Film (C-41 B&W) help needed

NikonsandVstromsNikonsandVstroms Registered Users Posts: 990 Major grins
edited October 13, 2009 in The Big Picture
I want to bring out my film cameras again but I just need to find out what film to use!! The Fuji S5 kept my film lust at bay but it is coming back just because I miss how the old cameras, specifically the Nikon FE feel.

Here are my issues:

Because of my hands I can't develop film on my own so that basically takes away all my favorites for B&W (T-Max 100, Tri-X 400 :barb, and T-Max 3200 I am a Kodak guy :D).

Costco is dirt cheap for developing and scanning C-41 which is nice since this is just for fun and if I need better scans I have a 35mm scanner.

I got a pack of the C-41 Kodak B&W for a song but I am not feeling the results too much. So are does anyone else have experience with C-41 B&W is there any I should try?

Also I know there are machines to develop silver film, I just don't know much about them/where to get them so any info on that would be great.
http://www.jonathanbeckley.com/

Comments

  • NikonsandVstromsNikonsandVstroms Registered Users Posts: 990 Major grins
    edited October 11, 2009
    Just looking around for what film I have I found a bag with 20 rolls of T-Max 3200 and Tri-X 400 so a cheap service or machine to develop these would be great.
    http://www.jonathanbeckley.com/
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,938 moderator
    edited October 11, 2009
    Why not see if there's a way to continue shooting your faves and see if you can send off for processing?
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • NikonsandVstromsNikonsandVstroms Registered Users Posts: 990 Major grins
    edited October 11, 2009
    ian408 wrote:
    Why not see if there's a way to continue shooting your faves and see if you can send off for processing?

    I would like to do that, but all the quotes I have gotten are about 10/roll for standard B&W.

    At Costco I can get a roll developed and scanned (at about 6MP) for under 5 dollars.

    If I could find a place that did silver rolls for about 5 dollars it would be perfect.
    http://www.jonathanbeckley.com/
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,938 moderator
    edited October 11, 2009
    That's too bad. I guess it's Costco then.
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • Art ScottArt Scott Registered Users Posts: 8,959 Major grins
    edited October 11, 2009
    Here is a great C41 Process BW film....Illford XP2........

    Here is the Pro Lab I use for all my work:
    Douglas Photographic Imaging and they do mail order work also...........
    "Genuine Fractals was, is and will always be the best solution for enlarging digital photos." ....Vincent Versace ... ... COPYRIGHT YOUR WORK ONLINE ... ... My Website

  • JeffCanonJeffCanon Registered Users Posts: 97 Big grins
    edited October 12, 2009
    Iford XP2 is not designed for automated mini lab machines; it’s for making traditional BW printing. Also sometimes if it’s not processed correctly it get a purple or green tint, can’t recall the cause. When printed on a traditional C41 machine the prints often have a septic look. Not sure about current digital mini-labs, but the film print fine with manual scans and traditional BW printing. Used it for years before switching back to traditional BW

    The Kodak BW400CN is designed for printing on color papers. It has the orange backing that is standard on color films. I’ve not used BW400CN or the older Kodak C41 BW films a lot, but when I did they worked very well
    www.jeffjarboe.com
  • Art ScottArt Scott Registered Users Posts: 8,959 Major grins
    edited October 13, 2009
    JeffCanon wrote:
    Iford XP2 is not designed for automated mini lab machines; it’s for making traditional BW printing. Also sometimes if it’s not processed correctly it get a purple or green tint, can’t recall the cause. When printed on a traditional C41 machine the prints often have a septic look. Not sure about current digital mini-labs, but the film print fine with manual scans and traditional BW printing. Used it for years before switching back to traditional BW

    The Kodak BW400CN is designed for printing on color papers. It has the orange backing that is standard on color films. I’ve not used BW400CN or the older Kodak C41 BW films a lot, but when I did they worked very well

    I used XP2 without a problem from its inception till I went digital.....had it processed and printed at 1 hr labs from the mall too walmart and only at walmart did I get a slight blue cast.......butthat was just for proofing...I truly did not care about perfect color that came from the Pro lab....but they were 5X higher for processing and C41 is C41.

    I went to XP2 simply because it could be mini lab processed....especially since I knew that all the mini labs had the exact same film processors as the 4 pro labs in town at the time.........

    Also every box of XP2 had a red stripe that had C41 in white written on it.....

    This link is to a box of ILFORD XP2 SUPER clearly showing C41 processing.......so yes it can be mini lab processed and if the printer is any good at all it might have just a touch of blue or brown but will be very exceptable....if the printer is just a button pusher well it could turn out any color since they probably was not trained to do BW on a color machinemwink.gifwinkmwink.gif

    PHOTO.NET discussion on XP2.............
    "Genuine Fractals was, is and will always be the best solution for enlarging digital photos." ....Vincent Versace ... ... COPYRIGHT YOUR WORK ONLINE ... ... My Website

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