A Better Way to See a Dull Day with Kodak Tri-X in XTol

#6 in B+W Film Micro Reviews

Many don’t associate heavily overcast dull days as an ideal condition any photographs, as is hard to extrapolate a scene severely lacking of contrast and shadows as something glowing and visually exciting. Yet, with the right film and developer combination developed for high contrast, dull days can result in spectacular photographs.

Kodak Tri-X Pan pushed to ISO800 or possibly 1600 developed in XTol 1+1.5 for 14 minutes results in a fairly extreme contrast boost that compliments dull days. Additionally, compared with other films like HP5, the characteristic curve of Tri-X has a gentle toe and shoulder portion that results in steeper mid-tone contrast. And so, you can expect Tri-X to be punchier than the alternatives.

The first photo is in one of the many colourful back lanes in Montreal. I can’t remember the exact location, but you could start at Pine Ave. W in between Clark St. and St. Laurent and find such back lanes (that run parallel with St. Laurent). Again, an incredibly dark day developed to high contrast makes this scene glow.

Stairway to God Knows Where in Montréal – Tri-X @ ISO800, XTOL 1+1.5 @ 20C for 14′

Next, a Mini in Old Montreal on the same really dull day. Normally, when pushing film, shadow detail is lost. But, under such low contrast settings, shadows are generally not so deep that they fall into complete darkness.

Mini in Vieux-Montréal – Tri-X @ ISO800, XTOL 1+1.5 @ 20C for 14′

In the example below, the ISO1600 was used. Compared to the prior examples at ISO800, there is a notable loss in shadow detail. The top of the window is completely black and devoid of detail (including the negative itself). Such blackness can work in some cases – but not always. It is something to keep in mind when choosing the ISO.

Sparks Street in Ottawa – Tri-X @ ISO1600, XTOL 1+1.5 @ 20C for 14′

Bottom line – this is a stunning combination for dull days. Typical of Tri-X, sharpness is fine and the quality of grain is what we shoot film for.

For photos in this post, exposure and processing information is given below:

Film	Kodak Tri-X
ISO	800 & 1600 (with reduced shadow detail)
Developer	XTol
Dilution	1+1.5 (one part stock solution, 1.5 parts water)
Time	14 minutes
Temperature	20C, 68F
Agitation	5 seconds each minute
Digitization	Scanned with Plustek 8200i, processed in Lightroom and Nik Silver Efex Pro

Picking up the Minutiae in an Autumn Forests – Kodak TMax 400 (TMY2) in Rodinal

#5 in B+W Film Micro Reviews

Forests, with incredibly fine details, in Autumn on a slightly overcast day presents challenges:

• Rendering incredible amounts of detail requires a very sharp film
• Autumn light is weaker than in the summer, and overcast conditions coupled with tree cover makes reduces available light
• Small apertures are often required to ensure sufficient depth of field

It is as if there is an epic battle. Sharpness is typically associated with slow films. Yet, the ability to use small apertures without a tripod in subdued light requires fast film to realize sufficiently short shutter speeds for hand-held shooting.

What is the solution to the problem? We have no choice but to use a fast film. Any slow film resolution gains will be wiped out by camera shake due to lower than practical shutter speeds. Fortunately there are ways to attain sufficiently high resolution from fast film.

• Use tabular grained films like Kodak TMax 400 or Ilford Delta 400
• Select a sharp developer – like Rodinal

VW – TMY2 @ ISO250, Rodinal 1:50 10′

But what about the grain? Many find Rodinal and high speed films too grainy for most applications. The Volkswagen on the left, taken with TMax 400 developed in Rodinal is certainly sharp, much more so than a developer like XTol. However, the smooth metal surfaces expose rather excessive grain that detracts from the photo. The same will be true for gray skies, peoples faces and just about any smooth surface.

A forest, however, is capable of hiding many things – including grain. There is so much fine details everywhere, and smooth or flat areas tend to be few and far between.

In the photos below, the grain is certainly there, but it is inconspicuous. Furthermore, it is sufficiently sharp.

Fall in Gatineau Park – TMax400 @ ISO320, Rodinal 1+50 11′

Normally, I develop TMax 400 in Rodinal for 10 minutes at 20C. As the day was fairly dull, for the fall forest photos, I increased the development time 1 minute to increase the contrast.

Fall in Gatineau Park – TMax400 @ ISO320, Rodinal 1+50 11′

TMax400 in Rodinal results in extremely sharp images that can be made without the use of a tripod inside a not-so-bright forest. To my eyes, the tonality seems to nicely complement forests.

