Support our Sponsors, they keep FADU free:   AG Photographic   The Imaging Warehouse   Process Supplies   RH Designs   Second-hand Darkroom Supplies  

Notices

Go Back   Film and Darkroom User > Monochrome Work > Monochrome Film

  ***   Click here for the FADU 2015/2014 Yearbooks   ***

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #21  
Old 30th April 2010, 05:12 PM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Jersey Channel Islands
Posts: 5,433
Default

Kev,one method that no one has mentioned is to take a reflected reading from an 18% grey Card,instead of the subject, I think youcan still get them at Jessops, might be worth a try, I have used that method at times and it does work,Richard
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 20th May 2010, 07:54 AM
Phil's Avatar
Phil Phil is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Tayside
Posts: 659
Default

Hi guys - just thought I'd follow up on this myself - it's a poor unretouched scan . . but anyway, excuses aside . . .
This was Neopan 400 rated at about 320, and overexposed by one stop from what my Nikon's meter said I should use - so effectively a Zone VI exposure. It was roughly 1/60th at f1.4 or f2. Then lens is an ancient 50mm Nikkor f1.4 . . .what a lens!
It was developed in Barry Thornton's two bath developer, which aided the highlights as usual. Grain is quite large, but you know at the sizes I print at . . who cares
Phil
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	img285.jpg
Views:	249
Size:	23.4 KB
ID:	694  
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 2nd February 2013, 12:40 PM
Terry S Terry S is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Southend on Sea, Essex, England, UK
Posts: 3,797
Default Highly recommend Ilford's XP2 for portraits!

Re-opening an old thread.

I've recently used Ilford's XP2 film for the first time in about 10+ years, which was then developed at my local Jessops ( ) C41 colour mini lab. (The enprints were very good too with no overall colour cast that is often associated with this film and it's prints.)

It was then printed in my own darkroom. The downside for me, if you can call it that, was the almost TOTAL LACK of any 'grain' to focus on. The prints from a 35mm neg at 16 x 12 were very sharp and 'grain' free though, with a very good contrast range at grade 2 1/2.

Some of the subjects didn't have the best of skin shall we say, but this film seemed to help subdue it no end, even though these pictures were taken with 'natural' indoor overhead ceiling lighting. This all ended with some very happy sitters for the pictures when they got a print or two each.

The bottom line being that I'd definitely recommend this film for portraiture.

It was used at the stated ISO of 400 btw and printed using all of Ilford's products.

Terry S
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 2nd February 2013, 08:33 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Daventry, Northants
Posts: 8,969
Default

Terry, I don't think that XP2+ is Frances Schultz's(Roger Hicks's better half) favourite film without good reason. It does seem to have a lot going for it except perhaps longevity v trad B&W( the jury has to be still out on modern chromogenic film due to lack of age) and possibly for the home enthusiast trad B&W film is easier to process.

Incidentally and not really related, I have heard or perhaps read that the early Baird TV system needed females to wear green lipstick as otherwise their lips, as an earlier contributor said, virtually disappeared

Mike
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 3rd February 2013, 02:46 PM
Michael S Michael S is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Kent
Posts: 105
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Terry S View Post
The downside for me, if you can call it that, was the almost TOTAL LACK of any 'grain' to focus on.
I came across exactly this the other day printing from Adox CHS 50. I use HP5 almost exclusively so it was a bit of a shock to see nothing to focus on. Initially I thought my grain focuser was out of whack.
Reply With Quote
  #26  
Old 10th February 2013, 09:01 AM
Martin Aislabie's Avatar
Martin Aislabie Martin Aislabie is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Stratford-upon-Avon, England
Posts: 2,081
Default

If you cannot find any grain, try fining a a sharp edge to focus on (if you are shooting portraits look for eye lashes or a stray hair)

If you want a better Focus Finder then try a Peak (http://www.processuk.net/Peak_focus_...7_3427267.aspx) - expensive but lovely

Martin
Reply With Quote
  #27  
Old 10th February 2013, 11:09 AM
peterlg peterlg is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: living in Luxembourg
Posts: 507
Default

have a Peak II which is very practical but does not enlarge as much as my simple LPL so I use it when the grain is very! small
peter
Reply With Quote
Reply
Support our Sponsors, they keep FADU free:   AG Photographic   The Imaging Warehouse   Process Supplies   RH Designs   Second-hand Darkroom Supplies  

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Why Still Use Mono ? vincent Monochrome Film 28 31st August 2009 07:57 AM
Street Portraits- variation on a theme kennethcooke Photography in general 3 31st March 2009 07:22 PM
Agency portraits and glamour stuff toffeezebra Photography in general 1 21st February 2009 11:01 PM
London Darkroom Portraits Roy_H Darkroom 6 4th February 2009 01:58 PM


All times are GMT. The time now is 07:36 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.