What is B&W slide film?

Slide film, (also known as “positive“, “transparency“ and “reversal“ film) is a type of film that produces a positive image straight onto the emulsion. Unlike negative film, the light and dark areas appear on the film as they do in reality.

For a thorough explanation of slide film check out our section on “slide film and E-6 processing”:https://www.lomography.com/school/fa-mje3d5lb

When most people think about slide film, they picture the vibrant colors of Kodak Ektachrome and Fuji Velvia. However black and white slide film also exists.

Photos by davgarci with Fomapan R 100 positive film.

Due to the lack of labs able to process this highly specialist film, most black and white slide films have now been discontinued. However certain film stocks can still be purchased including Fomapan R 100, Adox Scala 50 and FPP Super Positive. The latter is a particularly unusual film with a super low ISO of 0.8 and was originally used to capture and study fingerprints.

If you’re interested in black and white slide film but unable to get your hands on any, there are also other options. As we know at Lomography, film photography enthusiasts are an experimental and resourceful bunch. So maybe it’s not surprising that many people have perfected their own DIY formulas for transforming negative film into slides. In fact the practice is so popular that Ilford has shared their own recommended process of doing this using their film.

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What are the different photographic film formats?

The three main types of film format are 35 mm, medium format and large format. More unusual formats also exist such as 110 and 127.
What is tungsten film?

Most standard films are daylight-balanced, so they tend to capture the yellow-orange cast from tungsten lights. To address this, tungsten film was created to produce color-correct images taken under artificial lighting.
What is 126 film?

126 film was launched by Kodak in 1963 as a way to simplify the process of loading and unloading film into cameras. Its name comes from the negatives’ dimension of 26.5 mm square. Although companies ceased mass production of 126 format around 2007 to 2008, its cartridge is still known and loved today.
What is APS film?

Advanced Photo System or APS film was introduced in 1996 as a “high-tech” or modern alternative to the 126 and 110 film formats. It was 24 mm wide and it introduced many innovations, like the ability to choose exposure lengths and print sizes. Production of new APS film was ceased in 2011.
What is the difference between panchromatic and orthochromatic film?

Orthochromatic film is made with blue-sensitive silver halide crystals, while panchromatic film adds other chemicals to increase the film’s sensitivity into the green and red parts of the spectrum.
What is a half-frame film camera?

Half-frame cameras shoot 18×24 mm photographs on 35 mm film. This means you can take up to 72 images on one single roll and save a lot of film!
What are LomoChrome films?

LomoChrome is the name given to Lomography’s experimental film stocks. There are currently four LomoChrome film stocks available: LomoChrome Purple, LomoChrome Turquoise, LomoChrome Metropolis, and LomoChrome Color ‘92.
Where to get film developed?

There are a lot of places that can process and develop your 35 mm color negative film such as local drugstores or one-hour photo labs.
What is the processing method for Redscale and LomoChrome films?

All Lomography color films are processed using C-41 chemicals. This includes Lomography RedScale XR and our popular range of color-shifting LomoChrome films – LomoChrome Purple, LomoChrome Metropolis and LomoChrome Turquoise