For photos in this post, exposure and processing information is given below:

Film	Kodak TMax 400 (TMY2)
ISO	250 or 320, depending on the development time.
Developer	Rodinal
Dilution	1:50
Time	10 (ISO250) or 11 (ISO320) minutes
Temperature	20C, 68F
Agitation	5 seconds each minute
Digitization	Scanned with Plustek 8200i, processed in Lightroom and Nik Silver Efex Pro

Made for Urban Decay – Bergger Pancro 400 in XTOL

#4 in B+W Film Micro Reviews

Compared with other ISO400 emulsions, it is not sharp, while being substantially grainy. Many would consider Bergger Pancro 400 a write-off, at least for 35mm. The photo below, with a section blown up, perfectly illustrates these characteristics.

Not so sharp, and quite grainy….

But, look what happens when you photograph a gritty texture like the concrete wall. Also the grass, with the spent cigarettes has pronounced grimy appearance:

Is this the ideal film for urban grime?

In my mind, there is something special happening here. It is as if the grain somehow amplifies the grittiness of the wall – making is seem more dark in mood. Though not sharp, I don’t think it really matters here.

I will not write off this film for technical weakness, but rather exploit its unique characteristics next time I photograph urban decay. I think it would be a brilliant choice for broken concrete, peeled paint and stripped down wood on somewhat of a gray day. I certainly would not consider it a general purpose film like Kodak TMax 400.

For photos in this post, exposure and processing information is given below. It takes a long time to develop this film. Even so, the contrast is quite low:

Film	Bergger Pancro 400
ISO	400
Developer	Kodak XTOL
Dilution	1+1 (one part stock solution, 1 parts water)
Time	18 minutes
Temperature	20C, 68F
Agitation	5 seconds each minute
Digitization	Scanned with Plustek 8200i, processed in Lightroom and Nik Silver Efex Pro

City Magic With a 28mm Lens and Ilford PanF Plus in Rodinal

#3 in B+W Film Micro Reviews

A few caveats about this film before moving on. It is very challenging to squeeze the best out of PanF. First, it is a slow film. Rated at ISO50, I pull it to ISO32 with reduced development to tame the otherwise excessive contrast. In urban settings, even with clear or partly cloudy skies, there can be a lot of shade that, where in my experience, you will be lucky to shut down the aperture to f4 while still being able to hand hold the camera. Second, Ilford recommends developing the film within one month of exposure. The undeveloped image will fade, and become underexposed if left in the camera too long. If you can get around these shortcomings, the results of this film, in Rodinal, can be magic.

Ohms – A sign of resistance – PanF @ ISO32, Rodinal 1:50 @ 20C for 9′

If you want to hand hold the camera and will not have fully open and bright skies, optically excellent wide angle primes are the best choice. Compared with longer lenses, wide optics can be hand held at lower shutter speeds without noticeable “camera shake” issues. Once you are into partially shaded back alleys (like the 2nd photo), shutter speeds can easily go below to 1/60s at f4. While 28mm lens can be safely hand held at this speed, you are asking for camera shake induced blur as you go beyond 50mm. Good optics are even more important when you are constrained at using f4, or wider. These photos were taken with the legendary Nikkor 28mm 2.8 AIS lens which is quite sharp wide open and very sharp at f4.

When using my 28mm Nikkor with PanF developed in Rodinal I find the results rather stunning. The prior and next photo have a very distinct three dimensional quality while appearing rich all throughout the tonal range. Additionally, the in-focus areas appear tack sharp. To be honest, I have to say this is my absolute favourite film / developer combination ever.

Montreal back ally magic with a bit of sun, but a lot of shade – PanF @ ISO32, Rodinal 1:50 @ 20C for 9′

I added the photo below to emphasize the sharpness PanF is capable of. Taken in full sunlight with a K2 (yellow) filter to accentuate the contrast, and at f5.6 to attain the resolution sweet spot of the lens, you can see the amazing details in the bricks and mortar. Both the highlights and shadows actually have loads of detail.

Stunning sharpness with full sun – PanF @ ISO32, Rodinal 1:50 @ 20C for 9′

Rather sadly, it is not practical to use this excellent film / developer combination any time. Though I have come to love using the 28mm focal length in bright light within urban settings, I heavily use longer lenses, like my 105mm f2.5 in potentially not-so-bright conditions. With PanF, sufficiently fast shutter speeds quickly become impossible and dreaded camera shake will result. It is for this reason, I use a more flexible, but less visually attractive, film like TMax 400 most of the time.

