When it comes to film, I like predictable results. I need to trust a film stock to deliver. I also need it to look good in Rodinal.

I don’t often try new films and when I do it’s generally to explore the (occasionally nagging) question… “I wonder if there’s anything better than FP4”. This, of course, framed in the context of the sort of photography that I do; that I’m not moving from Rodinal (because I feel it too is inherent in my image making); and that I only use an M3 with 1950s lenses. I recently tried Fomopan 100 and Adox 100 which I liked enormously (articles on them soon).

In the 80s I used to roll my own FP4 from bulk rolls and it produced some of my best images. I don’t know exactly what that bulk FP4 was as it didn’t say “FP4” on the rebate. What it did say though was very similar to FP4 517 Cine that I bought as a result of an article here: “Ilford Safety Film”. Interestingly, on the 517 stock, that rebate text is on the emulsion side – no doubt an artifact of its cine purpose.

As I said, I rarely try new films but this was technically and practically FP4, so maybe not all that new at all. Maybe a bit different. Perhaps subtly different. But probably predictably similar. And that’s what the blurb said to expect.

In these situations I don’t buy one or two rolls and give it a go… I dive in. I ordered ten rolls. And then discovered Analogue Cameras were a few miles from where I live so I offered to pick them up if they converted the postage cost to a couple of additional rolls. They did. So I have twelve rolls. You need to know that this film is £3.49 a roll (it was £2.99 when I bought it). This is seriously cheap.

I am a a scientist but I don’t approach everything scientifically. I can’t be doing with testing a new film with any sort of rigid methodology. It’s film. I have an M3. I load it in, walk around, develop it and see what happens. I know this is at odds the predictability that would come with rigor but life’s too short for that.

As I was on my way to Cannes to visit family, I had the issue (terror) of putting the film though X-ray scanners (Birmingham, Zurich, Nice… twice). I took the precaution of using a ‘lead lined bag’ but this was an additional and unnerving factor in my evaluation. I don’t know what impact this had though, if any. Probably none other than a bit of base fog. I’ve read quite polarised views on the effects of airport scanners in all their variations; and with the variable success of asking for hand inspection of film it’s all largely out of our control anyway. Yet another reason I avoid flying.

Anyway, back to the FP4 Type 517 Cine.

Both the rolls were exposed at the recommended ISO 100 through my M3 and Summaron 35/3.5. Development was 24 minutes in Rodinal, 1:50 with 10s of agitation every minute (with the first minute being continuous agitation). Digitisation was through a Nikon D810 and 60/2.8 macro using the JJC film holder. Inversion via NLP and post processing in LR limited to highlights -50 and shadows +50.

I like the results very much. I love 517 in fact. Vintage grain, especially with Rodinal. Rich tonality. Controlled contrast. The old fashioned look I want. I’m very pleased I have lots of it left and that it’s still only £3.49 a roll.