Re: [Leica] HCB

[Mark Rabiner <mrabiner@concentric.net>]

wvl wrote:
> 
> Mark R. makes a good point. A month ago I visited an exhibit of 160
><snip>
> At one point the speaker dared to discuss the quality of HCB's
> negatives. He projected a photo of the negative of a Frenchman leaping
> over a broad pool of water. I was amazed to see a negative on film with
> perforations on only one side! The frame number 39 was visible but no
> manufacturer's info. Later, during the question period my friend asked
> about the odd film with one perf. Speaker said he had not noticed that
> and did not know anything about it. Here's one for the LUG. Was this
> some copy film or did there used to be single perf 35mm film? This is
> the best place I know to ask that question.><snip>

Bill!
John Loengard's "Celebrating the Negative" has the image of that Neg on
a light table with two hands holding it on the first page.
As to what happened to the missing sprocket holes, it says that HCB
claims to have swallowed them (with a wink).
An interesting point you are making about reproduction improveing the
quality of the image instead of degrading it which would be a more
obvious thought. We commercial photographers are more used to the
degradation. Duotone's, Tritones, Photoshop, slide copies; the flipside
of 80% halftones and newsprint: who knows what our intended vision was?
Mark Rabiner
> 
> Bill Lawlor
> 
> The slide copies of the exhibits had much better gradation and sharpness
> than many of the same gallery prints on display.
> 
>  I've recently been looking at old photographs from the 1930s and 1940s.
> > I love the look of these photographs, especially those which seem to be
> > taken on slightly overcast days, or indoors with large, slightly
> > diffused lightsources close by (though not necessarily in the fame).
> ><snip>
> Are you really looking at prints or are you looking at a high quality
> coffee table book?
> Mark Rabiner