I have a keen interest in classic vehicles and would like to shoot them in B&W with my Minolta 35mm camera. I am a beginning photographer in B&W. What films do you reccomend for outdoor photography of vehicles close up and afar and why (all weather conditions as well)? Also, I need to have my film developed commercially since I live abroad and do not have access to a dark room. Films best for this purpose?

Thank you for all replys!

-- Ted Kadala (kadalat@volvo.com), September 26, 1999

Answers

If yo uhave no darkroom facilities it is probably best to go with one of the C-41 process films. These are black and white film, but it is processed in the same chemicals as color print film. Any lab that does color prints can develop it. They can also print proofs on color paper, however the results may show color shifts (the blacks will not be black, but some other tint).

They can also be printed on black and white paper with very good results.

Kodak has T400CN and B&W Select. The Select version tends to print better on color paper. In Ilford there are similar films, I think HP2+ is one of their versions.

-- Terry Carraway (TCarraway@compuserve.com), September 29, 1999.

The Ilford film is XP2.

-- Alan Gibson (Alan.Gibson@technologist.com), September 30, 1999.

Alan,

Thanks. I don't play with the stuff, so I forget. :)

-- Terry Carraway (TCarraway@compuserve.com), September 30, 1999.

T400CN / XP2 are good ideas for this purpose even if you have your own darkroom facilities. They have an extremely long scale and give you a better opportunity to control the highlights in chrome trim.

-- John O'Connell (joconnell@adelphia.net), October 11, 1999.