[Leica] 1,000 Tmax images later...

[4season <4season@boulder.net>]

All of the effort I've put into improving my darkroom technique over the
past 18 months is beginning to bear fruit: The recent Tmax 400 negatives
processed in Xtol have stunning tonality! I almost want to toss out the
work I've done before: Too much work done under soft (dreary) overcast
conditions to accomodate a too-contrasty film, else impenetrable shadows
and harsh highlights that'll never print onto #2 paper without a lot of
dodging and burning-in. But these new ones: rich shadow detail, and
highlights with no burnout; this in contact prints onto #2 paper and in
ordinary PhotoCD scans!

Getting to this stage has meant creating endless series of featureless
test negatives in ever more precise shades of grey, studying sensiometry
when you'd rather be watching The Simpsons, and finding out that, while
your friends might come over to check out your new widescreen television
set, NO ONE stops by to see your new densitometer, much less to look at
your perfect Zone VIII test negatives. You realize this must be what it
is to be a "serious" photographer, because it feels less like a hobby
and more like school or a second, full-time job.

Initially, you're shocked at how shoddy your initial darkroom technique
and test procedures really are (the densitometer doesn't lie) and spend
a good deal of time, money and effort into gaining absolute precision
and consistency of results, completely overlooking the fact that
mechanical shutters, even Leica shutters, simply aren't *that* accurate
to begin with, and that the only way to get around this is to buy an
electronic shutter speed tester (hopefully accurate), find the one or
two places on the dial where the marked shutter speed is actually within
a half-stop of reality, and never deviate from those when testing film.
At least until your next camera overhaul, which probably will require
you to start the testing all over again. For now, let's not even get
into matters of computer monitor and printer calibration!

I am finally beginning to realize why really top-notch black and white
photography is so rarely seen. Much eaaier maybe, to stick with
photographing on foggy days and faking the rest in Photoshop ;-)

In somewhat unrelated matters, I'm rethinking my choice of equipment
again. I've been spending a good deal of time learning my way around the
4x5 view camera, and find it much to my liking, as each shot can be
custom-processed to suit the subject matter, and when you own a Jobo
processor, it's easier than dealing with rollfilm. I gotta learn to
watch my depth of field better though! The medium-format SLR on the
other hand, is hefty, and the weight of multiple film backs adds up,
though it's very handy to use. Keep it or jettison? I haven't decided.
The Leica M is still a charm, and should be even more so when I pick up
my 15mm lens for it. I have been looking also at an electronic 35mm SLR:
The relatively low weight of some newer models, along with the selection
of zoom lenses is very attractive, and the quartz-timed shutters and
hi-tech meters can be extremely accurate. Though I especially like some
of Canon's features, the Nikon F100 seems like an especially fine buy,
though some operational bits still baffle me. Nikon's FM10 is
wonderfully small and light, but it clatters where the better electronic
SLRs whisper-bit of a disappointment, though the price is right. Though
intimidating at first glance, Sekonic's L-508 zoom spot meter may lure
me away from my tried-and-true Pentax digital spotmeter. Maybe.

And that, folks, is what I've been up to during my "vacation" from the
LUG!

Jeff