[Leica] just souped...

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

> 
> When I look at the grain-free prints that I make with Acros, it makes up 
> for
> the time I have to spend in Photoshop removing the little spots.  :)
> 
> --
> Eric
> http://canid.com/
> 

I was doing pretty well with Delta 100 in Xtol 1:3 before Acros came out
which I liked just a little bit better.

There's an issue where you cant go 1:3 with Tmax 100 so I'd not use that
combination at all and I'd not dilute it less. I'd run it in Pyro or
Beutlers. Formulary has a replacement for Beutlers, something blue, I'd take
their word for it I'm sure its close enough and great. And  Pyro requires a
whole another book you've got to read and an impressive pair of rubber
gloves. Well worth it I'm sure.

I shoot 220 plus x because its great for skin tones and it comes in 220.
But in 35mm the tab grain films work so well with Xtol 1:3 that for me it
seems to jack things up a whole nother league.
Only half a "league" with Plus x and I'd expect Fp4.

The results you'd get from these 125 speed films in Xtol 1:3 may not be more
than a half league better than tab grain 400 films in Xtol 1:3. And
therefore not seem worth it if your shooting hand held no flash kids.

As I doubt your doing much blowing up past 11x14 I'd doubt the slow and even
medium speed films to be worth it.

As you may know I'm standardized with Neopan 1600 in Xtol 1:3.

So in my kitchen I'd be shooting right now at f8 at a 30th
And you'd be having to shoot at f2.8 at a 15
Opening up three plus having to drop your shutter speed by one.
To achieve a four stop leap.

I'd find that to be a major modern bummer.

But I love flash. As Leica M like as it is not. And will blast the little
buggers with slow or medium speed films and capture every micro thin eyelash
on their eyelids.
Put a loupe up to your print on a thing like that and you'll appreciate a
modern Leica m lens. You'll see each lash. Count them. Not just a horizontal
sweep like you may get with a less inspiring N/C zoom.

If you're shooting close with a flash you're getting an effective such
shutter speed to the tune of 20,000 of a second if its overpowering the
ambient light enough. This to me kind of turns it into a lens test.


Mark Rabiner
Photography
Portland Oregon
http://rabinergroup.com/