Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/05/29

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Subject: [Leica] Re: Slightly OT: C-41 b&w films
From: "Eric" <ericm@pobox.com>
Date: Thu, 29 May 2003 18:52:23 -0500
References: <000501c325fd$4dff33b0$6401a8c0@YOURF68DMBR429>

Oliver:

>In my current location, the turn-around time for professional b&w processing
>is at least a week and involves two 60-mile round trips. I would appreciate
>hearing from LUGers who currently print their b&w images primarily with
>inkjet printers and papers, regarding their experience with chromogenic b&w
>films (C-41 process). Are there nontrivial differences between XP2, TCN and
>Portra?

I really only have experience with XP2.  I've shot one roll of TCN.

Like others have mentioned, highlights are easy to blow with XP2.  Here are
some of my scans:

http://canid.com/pics/boos_car.jpg
http://canid.com/pics/jbm_col.jpg
http://canid.com/pics/jbm_smile_2.jpg

>How do the results of scanning these films differ from scanning
>current generation silver based film? Do they look different? Do they have a
>shorter scale? 

I much prefer Neopan in Xtol to XP2.

What pushed me over the edge is that I can easily develop my own Xtol
without a dedicated darkroom.  I can't develop my own XP2 easily.  When I
started scanning at 4000 dpi, I started spending an inordinate amount of
time retouching minute scratches on the negatives.  I've had one
"catastrophe" in several years of having a photo shop process my C41 film.
Unfortunately, that involved the first rolls I had taken after the birth of
my daughter.  

The negative of my wife and kidlet in the hospital bed
<http://canid.com/pics/jbm_col.jpg> has several scratches.  Grr.

I lost a few frames, including my mom's holding newly born granddaughter in
the hospital.  Double grr.  

That's when I decided that I needed to do my own.  If anybody was going to
screw up my images, it was going to be me.  Too stressful dealing with
bumbling idiots.  :)

I'd urge you to look into doing your own development.  Embedded dust and
scratches on my negatives are relics of the past.


Eric
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Replies: Reply from "firkin" <firkin@balhpl01.ncable.net.au> ([Leica] Wide and wider)
In reply to: Message from "Oliver Bryk" <oliverbryk@attbi.com> ([Leica] Slightly OT: C-41 b&w films)