Film Guide · Shoot & Kit

Top 3 B&W Films for Half Frame

The best black and white films for half frame cameras — Ilford Delta 100, Kodak T-Max 400, and Kosmo Foto Mono ranked.

I
Gold Medal · #1
Ilford Delta 100
Ilford Delta 100 box
ISO 100 · Type B&W Negative · Grain Extremely Fine · Character Sharp · Wide Latitude · Beautiful Midtones

Ilford Delta 100 is the finest grain black and white film available, and in half frame that matters enormously. The smaller negative demands a film that can hold detail at high magnification, and Delta 100 delivers every time.

The tonal range is extraordinary — deep blacks, clean whites, and a midtone rendering that gives images a three-dimensional quality that is hard to describe but easy to recognize.

Check out the full comparison I did for Emulsive for a more rigorous side-by-side. But for half frame specifically, Delta 100's wide exposure latitude and beautiful mid-tone rendering make it the clear winner in my book.

Shot on Pen EE2 + Yellow Filter · San Diego County, CA

Buy Ilford Delta 100 →
II
Silver Medal · #2
Kodak T-Max 400
Kodak T-Max 400 box
ISO 400 · Type B&W Negative · Grain Very Fine for 400 · Character Sharp · Contrasty · Versatile

Coming in right behind the Delta 100 is the T-Max 400, which is exceedingly sharp and contrasty. In fact for a 400 ISO film it is difficult to beat when it comes to grain structure.

The contrast is higher than Delta 100 which gives T-Max 400 a punchy, graphic quality that works beautifully for street photography and architecture.

The versatility of 400 ISO means you can shoot it in almost any lighting condition without a tripod, making it a great everyday carry film.

Shot on Olympus Pen EE2 · Various locations

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III
Bronze Medal · #3
Kosmo Foto Mono 100
Kosmo Foto Mono 100 box
ISO 100 · Type B&W Negative · Grain Fine · Character Soft · Vintage · Distinctive

Kosmo Foto Mono is a relative newcomer but it has earned its place in the rotation. The emulsion has a softer, more vintage character than the clinical sharpness of Delta 100 or T-Max.

In half frame the softness actually works beautifully. The format already has a romantic, analog quality to it, and Kosmo leans into that aesthetic rather than fighting it.

This is my pick for portrait work or any project where you want a timeless, slightly dreamy quality to the images.

Shot on Olympus Pen EE2 · San Diego, CA

Buy Kosmo Foto Mono →