I need your suggestion for film (print, slide for color or B&W) to be used with Leica lenses. Recently I have tried AGFA APX 100 and I like its grainy and heavy texture it produces.

Any film that is your favorite with your Lieca lenses. Thanks.

-- Kenny Chiu (amchiu@worldnet.att.net), June 26, 2000

Answers

For B&W I use Kodak Tmax-400 and 3200 and Tri-X because they are more or less "habit" now. I like Fuji Astia 100 and Velvia 50 every once in awhile. I'm not one to experiment a lot, I guess.

-- Tony Rowlett (rowlett@alaska.net), June 26, 2000.

Gosh, Kenny, I've never thought of matching film to lens.

Erwin Puts swears by Kodachrome, especially K25. Others say Leica works best with B&W film such as Tri-X or XP2 Super.

I use Provia F mostly, Velvia hardly ever, and K25/K64 occasionally. For B&W Scala and Tri-X. I love Scala, but contrast control is tricky.

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), June 26, 2000.

Gosh, Kenny, I've never thought of matching film to lens.

Erwin Puts swears by Kodachrome, especially K25. Others say Leica works best with B&W film such as Tri-X or XP2 Super.

I use Provia F mostly, Velvia hardly ever, and K25/K64 occasionally. For B&W Scala and Tri-X. I love Scala, but contrast control is tricky.

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), June 26, 2000.

I shoot Tri-X no matter what. I haven't found that it changes with lenses. I shoot it in 120 also.

The only exception is with my pinhole camera, because Tri-X doesn't give long enough exposures at f138 (the only choice with the pinhole) to control exposure in daylight.

I don't shoot color in 35mm, I don't like the way it looks.

Bank Girl, Tri-X at 320 in Rodinal, copyright 2000 Jeff Spirer

-- Jeff Spirer (jeff@spirer.com), June 27, 2000.

For color slides - K64 (and K25) seems to me a classic combination. These work fantastically because they are so sharp, nice neutral color and can bring out all what Leica lenses have to offer.

For black and white I would have thought that FP4/Tri-X/HP5 could be considered classic combinations.

-- Robin Smith (rsmith@springer-ny.com), June 27, 2000.

For Black and white : Tri X At 400 or 800 and Tmax3200 at 1600 or 3200.

-- laurent (festaz@yahoo.fr), June 27, 2000.

I usually shoot Velvia these days. For grab shots, I carry around a Leica screw mount camera and collapsible 50mm lens. I like to use color negative film when shooting without a meter, Reala or Royal Gold 100.


-- Joe Buechler (jbuechler@toad.net), June 27, 2000.

I'm a big fan of Kodak's new Supra 400. But, due to the addition of a Sprintscan 4000 and an Epson 870 to my digital darkroom, I'm likely going to switch to trannies. From what I've seem Provia 100F looks like a winner, and there are rumours of a matching Privia 400F due out this fall. That would make available light shooting on chrome a realistic option.

-- Paul Chefurka (paul_chefurka@pmc-sierra.com), June 29, 2000.

Kenny, I use a lot of black and white: Agfa 25 and 100. Rodinal with 25 - Microdol mixed 1 to 3 with both: 12/13 min. for 25 (rated at 12) and about 15 min. for 100 (rated at 50) both temperatures at 20 C. You'll be hard pressed to find grain in these negatives in the grain focuser under the enlarger and the tonality and sharpness is great.

I prefer leicas for black and white and color in either leicas or nikons.

For color I am partial to Fuji Reala 100 and Superia 400 and sometimes 800.

For slides Fuji 50 and 100 and Kodachromes - Also Scala, a fabulous film.

Wladimir Schweigert

-- wladimir schweigert (sgert@golden.net), June 29, 2000.

The Leica is such a great low light camera, that I find myself not wanting anything in mine less than 400 speed. I rate Fuji 400 negative at 320, and the 800 at 640. With the 800, if I can see it decently with my eyes, I can take a hand held shot of it with my Leica and usually get good sharpness in very natural light, like window light indoors. I can't believe how good these higher speed negative films have gotten in just the past 3 years.

-- andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), June 30, 2000.

I've used E100SW almost exclusively for nearly two years, but am now considering Velvia or a simple reason which has nothing to do wth lenses: the flash sync speed of the M camera. 100 ASA is just too fast! In fact the flash sync speed is the one thing that lets the M series down, IMO. Rob.

-- Robert Appleby (laintal@tin.it), July 08, 2000.

I shoot Efke KB-100 and KB-25 and soup in PMK. I used the Beutler soup for about 15 years but after trying PMK, will not go back. Efke films which are very much the same as the old Adox films can be had from Freestyle Sales.

Was using Delta and T-Max before I found Efke.

Sharpness tip: use the tabletop/ballhead braced upon your chest, or wall or boulder or tree or building.

-- Larry Welker (lwelker@turbont.net), August 26, 2000.

Dear Ken, I have had very good experience with Kodak's E100VS. It is faster than Velvia and not quite so contrasty or hard on skin tones. I shoot it at a full 100 ISO. For dimmer available light I have had very good luck with E200 shot at ISO 400 and pushed 2 by a professional color lab. I recently tried the new Provia 400F in my Canon T90 and think this is a great available light film, as well as a for super telephoto with my Canon long lenses. I have not yet tried it in my M6, but My initial impression is that the new 400F is slightly colder than the E200 shot at ISO400.

-- Ray Robbins (arlirob@home.com), November 18, 2000.