2004General Discussion forum
Film stock options for shooting 35mm black and white motion picture
22 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- Kodak offers two black and white negative stocks for 35mm: Plus-X 5231 at approximately ISO 100 and Double-X 5222 at ISO 250.
- Plus-X is preferred by many cinematographers over Double-X, which some find coarse and overly contrasty.
- Pushing Plus-X one stop in post-production can yield a desirable look.
- Black and white film is uncommon in modern production, which can create a distinctive visual quality that allows for experimental lighting approaches.
- Ilford produced black and white stocks for motion picture work, though their brief experiment in this area may have ended.
- Orwo film stock from Eastern Europe represents another potential option.
- Shooting color negative film and finishing it as black and white is a viable alternative approach.
- Test shooting is advisable before committing to a particular stock and treatment.
Depends on
- Discussion occurred in 2004, so stock availability and pricing information is outdated.
- Experience with Ilford motion picture stocks was uncertain at time of posting.
- The claim about Orwo stock availability was not confirmed with specifics.
- Comparative assessments between stocks are based on individual cinematographer preference rather than systematic testing.
- Color-to-black and white finishing process was mentioned as topic of discussion elsewhere but not detailed here.