Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/10/15

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Subject: [Leica] "best" b&w film and paper
From: Christer Almqvist <christer@almqvist.net>
Date: Sun, 15 Oct 2000 06:12:41 -0700 (PDT)

Issue 104 of the French Magazine Réponses Photo just out is devoted to
black and white and you should get a copy if can get it and if you can read
it.

They have tested the new Delta 400 which they found to be more grainy than
the old one. The new one has higher real speed than the old one which they
call a 'small 400' , saying that it was not very pushable and likely to
lose shadow details quickly, but with high definition and acutance. The new
one has less of both these weaknesses and strengths, but for that there was
already HP5, so what's the advantage of the new Delta 400? (They ask,  not
I)

The tested 16 film and labeled six of them 'top buys', describing  their
advantages and disadvantges. The films (with disadvantgaes in brackets
were):

APX 25 (very slow and not suitable for all subjects)
Delta 100 (none!)
FP4 (none!)
Delta 3200 (not a true 3200 and too expensive)
Tri-X (the grain isn't everybody's taste)
T-Max 3200 (needs much care when developing, too expensive)

(Well,  I would not agree with all that.......,  but Delta 100 is unsurpassed!)

The RC papers the liked were Agfa Multicontrast Premium, Ilford MG IV
Portfolio and Cooltone, Kodak Polymax II, Tetenal TT Vario Confort

The fiber based papers they liked best were Agfa Multicontrast Premium,
Berger Prestige CB Art, Berger Prestige Variabel CB and CM, Ilford
Multigrade IV FB and ditto Warmtone, Kentmere Art Classic, Oriental Segull
VC FB, and Tetenal TT Baryt Vario.

- --
Christer Almqvist
D-20255 Hamburg, Germany and/or
F-50590 Regnéville-sur-Mer, France

Replies: Reply from Christer Almqvist <christer@almqvist.net> (Re: [Leica] "best" b&w film and paper)