Kodak Tri-X 400

Observations: Like Ilford FP4 Plus, Kodak Tri-X 400 offers an excellent range of tonality and contrast with a bit more grain that is still very pleasing. Compared to slower black and white films, shadow areas can appear a bit dark especially when exposing for highlights but not excessively so. At first, I was put off by this. But the more I’ve used Tri-X 400, the more I’ve come to like the way those dark shadows give my images a classic, almost film noir look. The long heritage of Tri-X 400 is in full effect here. Highlights show few if any hot spots like other emulsions can have. I find Tri-X 400 to be a little less forgiving of exposure setting errors than slower film stocks, which is to say that I’m quite impressed—there isn’t a dramatic change in overall exposure from one stop to the next, although slower films like FP4 Plus handle those changes a bit more gracefully. Like FP4 Plus, I like the look I get with Kodak Tri-X 400 straight out of the scanner. Images don’t require too much postprocessing, and they have that classic traditional look that appeals to me.

Further reading: bluemooncameracodex.com, alexluyckx.com, analog.cafe.