Fortepan -- disappointing results

Chris Loffredo wrote in message ...
Ask if you want to know more...

Thanks for the comments and confirming my suspicions. I looked at
the negatives, and it's possible they are not as bad as the prints
would indicate, so perhaps the bigger problem was the printing rather
than the processing.

I am not particularly interested in futzing about with chemicals, even
though everyone keeps saying how easy and cheap it is. But just in
case (and for the benefit of the untold millions of Usenet lurkers
reading this thread), where is the best overview of what's involved?
Cost, equipment and materials, space requirements, etc? And it still
leaves printing, right? I have had more problems with crappy printing
than with crappy processing. Is printing difficult and expensive?

Thanks again.

*UncaMikey

"UncaMikey" wrote in message
om...
I haven't shot B&W in decades, so I bought some Fortepan from B&H,
just to play around. I shot a roll of 100 using my Pentax *ist and
various lenses. I had the film processed at Sam's Club, the off-site
service that takes 2 weeks, since it was so cheap and I was simply
curious as to what I would get.

I was not expecting much, but even so I was disappointed. The film
seems to have extraordinarily limited range -- single photos had both
blown white highlights and pitch black shadows, not much gray tones.
Besides the extreme contrast, some images seemed blurred and
indistinct. The shots were in a wide variety of situations, indoor
and outdoor, low light and full sunlight, etc. I don't think it was
the camera, since all the other rolls I've shot with the Pentax *ist
have come out remarkably well; the camera seems to have quite accurate
and sophisticated metering and focusing systems.

There is a slight chance it was the lab, but I know very little about
the mechanics and chemistry of photo processing. Are the poor results
likely the result of using poor film, as I suspect, or was it
partially the cheap processing? Or was it operator error, a lazy
amateur accustomed to today's high quality color films? Larf!

I still have a roll of Fortepan 400 but I wonder whether it's even
worth the trouble to use. What sort of results have others had with
this film? Do I need to stick to reputable brand films?

Thanks for suggestions and comments.

*UncaMikey
I've used Fortepan a couple of times. That was enough. Nuff said. Of course,
developing yourself is the only way to go, but overexposing the CN B/W films
comes out well too sometimes, if you find a good printer, which is the real
problem. Bob Hickey

"UncaMikey" wrote in message
om...
I haven't shot B&W in decades, so I bought some Fortepan from B&H,
just to play around. I shot a roll of 100 using my Pentax *ist and
various lenses. I had the film processed at Sam's Club, the off-site
service that takes 2 weeks, since it was so cheap and I was simply
curious as to what I would get.

I was not expecting much, but even so I was disappointed. The film
seems to have extraordinarily limited range -- single photos had both
blown white highlights and pitch black shadows, not much gray tones.
Besides the extreme contrast, some images seemed blurred and
indistinct. The shots were in a wide variety of situations, indoor
and outdoor, low light and full sunlight, etc. I don't think it was
the camera, since all the other rolls I've shot with the Pentax *ist
have come out remarkably well; the camera seems to have quite accurate
and sophisticated metering and focusing systems.

There is a slight chance it was the lab, but I know very little about
the mechanics and chemistry of photo processing. Are the poor results
likely the result of using poor film, as I suspect, or was it
partially the cheap processing? Or was it operator error, a lazy
amateur accustomed to today's high quality color films? Larf!

I still have a roll of Fortepan 400 but I wonder whether it's even
worth the trouble to use. What sort of results have others had with
this film? Do I need to stick to reputable brand films?

Thanks for suggestions and comments.

*UncaMikey
I've used Fortepan a couple of times. That was enough. Nuff said. Of course,
developing yourself is the only way to go, but overexposing the CN B/W films
comes out well too sometimes, if you find a good printer, which is the real
problem. Bob Hickey

"UncaMikey" wrote in message
om...
I haven't shot B&W in decades, so I bought some Fortepan from B&H,
just to play around. I shot a roll of 100 using my Pentax *ist and
various lenses. I had the film processed at Sam's Club, the off-site
service that takes 2 weeks, since it was so cheap and I was simply
curious as to what I would get.

I was not expecting much, but even so I was disappointed. The film
seems to have extraordinarily limited range -- single photos had both
blown white highlights and pitch black shadows, not much gray tones.
Besides the extreme contrast, some images seemed blurred and
indistinct. The shots were in a wide variety of situations, indoor
and outdoor, low light and full sunlight, etc. I don't think it was
the camera, since all the other rolls I've shot with the Pentax *ist
have come out remarkably well; the camera seems to have quite accurate
and sophisticated metering and focusing systems.

There is a slight chance it was the lab, but I know very little about
the mechanics and chemistry of photo processing. Are the poor results
likely the result of using poor film, as I suspect, or was it
partially the cheap processing? Or was it operator error, a lazy
amateur accustomed to today's high quality color films? Larf!

I still have a roll of Fortepan 400 but I wonder whether it's even
worth the trouble to use. What sort of results have others had with
this film? Do I need to stick to reputable brand films?

Thanks for suggestions and comments.

*UncaMikey
I've used Fortepan a couple of times. That was enough. Nuff said. Of course,
developing yourself is the only way to go, but overexposing the CN B/W films
comes out well too sometimes, if you find a good printer, which is the real
problem. Bob Hickey

(UncaMikey) wrote in message . com...
Chris Loffredo wrote in message ...
Ask if you want to know more...


I am not particularly interested in futzing about with chemicals, even
though everyone keeps saying how easy and cheap it is. But just in
case (and for the benefit of the untold millions of Usenet lurkers
reading this thread), where is the best overview of what's involved?
Cost, equipment and materials, space requirements, etc? And it still
leaves printing, right? I have had more problems with crappy printing
than with crappy processing. Is printing difficult and expensive?

