There is a certain clique of photographic films, let’s call it the “Sub-100 Club”. This is a group of films who flaunt ultra low ISO ratings below 100. Generally, you find them hanging out, mildly aloof, near the corner of the room. These films have a mystique to them, and a bit of an allure. We have introduced other members of this group with past Film Fridays (see our reviews on Velvia 50, Cinestill 50D and Ilford Ortho Plus). This week we are featuring the grandparent of the group with Ilford Pan F+.

Summing up Ilford Pan F+ in a single sentence looks something like this: the film is incredibly fine grained, sharp, and dramatic. Let’s start at the beginning of that list with the grain. As you would expect of such a low ISO film, Pan F+ has some of the finest grain on the market. Do you shoot 35mm and want images as clean as those of medium format? Go with Pan F+. Plan on doing mural-sized enlargements? That’s right, Pan F+ is the answer again.

Naturally, the trade-off for that fine grain is its slow speed. Pan F+ is a bright day kind of film. Or a tripod kind of film. Then again, you could also look at its slow speed as opening up new, creative options that faster films don’t typically allow as easily - such as using handheld, slower shutter speeds during the day for interesting motion blur or panning effects or being able to shoot very fast apertures.

We arrive at the third item on the list: Pan F’s moody drama. Pan F images are rich with contrast. They tend to have deep shadows and bright whites. The film can border on a film noir look.

We encourage you trying some Pan F+ out. It is a lovely film that is smooth, sharp, and has a touch of dark flair to it. Pan F images have a quality all their own. The film is available in 35mm, 120 and 8x10.

The Contax G2 is an advanced 35mm autofocus rangefinder camera that also happens to sport some of the best lenses one can put on a 35mm camera of any type. The G2 was the successor to the previous Contax G1 and continues the trend of extreme excellence that camera initiated and takes it to even higher levels.

The Canon AE-1 is a legendary 35mm SLR introduced in 1976 and produced through 1984. It was one of the first cameras to use a microprocessor for exposure control, which helped usher in an era auto-exposure SLR cameras that were available to amateur and hobbyist photographers as well as professionals. It remains widely used today and is a common first SLR for many film photographers.

The AE-1 uses the Canon FD lens mount, which gives access to a large library of lenses ranging from wide-angle to telephoto. If you already own FD lenses or are buying into a kit from scratch, the AE-1 is a practical and durable camera to build around.

The DaYi S-IIA is a fully mechanical, medium-format panoramic camera manufactured in China, designed primarily for landscape and architectural work. It emerged in the late 1990s and 2000s as part of a wave of Chinese-made panoramic cameras, including Gaoersi and Shen Hao, that offered a more affordable path into wide-format film photography at a time when Japanese and European panoramic gear was becoming increasingly expensive on the used market. Its native format is 6x17cm, but internal masks allow shooting in 6x14cm, 6x12cm, and 6x7cm, making it genuinely multiformat rather than a fixed-frame camera.

The Bronica SQ-Ai is a 6x6 medium format SLR introduced in 1990 as the final and most capable iteration of Bronica's SQ line. It follows the SQ, SQ-A, and SQ-Am, retaining the electronically controlled shutter and multiple exposure lever while adding TTL flash metering, expanded shutter speed and ISO ranges, and compatibility with the dedicated SQ-i motor drive. The system is fully modular, with interchangeable lenses, film backs, and viewfinders.

The SQ-Ai is a practical choice for photographers coming from 35mm SLR backgrounds who want a modular medium format system without the cost of comparable Hasselblad or Rollei equipment.

Zone VI 4x5 is a highly regarded, classic wooden field camera known for its beautiful craftsmanship, polished mahogany or cherry wood, and gold-plated or brass hardware. The company, founded by Fred Picker, was known for producing well-made, practically-designed large format cameras and equipment aimed at serious photographers working in the Zone System tradition.

The main advantage to the Zone VI is its light weight and compact size when folded. This makes the camera an ideal field camera and easily portable given its large format 4x5 film size.