How would you start?

[Grandpa Ron]

Just for fun I resurrected my old old 4x5 camera. A quick scan of the web shows B&W film is about $1.25 a sheet, $ 4.00 to develop and $6.00 to print. So, about $12.00 a shot.

Therefore it looks like it will be home processing.

So the question is, if you were doing this just for the fun of doing, and a limited budget,
What B&W film would you choose?
What film developer would you choose.
Then what print paper and developers would you choose. I will be contact printing.

The last time I did this was back in the late 1960's with Tri-X. My pictures are usually scenery, the dog, and other fun stuff while snowshoeing in the winter; now that I am retired.

Thanks

 

[Derrel]

Kodak Plus-X Pan film or Kodak Tri-X Pan. Kodak HC-110 film developer, Kodak indicator stop bath, Ilford fixer. Paper? A polycontrast type of resin-coated paper, so you could use filters to change the grade of the paper. Develop the contact prints in Dektol. This is all very 1990's; perhaps there are newer, better options.

 

[Gary A.]

I would start where you left off ... same film, same developer, same paper (if possible). Get your feet wet again.

 

[dennybeall]

I would get out my digital camera and take great pictures of the old 4X5

 

[Grandpa Ron]

I would get out my digital camera and take great pictures of the old 4X5

I have definitely done that.

But amongst my many hobbies are several old time adventures. I restored a turn of the last century wood and canvas canoe, I have built numerous muzzle loading firearms, repairs any number of old banjos fiddle and other old instruments that folk have given me.

I was clearing out my attic to round some wiring and can across the remains my uncles 1930s vintage enlarger, for yet another adventure.

Take care

 

[vintagesnaps]

An enlarger too! It might be like riding a bike and come back to you.

You might take a look at Home - The Film Photography Project . If you have questions once you get going ask here or try there, I think their message board is their Flickr discussion group.

Ilford also has resources on their website for B&W photography.