Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/01/09
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I keep hearing theses audacious claims that 4x5 film produces no appreciable gain over 35mm.... Well, then, logically a Minox neg will not produce appreciable difference in grain structure from 16x20 film when projection enlarged to 16x20 feet. Even if this is a bit of over statement, is my point sound? The truth is that given the same film emulsion, the bigger the blowup the bigger the increase in the size of the film structure. There is no other conclusion. Now the quality of the lenses does make a difference, but I will put a 210 APO Sironar N on 5x7 Ilford HP5+ or some old batch of Tmax 100 film against any Leica lens on any film you want, and enlarge them both to 16x20 INCH prints using APO Componon HM 90mm and 150mm lenses. The 5x7 neg will look less grainy. It is a subject of grain size and enlargement of the grain through the enlargement process, nothing else. Now the practical side of things.... You can't use a 16x20 camera in a Church shooting wedding candids. (I can't even use a 8x10 when my wife is around.....) But I can use a M6. SO sometimes grain is not the issue.... the issue is getting it down on film. Use what you want and can afford and can make work in the circumstances you must shoot with. Frank Filippone red735i@earthlink.net