Recently we’ve seen plenty of amazing new films hit the market; but there are also several classic movies we still cherish from before digital cameras were widely adopted–surviving from before its heyday that have changed very little or not at all since being made. Below are eight timeless films we believe every analog photographer should experience at some point in time.
Kodak’s Tri-X has long been considered a classic film. First introduced as roll film back in 1954, its 400 ASA speed made it the go-to choice of both photojournalists and amateur photographers, and remains popular today despite digital photography taking hold. Tri-X’s grainy yet contrasty look became synonymous with photos taken during this era of American history.
Tri-X’s popularity stemmed from its versatility; it was and still is well suited to various lighting conditions, performing especially well when exposed at 800 or 1600 ISO for low light conditions. Over its 80+ year lifespan, Tri-X has been continuously refined; today its latest version, 400TX, still provides that distinctive, stark look. Though not everyone finds Tri-X appealing, everyone should give Tri-X at least one try if possible!
Back when film was the only medium available to photographers, Ilford’s Hypersensitive Panchromatic film was often mischaracterized as an inferior alternative to Tri-X by American photographers. Like Tri-X, HP is an extraordinarily flexible 400 ASA traditional-grain film which makes working with it particularly easy; both were first developed during the 1930s. While Kodak continued refining Tri-X well into this century, HP5 Plus remains unchanged since 1989 – truly making HP an expert among film era veterans!
HP5 Plus stands in stark contrast to Tri-X when it comes to its tonality: while Tri-X offers harder blacks and whites, HP5 renders life with more subtle shades of gray while maintaining an unmistakably classic look thanks to visible grain. Push two stops further for optimal low light performance complete with grit and contrast; HP5 Plus remains both classic and versatile modern tool – you may not find another B&W film that comes close.
