Erwin Vereecken wrote:
> Have my mind set on Ilford XP2 (C41 processing)as the first film to start
> exploring, so no probems with film processing yet.
Why? XP2 is not a very good example of a B&W film. Some don't
even consider chromogenic film to be true B&W films. The
current crop of films, especially Ilford's XP2, are not
considered to have great longevity, and using them won't teach
you very much about processing and exposing B&W film. It's
only a few dollars for some tanks, reels, and chemicals which
will allow you to process your own B&W film, and you'll make
up the expense in short order by saving on having a lab
process your chromogenic film.
A good film to start with is Tri-X. It's ubiquitous,
forgiving, flexible in terms of development, and can be
purchased quite inexpensively. Using it with the "standard"
of developers, D-76, will get you started in B&W processing
and accelerate your learning curve. Plus, you'll have
complete control over your negatives. There are, of course,
other good films to learn on, and Ilford's 400 speed film is
another excellent choice. And Ilford's ID-11 developer, which
is essentially a version of D-76, is another good choice.
Once you've mastered your base film/developer combination,
it's simple to move on to their film/developer combinations.
> However I am overwhelmed by the choice of papers and chemicals for papers.
> Any suggestions for the first paper to start with and the chemicals to go
> with it?
I've used Agfa papers in the past with very satisfactory
results. But having started working in the darkroom again,
after many years away from it, I, too, am somewhat
overwhelmed by the vast assortment of papers, and the greater
availability of RC and VC papers. A suggestion would be
Agfa's graded, RC, Brovira, but Ilford, Forte, Oriental, and
others all make great papers. You should start by looking at
prints made on different papers, and see which ones you like.
Do you prefer cold or warm tomes? Glossy, matte, or
semi-matte? What's easily available to you?
There is no "best" paper. Find one you like and work with it,
learn it like you'd learn a particular film. The same goes
for paper developers. There are old, neutral, and warm tone
developers. A particular developer produce somewhat different
results on different papers.
I know this doesn't exactly answer your question, but it's
really the best answer you can get. You must make these
decisions for yourself, based on your preferences. My
suggestions of a film or paper are based on my preferences, my
style of shooting and printing, and the subject matter I
prefer.
Good luck and have fun!
--
Shel Belinkoff
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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