My current go-to films for portraits are:
Color: Kodak Portra 400 (shot a roll of Kodak Vision 3 50D - waiting for results)
B&W: Kodak Plus-X 125 (still have some), Fuji Neopan Acros 100 and Kodak Tri-X 400 (MF).
What are yours?
My current go-to films for portraits are:
Color: Kodak Portra 400 (shot a roll of Kodak Vision 3 50D - waiting for results)
B&W: Kodak Plus-X 125 (still have some), Fuji Neopan Acros 100 and Kodak Tri-X 400 (MF).
What are yours?
Do they still make Portra 160?
Yep, they sure do. Portra, all speeds, is definitely my favorite for color. CineStill gives a great color palette as well. Their 50 version is pushable by quite a bit and the 800T is just fun. Really hoping they'll launch a 120 version.
For B&W, I prefer Ilford. Generally use HP5, FP4 and Delta. Love the grain in HP5 but the FP4 is super smooth.
I prefer Kodak Plus-X 125 to FP4+, but sadly Kodak killed it. CineStill 50D is Kodak Vision 3 50D. I still have to develop mine, or send it out.
Exactly, which is why no one will release a medium format version, unless someone puts the 65mm stock on 120 format backing paper.
To answer the question, for colour I love Fujifilm Pro 400H shot at 100-200 ASA. For black and white I'm partial to Acros 100, but Tmax 100 at box speed or pushed two stops always rocks, too.
Cool trick: Shoot Kodak Tmax 100 at ISO 32, develop in Xtol 1+1, 8:45 @ 20ºC. Use filters to recover contrast (orange or red). Looks just like the classic Kodak Panatomic-X.
I like to use Portra for most color portraits and Ektar when I want something with a bit more edge to it.
When shooting black and white I always like to use Acros 100. it's nice at 100 and has some nice qualities when shot at iso50 as well.
I really dig portra as well (160 and 400). It seems to give almost digital-like clarity with really nice tones. Especially at 6x7.
For BW I usually stick with Delta 100 or Tmax 320. Currently I don't shoot a lot of color, since I can't see paying $5+ per sheet plus $5+ per sheet to develop 4x5 and I am not set up for color development at home.
When I shot a lot of 35mm and 120 I always loved Portra at 160 and 400. Also, with 35m I Loved shooting AGFA RSX 50 slide film for portraits (and anything else, it was my favorite film), but it was discontinued a while ago.