[Leica] Re: Tri-X @ 200

[George Huczek <ghuczek@sk.sympatico.ca>]

At 08:39 PM 29/11/97 -0600, you wrote:
>At 10:20 AM 11/29/97 -0500, you wrote:
>
>>I'm an old time B&W shooter and have always kept film development and
>>printig very simple,  (KISS)  keep it simple stupid) :) So my suggestions
>>may not cut it with some folks.
>>
>>First of all the "zone system" isn't worth a damn for shooting on 35mm film
>>unless every frame is shot identically under the same conditions of light,
>>contrast and the many other variables that effect an exposure.
>
>Ted,
>
>It doesn't cut it with me :-) because as Ansel says, the Zone system is
>whatever is appropriate for a given format. And for roll film, just use the
>N-1 development arrangement, and then use different contrast papers to make
>the picture look best. That's the zone system for 35mm.
>
>The Zone system is simply a way to understand sensitometry. It doesn't
>require each frame to be handled differently. It just helps one understand
>how exposure and development interact on film. Seen in that context, it
>works fine with any camera/lens/film/developer combination available.
>
>The zone system is just another way of working. The principles that apply
>are universal. You just have to have a sensitometer. :-)
>==========
N-1 development is appropriate for some conditions, but no all of course.
The point that I was making earlier in response to Ted's post, was that
with roll film the user typically encounters a wide variety of lighting
conditions, with differing contrast and brightness ranges, unless the
conditions can be controlled in some way.
   Long before the zone system was developed, people were exposing for the
shadows and compensating by using slightly less aggressive development so
as not to blow out the highlight detail.  This is fine.  I do that too ...
sometimes, when the conditions lend themselves to that.  If it works for
you, great.  Edward Weston did this long before the zone system was
developed.  He learned the principles of sensitometry intuitively.
   Some subject matter requires different treatment.  The sheet film user
can tweak the exposure and film development for each sheet individually, to
suit the lighting conditions and the grade of paper intended.  The roll
film user can not, and has to accept some compromises when shooting under
varied lighting conditions.
   I get acceptable results by rating TriX normally at 400, and developing
it normally. With some developers I do rate the film differently, however.
No big deal.  I get sufficient shadow detail, and good tonal range on my
negatives, so that the majority of them print well somewhere between grades
1.5 to 3, depending on the light source I'm using on my enlarger.  There
are lots of variables at play, so testing film/lens/developer/enlarger
combinations makes sense, to work out a systematic approach that works for
you.
   Occasionally though, some frames are difficult to print well, and there
is little that the zone system can do to help the roll film user in that
regard, unless those difficult lighting situations are all shot and
developed on one separate roll by themselves.  This is a limitation of
using roll film.  That is the point that was being made.

- -GH