FPP’s SUPER POSITIVE BW FILM – Unique, Low ISO BW Positive Image Film!
I love shooting new, unusual film stocks. One of the more unusual stocks that we hand-roll for our Film Photography Project on-line store is a scientific lab film we call “FPP BW Super Positive” (iso 0.8!) because the film produces a black and white positive when processed using normal BW chemistry. That’s right, you can process this film yourself in standard BW chemistry or send this film to any lab that processes BW! What you’ll get is Super Positive results. This is a Super LOW ISO film and we have some tips! Read on!
The film has an amazingly LOW ISO. This film is a Dactylographic film, used in the study of finger prints! I shoot in daylight with my lens fully open (f1.8 or f1.4) at about 1/10th or 1/15th sec. I highly recommend the Gossen Luna Pro F light meter if you’d like to use a hand-held meter. It dials down to iso 0.8. I processed the examples on this page in Kodak D76 6 minutes at 68 degrees although I recommend a more “mellow” developer – like FPP D96, Caffenol or HC-110 (Dilution H). Super Positive film LOVES sunlight. When shooting people, I recommend using a “bounce card” to bounce sunlight into your subject’s face or using a flash to add a “poof” of light on your subject’s face.
Leslie Lazenby offered the following info on her image above: “When you pull this film from the developing reel you see positives not negatives with standard B/W negative developer. It’s a true B/W – usually you think of slide film only coming in color! Although a challenge at first to find the right developer and time combo I found my standby Xtol nailed it. This film in real life is a Dactylographic film, used in the study of finger prints so it very slow and fine grained. But you can still hand hold on a sunny day. Hand processed in Kodak Xtol stock, 68 degrees 8 minutes, 5/5 agitation. I shot this with my Olympus OM-1n, Zuiko 50mm 1.8. I Light metered with a Minolta Flash meter set to it’s lowest ISO of 3 then plus 2 stops from the reading to get to .75 ISO.”
Long-time FPP podacst listener Kevin Collins shot the above image with his Nikon F3 / Nikon 50mm f/1.8 lens / Aperture: f/8 / Shutter Speed: 8s / Developer: Kodak Xtol (Stock) @ 20C for 8:00 minutes. / Scanner: Epson V600 – Below: Image by Alex Luyckx / Nikon F4 – PC Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8
Thanks for reading this blog on this super, unusual film! Love to hear from you! You can write me at Michael@FilmPhotographyProject.com
Don’t forget to tune into the FPP Podcast!
You can pick up SUPER POSITIVE film right here at the FPP on-line store.
above: Noah from ANALOG RESURGENCE reviews FPP Super Positive!
Additional image results here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelraso/albums/72157662607497840
About Michael Raso – In 2009, Michael’s enthusiasm for traditional film photography inspired him to found the Film Photography Project and its fortnightly internet radio show, the Film Photography Podcast (FPP). Today, the FPP and its instructional videos, exclusive products and Walking Workshops have converted photographers around the globe to the joys of film photography. And most rewardingly, the FPP’s popular Camera Donation Program continues to place analog cameras, film and lenses into the hands of kids and instructors world-wide.