[Leica] B/W negs + lenses

[John Maries <jmaries@compuserve.com>]

It's the holiday season, let's engage in some self-opinionated "bar" chat!!

My contribution is as follows: 

Probably due to low ambient temperatures in Brit kitchens of old, the only
b/w system that ever seemed to deliver for me was Tri-X in Diafine, despite
trying most things on the market.  As an occasional amateur, I could not
ensure repeatability; Diafine solved this and gave good images to boot.

Thirty years later, I'm scanning rather than enlarging in a darkroom and
the main lessons are XP2 is great (XP2 Super slightly less so IMHO) and the
much mentioned Rodinal is truly 'orrible for big prints (but the scanning
process may be exacerbating things here).

But, digging out my old negs over the holiday, I've found one film (FP3)
developed in Ilford's Perceptol that is truly amazing for 35mm, exhibiting
low grain and high sharpness.  Never a market leader, I note its still
available and on the recomended list for Ilford's new 3200.  To be tried
very soon.

Scanning XP2, I've then drawn some lessons from my collection of lenses.  I
will go on record (only on the LUG!) as saying that Leica lenses post late
50's are the only lenses I have that will withstand great enlargement from
1stop-down-from-wide-open to f8/11.  Sure some of the Nikkors, Takumars,
Mamiya 645's, Rollei TLR's et al will peak and deliver at one stop or other
but only the 35/2 Summicron Asph (latest), the 40mm Summicron (CL), the
50/2 Rigid Summicron (1961), the 50/2.8 Elmar-M (latest), the (surprise)
90/4 Elmar (1957) and the 90/2 Summicron (1997) will deliver across a wide
range - no messing, no worries.  FWIW the 20mm AF Nikkor disappointed me
except at medium distances and my best Nikkor is apparently the wide end of
the consumer grade 35~70 zoom!

However, to be fair my 35/3.5 Summaron (1951) is only good for 10x8's and
whilst the centre of my 50/2 Summitar is excellent, the edges suffer a bit
at big enlargements.

Finally, for those of you who enquired, the 50 Jaguar "XK50" M6's have all
been allocated (and most delivered).  The joy on grown men's faces as they
opened their box was a real picture (and I didn't have a camera!).  Can we
start a debate on whether to use or leave them in a cabinet?

Regards

John

PS If anyone wants to flame me, please use "snip"!