# orthographic again



## Grandpa Ron (Dec 29, 2021)

I posted this is the B&W forum but no one replied. Since I did not know how to cancel the post I am reposting here in the Film section.

I am curious if anyone uses orthographic film?

As I understand it, it is only blue/green light sensitive, and some film seems to be used for photo-copy work.

Are there any advantages to using it?


----------



## terri (Dec 29, 2021)

I'm wondering if you are asking about orthochromatic films vs panchromatic?   It may be the terminology that's confusing me.


----------



## Hardus Nameous (Dec 29, 2021)

I've shot a few rolls of Ilford Ortho 80 plus.  I don't know if there's any advantage to it, I just like the way it looks; it's something different (or more old fashioned).  Anything red comes out black and blue skies very quickly over expose. 
Supposedly you can handle the film under a safelight, but I haven't tried that yet.
Post in thread 'Boats' Boats
This was shot with Ortho 80 plus on 35mm.  The boat has a red hull with a white superstructure.  I don't have a picture in colour, but it's from the 2021 Waterford Tugboat Roundup in Waterford, New York.

Side note: that picture was a scan of a print in which I burned in the sky, otherwise you couldn't see the clouds.


----------



## RAZKY (Dec 29, 2021)

Grandpa Ron said:


> I posted this is the B&W forum but no one replied. Since I did not know how to cancel the post I am reposting here in the Film section.
> 
> I am curious if anyone uses orthographic film?
> 
> ...


What you want to know about is orthochromatic film. Orthographic, or orthography, is an entirely different subject. Read about the film here:








						ORTHO PLUS 35MM
					

35mm, ISO 80 orthochromatic black & white film with fine grain and sharpness – perfect for stunning landscapes.  ISO 80 (ISO 40 in Tungsten light) Fine grain, sharp orthochromatic black & white film Can be processed / handled in deep red safelight 35mm, 120 Roll and sheet film available




					www.ilfordphoto.com


----------



## webestang64 (Dec 30, 2021)

Like mentioned above I'd only shoot it if you like blue skys white and anything red black instead of mid-gray.


----------



## Grandpa Ron (Dec 30, 2021)

Thanks for the replies. I am experimenting with a 1910 4x5 view camera that I restored and though I might try some vintage type  photos. Since the cost of 4x5 is rather high I thought I would find out what others had done. 

A 35 mm roll should tell me what I need to know a lot cheaper.


----------



## RAZKY (Dec 30, 2021)

webestang64 said:


> Like mentioned above I'd only shoot it if you like blue skys white and anything red black instead of mid-gray.


Not every scene has red colors or blue sky in it.


----------



## terri (Dec 30, 2021)

RAZKY said:


> Not every scene has red colors or blue sky in it.


The point here is that it's perhaps better suited to street or cityscape photography, over landscape.    

Think red brick buildings or old brownstones.  They can look very dramatic.  People's clothing has great variety and can look great with it, as well. 




Grandpa Ron said:


> A 35 mm roll should tell me what I need to know a lot cheaper.


Absolutely!   Depending on your subject matter you may love it.   

Have fun - and post your results here if you'd like.


----------



## RAZKY (Dec 30, 2021)

terri said:


> t's perhaps better suited to street or cityscape photography, over landscape.


Ilford says it's "Ideally suited for landscape photography."


----------



## terri (Dec 30, 2021)

RAZKY said:


> Ilford says it's "Ideally suited for landscape photography."


...if you like your blue skies white, go for it.


----------



## RAZKY (Dec 31, 2021)

terri said:


> ...if you like your blue skies white, go for it.


I said nothing about whether or not it's for me, and I'm not going to pretend to know more about the film than those who make it.


----------



## terri (Jan 1, 2022)

RAZKY said:


> I said nothing about whether or not it's for me, and I'm not going to pretend to know more about the film than those who make it.


Who said you did?      Weird comment.  

At the end of the day, it's always photographer's choice!     Some have more experience than others, and we get to decide what works for us and what doesn't.


----------



## Rickbb (Jan 1, 2022)

Ortho just means it’s only sensitive to the blue/green spectrum and not red. It’s how you can handle it under a dark red safelight in the dark room.


----------



## Grandpa Ron (Jan 3, 2022)

Let's face it, if I am curious enough to restore a turn of the last century 4x5 camera and hunt down a suitable 1950's  vintage lens; there is a good chance I will try ortho film just to see what happens.  

It is the curse of the incessant, "What happens if I do this." tinkerer. I am glad to know I can work with 35 mm a lot cheaper.


----------



## mrca (Jan 3, 2022)

As a portrait guy, I am guessing it will make red lipstick black and I wonder how it renders skin since it contains  a fair amount of red.


----------



## Grandpa Ron (Jan 3, 2022)

MRCA

That is an interesting question. I think you might look at civil war era photos . I believe those were orthographic in nature. However, the processes and papers were also different.


----------



## mrca (Jan 3, 2022)

Ron, have looked into  films used in the 20's and 30's to achieve the look of images of that era.


----------



## earthmanbuck (Jan 4, 2022)

I haven't shot ortho myself but I do have a couple rolls I am eager to try once the weather/pandemic situation is more amenable to me doing more shooting. I've seen some ortho portraits that I really liked, the skin tones looked a bit darker than standard pan B&W films, and it had a very old-fashioned feel to it.


----------



## mrca (Jan 4, 2022)

Ron, keep us posted, it is great how you are thinking  outside the box.   I just installed a split focusing screen on my Mamiya RB67 and it transformed it for studio, nailing eye focus.   Glad to see other folks using film gear.


----------



## wpblaken (Mar 11, 2022)

Grandpa Ron said:


> I posted this is the B&W forum but no one replied. Since I did not know how to cancel the post I am reposting here in the Film section.
> 
> I am curious if anyone uses orthographic film?
> 
> ...


I use ortho film - Fujifilm 4791 Ortho and Kodak 2238 specifically.   I like doing so because of the crisp definition I get.    I shoot both films at 10-20 ISO, which obviously means they can't be used for all situations.   And from my point of view, these films are not well suited for pictures of people.  I develop in D76 stock for about 10 minutes, depending on the ISO at which I exposed them.   You can often buy these films in bulk and make up your own 35mm cartridges, storing your bulk stock in the freezer.


----------

