it into the computer.
I’ve managed to borrow a Durst enlarger from a relative (as it’s just been sitting there for years). Unfortunately, though, the machine is only for 35mm. There is medium-format equipment available for this model, but it’s not cheap.
I think I still have the rest, like developing tins, trays and so on. But I’m completely out of the loop, which is why I’m searching here on the internet, and that’s how I came across fotoimpes. By the way, I’m from Berlin.
I still need tips on films, developers and the ‘general tips & tricks’ for development and enlargement.
Thanks.
Gast
By the way, I’m from Berlin.
Well then, you should definitely pop into our shop! :rolleyes:
We do this sort of ‘getting back into photography’ advice every day. We’ll sort it all out for you.
Mirko
FOTOIMPEX
