Black and White Film

A black and white film is a type of photographic film that is made to be developed into images without color. It served as the primary film type until the 1950s and is now popular among photographers who are driven by a vintage aesthetic. Black and white film processing and developing is much easier process compared to working with colored film, as the chemicals required to treat its negatives are more readily available. Purchase high-grade black and white films from Adorama today and capture your subjects in superb negative contrast. Browse our inventory to find the best black and white film that fits your needs.

Produce Vintage Images with Black and White Films

Black and white films allow you to capture your subject in a distinct classical style. Whether you’re shooting portraits and landscapes, or are into a different kind of genre, making use of a black and white film lets you produce mesmerizing stills effortlessly. The lack of color becomes advantageous as it eliminates the distraction of colors and hues, making the viewers focus more on the subject and composition of the photograph. Working with this film type also makes shadows look deeper and accentuates highlights. As a result, you are granted high-quality images that have strong contrast and more depth in its details.

Black and white photographic films are usually made of three layers. The first coating is a light-sensitive emulsion layer containing silver halide salt. These crystals absorb light and react to the chemicals of a stop bath during development. Exposed silver halide crystals are converted to metallic silver which blocks light to reveal the image on a negative. This layer is supported by a plastic sheet, followed by an anti-halation layer. The film’s final layer is responsible for preventing light from traveling back into the emulsion, thereby eliminating fog and blurs.

Black and white films are best used when the light, form, and texture of a scene are powerful enough to stand on their own. They also elevate shots that are otherwise rendered flat by a monotonous tone, or whose colors take away from its artistic message.

Buy High-Quality Black and White Films Online

Choosing the right black and white film for your shoot depends on the genre or aesthetic that you are trying to achieve. At Adorama, we sell a variety of black and white films for different levels of contrast, ISO, and sharpness. They also come in different sizes, such as 35mm black and white films, and are equipped with a varying number of exposures. What’s more, our products are manufactured by trusted brands like Adox, KODAK, Lomography, and more to have the highest quality. Browse our online catalog to get the best black and white films from the brand of your choice today.