Pros: Fine grain, latitude, fast and easy development, contrast, it's just good, damn it!
Cons: Can be difficult to find, You don't always want a fast film, Too contrasty foryou?
The Bottom Line: My 2nd favorite B&W print film. Try Some, Those who scoff at fast films will be surprised, those who like fast films will fall in love.
jawzx's Full Review: FUJIFILM Neopan 1600 135-36, 1600 ASA (2302605)
Why not my favorite? Neopan 400, thats all I have to say.
Neopan IS new, as the name indicates, atleast compared to the 30+ year-old B&W print films that Ilford and Kodak still sell. I guess there really isn't anything wrong with Delta, HP4, Plus-X and T-Max, and they certainly have a loyal following, but the truth (in my opinion) is Neopan is better.
Better Why? So many reasons! T-Max 400 used to be held up as the standard against which non-exposure critical b&w print films are judged, and T-Max 400 may infact be a little more tolerant of poor exposure (both over and under) than the Neopan films, but thats the ONLY advantage it has. People Love Plus-X 125 for it's fine contrast range and smooth grain structure. I offer that Plus-X may have better tonal range than Neopan (even the 100) But I like Neopan's grain better, it manages to appear simultaniously smooth and well defined. Agfapan? Never really used it so I can't comment. Delta and HP4 are both quite comparable to T-Max and Plus-X in my opinion, with the Ilford films being a little grainier and contrasty. With the near demise of Ilford Pan-F 50, Neopan 100 may be the finest grained 35mm b&w print film you can readily buy. But we're talking about the 1600 here...
Neopan 1600 doesn't give a rat's @$$ how you expose it. Under, over, double, tripple, whatever, you can ALWAYS extract a print from it. It just has phenomonal laitude and excellent (perhaps in some people's eyes, excessive) contrast. I love the way Neopan 1600 renders highlights extremely brightly without blowing out all detail and vise-versa for darks, while leaving a pleasing mid-tone range. This is the sort of effect I used to struggle to acheive in the lab at print time, Neopan just develops this way!
So people who have used Delta 3200/1600 or pushed T-Max, or purchased Kodak 3200 b&w will ask "why would you ever use film that fast unless you absolutely HAD to?". The answer is that Neopan 1600 is great! Neopan 1600 has a fine, even grain structure that I feel is actually MUCH more attractive than that of T-Max 400, and at 3 times the speed! Most cameras less than 20 years old have plenty of shutter speed to handle a 1600 film even on sunny days, but if your camera doesn't, well heck, just over expose it! I've shot neopan 3-6 stops over exposed, developed normaly and STILL GOTTEN A DECENT PRINT!
Neopan pushes well, I've run the 1600 up to 6400 and experienced only slightly chunky grain and a little loss of highlight detail, it also pulls very well, producing even tones and a vauge, almost soft grain when shot and developed at 400. I just plain LOVE this film. If you need a slower speed for depth-of-field control or slow shutter speeds, the 400 shares much of the 1600's flexibility with even finer grain and more even tonal detail. The 100 comes awfull close to Pan-F 50 in it's fine detail and smooooooth tonal range.
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