Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/01/02

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Subject: Re: [Leica] All hail Tri-X
From: Gaifana@aol.com
Date: Sun, 2 Jan 2000 19:29:41 EST

In a message dated 1/1/00 3:37:41 AM, Bernard trolled:

<< And I use Delta. Tri-X is a nice film to hide one's incompetence at
exposing the film correctly. And then it hides one's inability at
correctly processing the film. If one would be capable of work within
tighter tolerances, one could and should use some more modern emulsions.
TriX is a joke on medium format, and on 35mm....... well, when I'm in a
mucho-grainy mood, I might think it's fun. 

I guess that depends on your process. The way I Rodinal-process T-max, Tri-X 
and Neopan requires the same time and temperature, and all of the films work 
well from 1/2 stop under to 3 stops over, with no change in density. And you 
can print from 2 under to 4 over. Even within this range, Neopan 400 and 
Tri-X are the most robust films. T-Max has changes in shadow density as the 
EI drops. And I don't see much difference in grain. Using D76 or HC110 I have 
noted that the results are different, with far less latitude.

<< But it beats me how people can go out to a "serious shoot", and load their 
cameras with TX. Perhaps living without auto exposure forces the less adept 
among us to resort to the easy way out with tolerant, yet inferior film: it 
takes a little
time to get the red dot to light up.....

Which is more time than one often haves. I'm not convinced that a 
centerweighted meter not calibrated for b/w film sensitivity and lacking both 
exposure lock and an easy compensation dial is very conducive to "precision" 
photography. A TTL meter might be better than nothing, but it is not a 
substitute for a Zone VI spotmeter. Tri-X, developed in normal processes, 
allows you to dispense with most fiddling around and lets you compose and 
shoot. Remember, any film, T-Max and Delta included, can be shot at 2 over or 
2 under and made into a nice print.

Obviously you are a hack because you don't use Tech Pan. It's clearly 
superior to all other films, and it requires a lot more precision in shooting 
and development. If that's too hard, try some Verichrome Pan. In my 
experience, that needs a bit more precision than the newer films.