Thanks again.

*UncaMikey


The whole point is "futzing about with chemicals". If you are just a
shooter, you're not a real photographer. You should have seen what was
involved in the days of wet plates!


You need:

For film:
Tanks/reels
Thermometer
Measuring cylinders
Dark closet that can be made totally light-tight
Chemistry (film developer, stop bath, rapid fixer, wash aid, wetting
agent

For prints:
Enlarger
Lens
Paper
Chemicals (developer, stop bath, rapid fixer, wash aid)
Safelight
Trays

Many very good enlargers and tanks can be had on e-bay used.

"UncaMikey" wrote in message
om...
Chris Loffredo wrote in message
...
Ask if you want to know more...

Thanks for the comments and confirming my suspicions. I looked at
the negatives, and it's possible they are not as bad as the prints
would indicate, so perhaps the bigger problem was the printing rather
than the processing.

I am not particularly interested in futzing about with chemicals, even
though everyone keeps saying how easy and cheap it is. But just in
case (and for the benefit of the untold millions of Usenet lurkers
reading this thread), where is the best overview of what's involved?
Cost, equipment and materials, space requirements, etc? And it still
leaves printing, right? I have had more problems with crappy printing
than with crappy processing. Is printing difficult and expensive?

Thanks again.


Film developing-- equipment needed includes a daylight film developing tank,
a thermometer, some sort of timer, measuring containers, film developer,
stop bath (optional, a water rinse is acceptable), fixer, wetting agent, and
enough dark (closet, changing bag) to load the tank.
Printing-- larger amount of dark, 3 or 4 trays larger than the largest size
print, tongs, enlarger, easel (a few say an easel is optional), safelight,
print developer, stop bath (optional...), fixer.

Equipment could cost $250 to $400 (or a lot more), developing a roll of film
may cost $1, an 8x10 print around $0.60 each. Over the years, my B&W
darkroom probably cost $600, including two enlargers, several film tanks,
and a pile of trays. My color darkroom probably cost about $4000, including
an automatic printer and roller transport processor, most stuff bought used
or as part of a "package". Darkroom is not expensive or difficult; it's fun
and addictive.

Ken Hart

Chris Loffredo wrote:
Ralf R. Radermacher wrote:

UncaMikey wrote:


I haven't shot B&W in decades, so I bought some Fortepan from B&H,
just to play around. I shot a roll of 100 using my Pentax *ist and
various lenses. I had the film processed at Sam's Club, the off-site
service that takes 2 weeks, since it was so cheap and I was simply
curious as to what I would get.



You've had cheap film processed by a cheap lab.
Ralf


I'd put more emphasis on the cheap lab.
B&W MUST be processed by one's self (or else use an EXCELLENT lab) for
decent results: Developing is easy to learn and doesn't require much
eqipment.
Ask if you want to know more...

Others summed up the necessary equipment quite nicely.

I'd like to make it even more simple: For negatives you don'tr even need
a totally light-tight area - just about any bathroom at night (with a
towel over the window if needed) should be enough.

Developing tanks and even the chemicals can be found VERY cheaply in
online auctions.

Since printing B&W is much more complicated & expensive, you might
consider going "hybred" and get a film scanner.

Chris Loffredo wrote:
Ralf R. Radermacher wrote:

UncaMikey wrote:


I haven't shot B&W in decades, so I bought some Fortepan from B&H,
just to play around. I shot a roll of 100 using my Pentax *ist and
various lenses. I had the film processed at Sam's Club, the off-site
service that takes 2 weeks, since it was so cheap and I was simply
curious as to what I would get.



You've had cheap film processed by a cheap lab.
Ralf


I'd put more emphasis on the cheap lab.
B&W MUST be processed by one's self (or else use an EXCELLENT lab) for
decent results: Developing is easy to learn and doesn't require much
eqipment.
Ask if you want to know more...

Others summed up the necessary equipment quite nicely.

I'd like to make it even more simple: For negatives you don'tr even need
a totally light-tight area - just about any bathroom at night (with a
towel over the window if needed) should be enough.

Developing tanks and even the chemicals can be found VERY cheaply in
online auctions.

Since printing B&W is much more complicated & expensive, you might
consider going "hybred" and get a film scanner.

(Uranium Committee) wrote in message news:
The whole point is "futzing about with chemicals". If you are just a
shooter, you're not a real photographer.

Well, of course I am not a "real photographer"! Never pretended to be
anything other than a snapshooter, who perhaps tries to pay a little
more attention. My interest lies in getting and composing interesting
shots, not much in the processing side (either digitally or
chemically). You can enjoy driving a sports car without wanting to
know how to adjust the valves and timing, y'know? Larf!

Maybe I'll try a non-credit course in darkroom work, I seem to recall
something like that among the informal classes offered at local
colleges and university.

*UncaMikey

(Uranium Committee) wrote in message news:
The whole point is "futzing about with chemicals". If you are just a
shooter, you're not a real photographer.

Well, of course I am not a "real photographer"! Never pretended to be
anything other than a snapshooter, who perhaps tries to pay a little
more attention. My interest lies in getting and composing interesting
shots, not much in the processing side (either digitally or
chemically). You can enjoy driving a sports car without wanting to
know how to adjust the valves and timing, y'know? Larf!

Maybe I'll try a non-credit course in darkroom work, I seem to recall
something like that among the informal classes offered at local
colleges and university.

*UncaMikey