Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/02/20

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Subject: [Leica] thin emulsions
From: Erwin Puts <imxputs@knoware.nl>
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 2000 11:51:58 +0100

Very thin emulsion films and vignetting has nothing to do with 
"simple geometry".
Vignetting is recorded on film as a difference in density. That is 
what light fall off means. Less energy will be available in the 
corners. So less silverhalogenid is being activated. Now thin film 
emulsions have generally a steeper characteristic curve  and in the 
case of Tri-X versus 100D the CI value is higher (more contrast for 
the 100D that is). This characteritistic makes the density difference 
more visible, but if you would measure both negatives with a 
densitometer you would note the vignetting equally well, when the 
films are developed to the same CI value.
So it is not the thin film emulsion that does the trick. It is plain 
developing technique. Develop TriX to a high CI and you see nice 
vignetting too.

Erwin