Recent Posts

31

Main Forum / Re: Who is up for a postcard exchange?

« Last post by irv_b on April 23, 2024, 08:03:11 PM »

I want to thank you all for the cards that have popped through the letter box over the last week, a wonderfully varied selection of shots.
 I have decided to tone the prints so I will get my cards out soon just waiting for some dev trays so I can selenium tone them

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Main Forum / Re: Tell me about Kentmere.

« Last post by Francois on April 23, 2024, 03:11:19 PM »

I sure will 😊

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Main Forum / Re: Tell me about Kentmere.

« Last post by Indofunk on April 23, 2024, 12:07:11 AM »

Well, if you figure out a cheap film/developer combo that gives you slightly-smaller-than-baseball-sized grain at 1600, please do let me know 😁

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Main Forum / Re: Tell me about Kentmere.

« Last post by Francois on April 22, 2024, 09:28:24 PM »

I was about to suggest Holga mystery film...
Have you checked with the FPP? They have a ton of funky re-spooled stuff.

But when it comes to cheap stuff, Foma and Arista.EDU are pretty much the name of the game. What I find pretty weird with those is how sensitive they are to the developer used. It's a bit like a Jeckell and Hyde film. Give it the wrong potion and it turns on you. But treat it right and it's surprisingly good. Just don't expect the silver density you see in other films.

I really need to try it at 1600 or even 3200.

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Main Forum / Re: Tell me about Kentmere.

« Last post by Indofunk on April 22, 2024, 09:22:39 PM »

I thought RPX400 was actually HP5?
Edit: according to The Big Film Database it is Kentmere 400 https://industrieplus.net/dxdatabase/rechfilm.php?name=rpx400 but this information may be outdated.

Woah, worlds colliding 😁 If that's true, then I WILL get to shoot "RPX400" after all, in the form of Kentmere 😂

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Main Forum / Re: Tell me about Kentmere.

« Last post by Phil Snaps on April 22, 2024, 08:32:48 PM »

I thought RPX400 was actually HP5?
Edit: according to The Big Film Database it is Kentmere 400 https://industrieplus.net/dxdatabase/rechfilm.php?name=rpx400 but this information may be outdated.

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Main Forum / Re: Tell me about Kentmere.

« Last post by Indofunk on April 22, 2024, 04:25:22 PM »

I use a lot of Rollei RPX400, I buy it in bulk. It has very fine grain, especially when processed in XTOL or Adox XT-3 as in the example below. This is definitively not Kentmere 400.

I've never shot RPX400, but I've always loved the images I've seen. And I hear it pushes well, too. Unfortunately, it's basically the same price as HP5 so I never had motivation to switch 🤷🏽‍♂️

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Main Forum / Re: Tell me about Kentmere.

« Last post by Francois on April 22, 2024, 02:11:08 PM »

ORWO/filmotech packages it in these devastatingly awful non-standard plastic cassettes.

They probably use the same cassettes as FlicFilm (the snap-together model that barely fits in the film compartment).
These are definitely not the nicest thing to use, but I guess that they're what we'll have from now on until the tin free steel shortage gets solved.

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Main Forum / Re: Tell me about Kentmere.

« Last post by Kai-san on April 22, 2024, 12:29:55 PM »

I use a lot of Rollei RPX400, I buy it in bulk. It has very fine grain, especially when processed in XTOL or Adox XT-3 as in the example below. This is definitively not Kentmere 400.

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Main Forum / Re: Tell me about Kentmere.

« Last post by Flippy on April 22, 2024, 11:59:25 AM »

I've tried ORWO UN54, 100ASA. It's a really neat film that has a look similar to the old Efke films. But two problems: it's very easily scratched (all three rolls I've shot suffered from scratches) and ORWO/filmotech packages it in these devastatingly awful non-standard plastic cassettes. These things are so frustrating to get open that anything ORWO is not up for consideration by me until they start packaging it in real metal cassettes.

I still need to try Rollei RPX400. There are a lot of claims that this is just rebranded Kentmere 400, yet there are enough differences (developing times are different, Kentmere recommends no pre-wash, Rollei recommends pre-wash, etc.) that I don't think they're identical films. RPX is coated by Harman so of course it will be similar to other Harman products, but honestly if RPX400 has an actual anti-halation layer the few pennies more it costs (over Kentmere) could be worth it.