[Leica] three questions: C41 b/w film

[taniel.dan at gmail.com (Daniel Tan)]

I feel that BW400CN has better grain characteristics and a smoother tone
than XP2Super,
which seems more contrasty, slightly grainer and has higher acutance..

On 30 March 2010 01:02, Vince Passaro <passaro.vince at gmail.com> wrote:

> In this part of the country anyway CVS carries the BW400CN, although it's
> $2
> more per roll than getting it at B&H.
>
> In my experience B&H and Adorama are very good with online film sales: fill
> orders accurately and ship very quickly.
>
>
> On Mon, Mar 29, 2010 at 7:16 AM, Peter Dzwig <pdzwig at summaventures.com
> >wrote:
>
> > Vince,
> >
> > I'd agree with these comments about C-41. I've used both BW400CN for
> > something
> > more than five years and like it very much. There is little grain to
> speak
> > of,
> > tonality and response are very good to excellent and its dynamic range
> mean
> > I'd
> > recommend it. Apart from grain it is not too dissimilar to Tri-X although
> > other
> > might argue with that.It is also very good at rendering polished
> surfaces.
> > About
> > 85% of my LUG Gallery is BW400CN.
> >
> > Ilford XP2 Super is the only real option and its characteristics are
> pretty
> > much
> > the same. There was a Fuji film too, but that appears to have gone. AFAIK
> > those
> > were the only three B&W C-41s produced large scale.
> >
> > Since I don't print from negs I don't have a problem with bases. Neg
> > quality is
> > very good though (most problems are down to me or the developing
> process).
> >
> > Get to know your local dev shop and see what you can get by way of
> support,
> > some
> > local shops are more than happy to talk about unusual requests etc.
> >
> > Supply: All are becoming more difficult to get hold of other than for
> > specialised orders or online. I have found that all my local photo shops
> > will
> > order C41 for me from Kodak or Ilford but few of them hold it except for
> > odd
> > ones and twos.
> >
> > Hope that this helps,
> >
> > Peter Dzwig
> >
> > Tim Gray wrote:
> > > On Mar 28, 2010 at 01:13 AM -0400, Vince Passaro wrote:
> > >> I'm contemplating C41 b and w film. I've used the Kodak and liked it
> > >> sometimes and not others (dependong on factors I was too ignorant to
> > >> learn
> > >> how to control at the time, I suspect). My impression though was that
> > >> Koday
> > >> was the best of them but I do recollect an Ilford that some people
> > >> liked...
> > >> perhaps it was that 50 ASA of theirs?
> > >>
> > >> Anyone using C41 and feel knowledgeable and opinionated enough to
> > declare
> > >> differences and preferences?
> > >
> > > Both films are ISO 400, very fine grained (no real grain to speak of),
> > > and also do very well if over exposed.
> > >
> > > The main difference between the two is that the Ilford (XP2 Super) has
> a
> > > gray base, while the Kodak (BW400CN) has an orangish base, like C-41
> > > color film.  The Ilford base makes it easier to use in the darkroom
> with
> > > B&W paper because you don't have to print through the orange base,
> which
> > > can also affect the contrast if you are using VC paper.  If you are
> > > scanning, I'd say buy whichever one is cheaper or more easily
> available.
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Leica Users Group.
> > > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> > >
> >
> > --
> >
>