Don Fischer Loc: Antelope, Ore

I have here a box of Fujifilm 160 NPS. Say's right on the box, ISO 160. ISO started out as a measurement with film. Still applies to film.

ecar Loc: Oregon, USA

All very true.

The only problem with that is that part of the pic quality falls OUT of the hands of the photographer (you & me) and into the developer!!

hudgek

As a general rule, the faster the film (the higher the ISO) the greater the graininess. (Noise) Towards the end of the film era there were some pretty fast films that did pretty well with noise, but that was old school technology compared to digital. Those film boys are left way in the dust today.

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

While that is correct, it is the photographer or darkroom tech that chooses all the chemicals,time,temp,paper, etc.
So he has much control over the process. I miss my darkroom and mostly the utter privacy I enjoyed there. watching an image appear was a magical experience, that most of todays digital photographers will never experience

hudgek

I agree with you, the darkroom technician had a lot of control that the photographer had to trust. I loved my days in the darkroom, but now I will take Photoshop and my DSLR any day over being locked in a closet breathing those chemical fumes!

Kuzano

ASA and ISO are the same thing. They are just different national standards.

NO NOISE on film at any speed. Noise is digital artifacts/

As film ASA/ISO goes up the crystal grains in the film are bigger. Bigger grains of crystal in film accept the light faster.

Therefore fast film shows grain more than slow film...

Slow film with incredible smoothness was Kodak 25 ASA.

Film at 1600 is about as high as film went. People often pushed 1600 to 3200. At that level film was often considered forensic for low light (spying on criminals and in the military for espionage).

Faster film is, as mentioned more expensive, but I buy my film dated and expired on eBay and the price of film is very reasonable.

I don't often have trouble with color shift and never with black and white, by buying only from eBay sellers who refrigerate the film.

I have often used 15 to 20 year expired film if it is refrigerated by those good sellers.

I have a freezer full of Medium Format and Large Format film that is from current to 15 year expired. I expect never to have any problem with that film, as I bought it refrigerated and it went into my film freezer when I purchased it.

I process film using the caffenol process, with the cheapest instant coffee, vitamin C, and Washing Soda that can be bought. Furthermore it is readily available at the grocery store, the pharmacy, and swimming pool supply houses. Use Folgers Instant.

Those who think film is dead, or expensive are missing the boat on fun and creativity.

Another MYTH is that you need a darkroom. Sorry folks, but daylight processing tanks have been around for many years. I have never had a darkroom and I process film DIY. You need a small dark space to put the film in tanks (sheet film) or on rolls in round tanks (35mm or 120 roll film)

Not having a darkroom has not been an valid excuse for not processing your own film for many years.

carl hervol Loc: jacksonville florida

No film has grain ,higher the asa the grainier ,grain is like sand noise is more like blown out pixels

IShootEverything Loc: TN

Thanks everyone!!! I now understand! Cant wait to start shooting!

machia Loc: NJ

Noise and grain rise as ASA/DIN/ISO numbers rise. I used Kodachrome 25 & 64 so grain was never an issue . But pushing the DSLR ISO numbers up to very high sensitivity levels does result in noise which is just like the grain found in some of the fast films. And yes, film is a bit more " quiet". Great term !