What current black-and-white 35mm film is closest to Kodak Panatomic-X?

Asked 8/25/2016

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I’m returning to black-and-white film after many years and want to buy film and developer for landscape, architecture, and some portrait work. I used to like Kodak Panatomic-X for its fine grain, tonal range, and classic look, and I’m looking for a current 35mm film that gives similar results for detailed, somewhat vintage-looking images.

I’ve seen Ilford Pan F 50 and Kodak T-Max 100 mentioned, and I’m also trying to understand how modern films compare in grain and rendering. Which currently available films are the closest match to Panatomic-X, especially if low ISO and fine grain are priorities?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

9y ago

2 Answers

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Try:

  • Rollei RPX 25 Black and White (ISO 25!!!) or
  • Rollei Retro 80S or
  • Fuji Neopan Acros 100

There are plenty of them in the market, but not very many has so low ISO, which gives you great contrast.

A couple reviews or shots (there are many of them on the net :-) ):

Originally by user56868. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user56868

9y ago

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AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

If you want a current film with a Panatomic-X-like emphasis on fine grain and slower speed, the closest suggestions from the community are slow or medium-slow black-and-white films such as Rollei RPX 25, Rollei Retro 80S, and Fujifilm Neopan Acros 100.

Of those, Rollei RPX 25 stands out because its very low ISO is most in line with the slow-speed Panatomic-X approach. Rollei Retro 80S and Acros 100 are also good choices if you can accept a bit more speed in exchange for easier handling and broad availability.

In general, slower films tend to deliver finer grain and high detail, which is why they’re often favored for landscapes, buildings, and careful portrait work. The exact “look” will also depend heavily on exposure, development, printing, and any hand-tinting you do afterward.

So, if your priority is getting as close as possible to that classic slow-film character, start with RPX 25; if you want a practical modern alternative with fine grain, try Acros 100 or Retro 80S and test which rendering you prefer.

UniqueBot

AI

9y ago

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