One more quick note – so long as there is sun and shade, try using a K2 (yellow). It beefs up the contrast between highlights and shadow and makes for more dramatic renditions. Blue skies are also darkened more.

For photos in this post, exposure and processing information is given below:

Film	Ilford PanF Plus
ISO	32
Developer	Rodinal / Blazinal
Dilution	1:50 (5ml developer and water to make 250ml)
Time	9 minutes
Temperature	20C, 68F
Agitation	5 seconds each minute
Digitization	Scanned with Plustek 8200i, processed in Lightroom and Nik Silver Efex Pro

Amazing Automobiles – Fomapan 100 in XTOL

#2 in B+W Film Micro Reviews

NOTE: Arista EDU 100 is strongly believed to be rebadged Fomapan 100. In case it is not, these photos were taken with Arista EDU 100

The first few rolls of Fomapan 100 left me a bit unimpressed. Grain was quite high and resolution not all that great. It seemed kind of muddy to me. Unfortunately, I thought, I purchased quite a few rolls. Fortunately, I am quite cheap and I didn’t want to “waste” the unused films. So, on one particular old car show, I randomly decided to make use of one of the remaining rolls. To my surprise, I came to love this film for cars.

Foma is a Czech company that has been making film for years. Fomapan 100 is considered a very old-school emulsion. You can do your own internet digging – but to make a long story short, many consider it having a very ‘retro’ look. Fomapan 100, and especially Arista EDU 100, is very inexpensive. And so, many consider it a film for learning.

A few examples follow:

Camaro with very nice highlight glow – Fomapan 100 @ ISO100, XTOT 1+1.5 @ 20C for 9′

Cadillac – Fomapan 100 @ ISO100, XTOT 1+1.5 @ 20C for 9′

Javelin – Fomapan 100 @ ISO100, XTOT 1+1.5 @ 20C for 9′

The highlight are amazing. Check how chrome parts are rendered – very bright and crisp (it “looks” crisp, but in reality is not the sharpest film). Shadows are nice and deep, while having plenty of detail. For lack of better words, lighter shades seem to have this nice glow.

I think XTOL works nicely with this film. As the grain is quite pronounced, I would fear developing in Rodinal!

My experience with this film brings up some interesting points. We tend to judge films based on technical merits, such as grain and sharpness. Fomapan 100 would fail based on these criterion. Though I would not use it as a general purpose film, for some applications (like automobiles) it is second to none (in my eyes).

For photos in this post, exposure and processing information is given below:

Film	Fomapan 100 or Arista EDU 100
ISO	100
Developer	Kodak XTOL
Dilution	1+1.5 (one part stock solution, 1.5 parts water)
Time	9 minutes
Temperature	20C, 68F
Agitation	5 seconds each minute
Digitization	Scanned with Plustek 8200i, processed in Lightroom and Nik Silver Efex Pro

Everyday Urban Photography – Kodak TMax 400 (TMY2) in XTOL

#1 in B+W Film Micro Reviews

This first micro review focusses on what I consider to be my default film and developer combination for urban photography. Read on to find out why!

Nice shadow detail and creamy highlights TMY2 @ ISO 320, XTOL 1+1.5 @ 20C for 12′

If, for a given roll of film, you are unsure of the lighting conditions you may face, a reasonably high speed film is a wise choice. I typically use TMax 400 at ISO250 to 400. On bright and sunny days, I can still select a fairly wide aperture before reaching the 1/4000s maximum shutter of my Nikons. As such, depth of field control is still possible. When the light gets darker, it is nice to have the extra speed so you have more room to shut down the aperture for increased depth of field without needing a tripod.

Technically, this combination is fairly fine grained and quite sharp. TMax 400, being a tabular grain film, exhibits finer grain than more traditional films like TriX and HP5+. Developed in XTOL, the grain is visually present while having a nice texture. It is far from overwhelming. There are some situations where coarser, grittier grain suit an image. But, by default and for most situations, I find the grain qualities of TMax 400 in XTOL near ideal while being sufficiently sharp.

Sunny Day OK – TMY2 @ ISO 320, XTOL 1+1.5 @ 20C for 12′

The spectral response of TMax400 reveals another advantage. Less sensitive to blue light than most other B+W films, it is not as necessary to use a yellow (K2) filter to darken blue skies. As such, you do not loose the one extra stop of exposure required by the filter.

