[Leica] Tri-X

[Mike Johnston <michaeljohnston@ameritech.net>]

Properly handled, Tri-X doesn't have much grain at all. It's usually
only visible in fairly even areas of medium-light tones, such as
caucasian skin. If you really don't like grain, you should shoot Ilford
XP-2 at about EI 200.

True condenser enlargers will make Tri-X look grainier. However, most
people don't realize that many "condenser" enlargers are actually fairly
diffuse, because they take as their source a large frosted bulb. If you
consider "condenser" to be a point-source enlarger and "diffuse" to be
cold light (a folded fluorescent tube), then most other enlargers occupy
some point on the continuum in between.

There is no inherent technical limitation with Tri-X. You can get as
fastidious as you want about nit-picking little details of equipment and
materials, but these are generally not pertinent to good seeing, good
photography, or good craftsmanship.

Again, sorry about the repeated plugs, but if anybody wants an example
print of Tri-X at its best, it just so happens that I can provide it at
the moment--see my print sale offer at

http://www.phototechmag.com/collector.htm

I'm not making piles of money here--at a measly $60, these prints are as
cheap as you'll likely to find anywhere for original fine prints. Print
"A," "The Mouth of the Chicago River" was taken with a Leica M4 and a
re-coated 50mm f/2 collapsible Summicron sold to me by Jim Lager, on
Tri-X developed in D-76 1+1. I respectfully suggest that if you see this
print in the original and still feel you need black-and-white
photographic technique that's better, there is only one reasonable way
to get it: a bigger negative. See if you don't agree.

- --Mike