Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/01/12

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Subject: [Leica] Now I'm officially Leica user !
From: mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)
Date: Fri Jan 12 02:37:36 2007

Well I use the mono chromegic Xp2 Ilford in the white box instead of the
Kodak BW400CN - I don't leave home without it.
A main reason why I shoot the Ilford never having made a direct comparison
test between the two films is that there is no orange cast to the Kodak.
a built in safelight in effect. And a built in curveball to your printing
pack when you use it with an enlarger.
So one of these days when i'm wanting to make a print with one of these negs
I've shot with my Leicas I'll be able to without going nuts about it.
With the Kodak with the built in cast to make it easy for un touched by
human hands minilab processing with color neg film; printing that is...
The Ilford people could care less about that mass market kind of stuff. :)
With the Kodak you want to fine tune the contrast with your VC or color
head, your Pack, filters even and they thing goes nuts and you get
unexpected results every time, not that it can't be done. But it will be
done with lots of paper in the recycle bin when such paper will cost an arm
and a leg. The paper may be worth than the silver in it.

So I say tut tut tally ho old man shoot Ilford.

Kodak gave you a choice with one of their mono chromegic film not having the
color cast. But now they've cast the last stone by giving you anything you
want as long as its orange orange.
Kodak sells out. Like clockwork.

But I may start shooting some 800 speed and faster color neg film like I
used to.
I got much better scanning result with the xp2 but than its a 400 speed film
now isn't it?
And to me in color neg technology 400 speed film is overkill. Yes even in
35mm.
800 speed film now looks like 200 speed film did when I was well into
photography in the 80s.
And I shot 400 then. And got real grain.
Now 400 speed film is in normal sized prints grainless.
I don't mind some grain.
I'll shoot 800 or 1600. Stop down a few. Use a higher shutter speed.

Mark Rabiner
New York, NY
40?47'59.79"N   
73?57'32.37"W

http://rabinergroup.com/




In reply to: Message from len-1 at comcast.net (Leonard Taupier) ([Leica] Now I'm officially Leica user !)