[Leica] looking for the "most" tonal range

[alexglissan at hotmail.com (Alexander Glissan)]

First of all, many people poo poo C41 B&W film and won't use it due to the 
MAGENTA tint present in the NEGS. The prints are usually done by a 1 Hour 
Photo shop or equivalent and as a consequence appear kind of sepia on 
regular colour paper. SO people don't like em. They also contain a softer 
(much softer) emulsion that can scratch very easily. As the components are 
not small chunks of Silver Halide, they do not undergo the chemical 
"hardening" that allows dedicated B&W film to be so durable. SO keep this in 
mind. However......

You can get some awesome results with available light photography with this 
film and you don't have to develop it yourself. By "pulling" your film 
(setting the asa/iso to 320 or 300) you increase the fineness of the grain 
by a great deal and the film has the lattitude to take it without the need 
for specialist processing. It also gives awesome tonal range. When increase 
the printing size however, it tends to go a bit milky/cloudy rather than 
GRAINY which some people do not like, and others do. It tends to happen at 
pretty big sizes though so for like 8 X 10 you are sweet.

That being said there is also a great deal of fun and learning (and 
heartache) to be had learning to ddevelop you own stuff. It teaches you a 
lot about the photographic process. But I use this alot since I no longer 
have a darkroom (for a while anyway).

I have used: T400CN, BW400CN, and Ilford XP2 super.

The best I have found (IMHO) is the XP2 super. It costs a bit more but gives 
great results. It has a GREY base (not MAGENTA) so you shouldn't get tinting 
on your cheapo paper from the 1 Hour Photo places. Remeber though the negs 
can still be used on normal black and white paper so you get the best 
(almost) of both worlds. Oh you also get an equivalent GRAIN to 100 asa from 
a 400 speed film. which is good for people who use available light. All the 
best.

ALex

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