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Response to Need fine grain B&W film, develop in HC-110

from Michael Goldfarb (mgoldfar@mobius-inc.com)
I can't speak to your question about HC-110, as I'm a D-76 (and occasionally XTOL) guy. However, don't discount some old classics: Agfapan 100 is a very good film, with quite fine grain and a nice old- tech look a la Tri-X. And good old Plus-X is still a very nice film too - a little bit grainier than APX 100, but a lovely emulsion with a unique look.

And T-Max 100 is indeed remarkable stuff; its grain and resolution are a (small, but still) quantum leap beyond APX 100 and PX. But T- Max 100 can be finicky; you have to be very careful in exposure and development, and even then, you may end up with more contrast than you want, and the infamous blocked-up highlights and opaque shadows. No question, TMX will give you the added detail you're looking for, but at a cost. If you only need slightly more resolution and finer grain than Tri-X, APX 100 or PX are both good bets, and you'll likely get great results with them right out of the box, as opposed to the learning curve many folks have with TMX...

(I've never used APX 25 or Pan F, but for my purposes - 5x7s from half-frame 35mm and Minox negatives - I've found that APX 100, PX, and, of course, TMX are all plenty fine-grained!)

(posted 9204 days ago)

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