Re: [Leica] Film suggestions for extremely low light experiments?

["Isaac H Crawford" <isaacc@flashcom.net>]

- ----- Original Message -----
From: Mark Rabiner <mrabiner@concentric.net>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Friday, September 24, 1999 10:56 PM
Subject: Re: [Leica] Film suggestions for extremely low light experiments?


> Anthony Atkielski wrote:
> >
> > I'd like to try using my M6 in extremely low light conditions.  From
what I
> > understand, black-and-white film is the way to go for maximum
sensitivity in low
> > light.  Can anyone recommend B&W negative film?  I haven't done anything
in B&W
> > since I was little.  It looks like Kodak and Ilford are the ones who
lead here.
> > Is T-MAX P3200 any good?  What about Delta 3200?
> >
> > I'm confused about the ratings of these films.  They say 3200, but then
they
> > mention that the ISO rating is 1000.  So how do I get 3200 out of them?
Are
> > they really very grainy?
> >
> > Also, how hard is it to get these films processed?  I presume nobody
does
> > one-hour lab work on B&W (?).
> >
> > I have not heard good things about the C-41 TxxxCN films from Kodak, so
I wasn't
> > going to consider those (I want something over ISO 1000, anyway), but if
there
> > are any contrary opinions, I'd be interested in hearing them.
> >
> >   -- Anthony
    The effective film speed will be greatly affected by what developer you
use. I have had great success with Fuji Neopan 1600 shot at 2400 and
developed in Diafine. Diafine is one of the simplest developers to use
because you don't have to keep track of temperature or time. You could even
process different types of film at the same time! The results that I get are
great. Because it is a divided developer, the highlights almost never block
up, and the grain is very similer to using tri-x in d-76 (alright...maybe a
little bigger, but it does *remind* me of tri-x in d-76!:-). Shadow detail
suffers, but no worse than the "pushed" tmz and delta 3200. I do like the
look much better though, I've never been able to warm up to any of those new
fangled B&W emulsions...:-)

Isaac