Finally, it has a very high latitude. There is still plenty of detail in overexposed areas that can be brought down in Lightroom after negative scanning,

So, technically, TMax400 in XTOL checks all the right boxes – fast, fine grained, sharp while possessing a wide exposure latitude.

Lovely tonality in overcast situations – TMY2 @ ISO 320, XTOL 1+1.5 @ 20C for 12′

The more important consideration deals with rendering. The rendering of images in both bright and dull conditions are generally quite nice (the photos in this post attempt to substantiate this). There is plenty of shadow detail, and the mid tones are pleasant. And, with tons of exposure latitude, there is plenty of dodging and burning room in Lightroom or the traditional darkroom.

In conclusion – in my opinion, TMax 400 developed in XTOL (1+1.5) is my default (a.k.a. first) choice for urban photography because it is a solid, flexible and visually appealing combination. I use unless I am intentionally after another look that offered by another combination.

For photos in this post, exposure and processing information is given below:

Film	Kodak TMax 400 (TMY2)
ISO	320
Developer	Kodak XTOL
Dilution	1+1.5 (one part stock solution, 1.5 parts water)
Time	12 minutes
Temperature	20C, 68F
Agitation	5 seconds each minute
Digitization	Scanned with Plustek 8200i, processed in Lightroom and Nik Silver Efex Pro

B+W Film Micro Reviews – ReadMe First!

Index of B+W Film Micro Reviews

What is a film Micro Review

There are countless film / developer / processing combinations that, for a given subject, give very different results. Part of the fun is discovering combinations that work for the photographer.

The purpose of Black White Film “Micro Reviews” is to share film, developer and processing combinations that render particular subjects and/or lighting conditions in some noteworthy manner.

Each review will focus on a type of subject, such as cars, people or buildings taken under some lighting condition and explain why a combination is a good fit.

As indicated by the name, a micro review is short. In showing readers a combination that works, and why, they will hopefully shorten their own discovery process on selecting the best film and developer for a given situation.

Please check the review index and enjoy!

Notes on Developers

Developer selection can be overwhelming. It is not possible to proficiently use every developer on the market. Yet, different developers can attain wildly different results. Furthermore, some developers are known to work well with some, but not all films. That being said, over years of experimenting, I predominantly use 2 very different developers for the majority of my work.

Kodak XTOL – All Around Solid Performer

XTOL in a nutshell:

XTol is a very good general purpose developer for a wide range of films. I use it for traditional films (PanF, TriX etc) as well as tabular grained films like TMax.

• Environmentally friendly (when compared to most other choices)
• Reasonably sharp (when diluted sufficiently)
• Fairly fine grain
• Inexpensive
• Relatively long-lived (I have used 1 year old stock solution stored in full, air tight bottles)

Dilution Notes – am I the only one diluting 1+1.5?

People tend to use XTOL stock (undiluted), or diluted with one part developer with one, two or three parts water (1+1, 1+2, 1+3). As you increase the dilution, the sharpness increases (as does the developing time).

Most of the time, I use an unorthodox 1+1.5 dilution for a very good reason:

• Kodak’s XTOL Technical Data “recommend[s] always starting with at least 100 mL (3.5 fluid ounces) of full-strength developer to prepare the diluted solution for each 135-36 or 120 roll”
• My 35mm developer tank takes 250ml of liquid.

As such, if I should always have 100 ml of solution in the mix, and I want to maximize sharpness given my 250 ml tank size, then 100 ml of stock solution + 150 ml of water is the way to go.

Agfa Rodinal – SHARP but at what cost…

NOTE: Due to copyright reasons, Rodinal is sold under a host of other names like Blazinal.

Rodinal in a Nutshell

Due to a cult following, Rodinal is often referred to as “holy water”. In some situations, it can be absolutely amazing. Some key characteristics:

• Very sharp – noticeably higher than XTOL
• Grainy – especially with higher speed films
• Lasts forever – undiluted, Rodinal can last for years even after opening the bottle
• Very inexpensive

For slower films like PanF or TMAX 100, Rodinal provides extremely sharp negatives without excessive grain. On higher speed films, grain can become very noticeable that may or may not be desirable for a given situation. I use it a lot for slow films, and sometimes for fast films.

Dilution Notes

I generally dilute Rodinal 1:50, or 5 ml Rodinal added with water to make 250 ml of solution. This tends to be the most popular dilution. People also use it 1:25 or 1:100 depending on the film and desired result.