Julian Thompson Posted March 19, 2010 Share #1 Posted March 19, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) Just got back my second roll of film from the MP using Kodak BW400CN this time. All I can say is wow. I am absolutely blown away by the results. The contrast, look, bokeh (now I have tamed my digital inspired use of ridiculously big apertures!) and everything about the photographs has inspired me. There are a couple of photos in this 36 roll which are probably the best I have ever taken. Now I'm exploring this I am starting to wonder why I have previously sat at my computer trying to create a 'black and white conversion' from my digital files when I could just have shot the photograph using a roll of black and white film in the first place!! (Said slightly tongue in cheek because I know why I have previously used digital but it does make me think!) The point here is that my own skills (and any of the presets on any piece of software I've used so far) can't create as good a black and white conversion as what I've just seen from my actual roll of black and white film! Unbelievable. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 19, 2010 Posted March 19, 2010 Hi Julian Thompson, Take a look here Wow - black and white!. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Michael Hiles Posted March 19, 2010 Share #2 Posted March 19, 2010 BW400CN is an outstanding film by any yardstick. Ilford's XP2, which I favour, is also outstanding for very similar reasons. Keep shooting, and realize why film still is a wonderful medium for making pictures. Support your local film Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted March 19, 2010 Share #3 Posted March 19, 2010 History forms perspective. The bar was already set high for me when I made the switch to digital last year after doing my own b&w darkroom and print work for 25 years. I'm finally able to approach that standard again, after much effort. Having gotten the new routine down, I'm now spending a lot less time in front of the computer than I used to spend in the darkroom. However, it was the disciplined process and work habits that I established back then have served me well in the new medium. Film is a great teacher, and silver prints still are still special. But, I'm pleased there are now viable choices for people to consider. I hope film sticks around for others to appreciate. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbaron Posted March 19, 2010 Share #4 Posted March 19, 2010 An S-shaped curve and 14 stops of dynamic range... mmmmm... film... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Manning Posted March 20, 2010 Share #5 Posted March 20, 2010 There is something special and timeless about film-based b&w. I'm enjoying it myself. A couple examples of mine are in my Portfolio section of my website...just look under "Leica." About two thirds of the shots are Kodak BW400CN, the remainder are Tri-X that I developed myself in a guest bathroom. The return to basic B&W film photography has revitalized my interest in that art form. I get more satisfaction from the whole "handmade" process than I ever did blasting away with a digital Nikon (although there is a place for that). Enjoy and please continue!!! David http://www.davidmanningimages.com Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cidereye Posted March 20, 2010 Share #6 Posted March 20, 2010 For me my best discovery of the whole year of 2009 was indeed Kodak's splendid BW400CN - What a film for the task of combining traditional BW film shooting & a digital workflow. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JoanMarianne Posted March 23, 2010 Share #7 Posted March 23, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) For years people thought film was boring because every negative could be reprinted an almost infinite number of times. then digital came along and people began to notice that silver-based monochrome prints had individuality and bore the personal touch of the photographer who did his or her own processing and printing. The late James Ravilious, that wonderful recorder of English country life, used black-and-white film because he felt he was "painting the landscape with silver". Photography is a gift to mankind; Digital brings it to a wider range of people and is ideal for Applied Photography, saving the world's silver resources. Black-and-white, silver-based photography will (hopefully) continue as a medium for artists who are also photographers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hiles Posted March 23, 2010 Share #8 Posted March 23, 2010 Beautifully said. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted March 23, 2010 Share #9 Posted March 23, 2010 Black-and-white, silver-based photography will (hopefully) continue as a medium for artists who are also photographers. I'm sure you don't mean to imply that photographers using digital cannot be artists as well. I think the art/photography debate ended. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JoanMarianne Posted March 23, 2010 Share #10 Posted March 23, 2010 I'm sure you don't mean to imply that photographers using digital cannot be artists as well. I think the art/photography debate ended. Jeff Quite right; I forgot to include that point! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheewai_m6 Posted March 24, 2010 Share #11 Posted March 24, 2010 so good to hear this sort of enthusiam. i'm a member of another forum, and everyone in there, in my opinion, have no idea. they're going on about this zoom lens, and that zoom lens on their nikon or canon. beginners asking what flash light they need. and so called experienced photographers commenting on cropping photos..... it's so annoying reading that junk that i don't bother going there anymore. i just want to slap everyone in that forum. to come to the leica forum and read this is just so refreshing. p.s. i know there is a place for cropping, and in my opinion it should only be reserved for when you don't have a long enough lense and you need to crop/enlarge. that to ME is acceptable. to crop because you can't compose a shot, unacceptable. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JoanMarianne Posted March 24, 2010 Share #12 Posted March 24, 2010 They do say that Cartier-Bresson - and some others - never cropped their negatives when printing. The aspect ratio of 35mm film does not suit every subject (and you do have to crop it when you want a panoramic effect anyway) and I always seem to do some cropping when producing the final print. This applies even after using a longer focal-length lens to isolate the subject at the taking stage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheewai_m6 Posted March 24, 2010 Share #13 Posted March 24, 2010 They do say that Cartier-Bresson - and some others - never cropped their negatives when printing. The aspect ratio of 35mm film does not suit every subject (and you do have to crop it when you want a panoramic effect anyway) and I always seem to do some cropping when producing the final print. This applies even after using a longer focal-length lens to isolate the subject at the taking stage. ok.... i'll put it plainly for those who want to pick apart every minute implication of a general statement. to crop because you composed badly is unacceptable. in my opinion, and many others. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JoanMarianne Posted March 24, 2010 Share #14 Posted March 24, 2010 How absolutely right you are! Cropping will not save a poorly-composed photograph. Nothing will save a poorly-composed photograph although if it turns out to be the last image of a loved one, for example, then it no doubt will be saved rather than consigned to the box marked "unacceptable". Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hiles Posted March 24, 2010 Share #15 Posted March 24, 2010 I agree. I never crop a picture so as to alter its overall sense. I may trim an edge very slightly to remove something disturbing, but my pictures are made in my mind's eye as I see the world before me. They are not improved by subsequent surgery. The value of my Leica is that it captures my intent while staying out of my way. That is why it is unique. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobey bilek Posted March 24, 2010 Share #16 Posted March 24, 2010 There is a place for everything. Leica for 20 years, a few years with digi Nikons to learn and experiment, then I am partially back to using film. Thankfully my darkroom with all Leica equipment for 35mm is still intact. Just bought 200 feet of film and remastered how to load the Leica film cassettes. The latest digitals are very good and to create monochrome files, you have to learn to add film grain and create the the proper curve shape. Nik silver effects Pro can help you. If not, learn to do it photoshop. The best things are applying color filters after the fact and the ability to tone the prints selecting emulsion color and base color. Can`t do this in the darkroom anymore. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xmas Posted March 24, 2010 Share #17 Posted March 24, 2010 The best things are applying color filters after the fact and the ability to tone the prints selecting emulsion color and base color. Can`t do this in the darkroom anymore. Hi Tobey I though sepia toning was still available, to make the print truly archival? Ive just bought a lot of warm tone mutligrade on paper... Noel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JoanMarianne Posted March 24, 2010 Share #18 Posted March 24, 2010 I'm fairly sure you can still get Selenium toner. (I still have some of Kodak's) which gives wonderful tones, depending on whatever paper/developer combination you are using. It also gives the best archival permanence: - with a silver base; I think Platinum prints are even better in this respect. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted March 24, 2010 Share #19 Posted March 24, 2010 I agree. I never crop a picture so as to alter its overall sense. I may trim an edge very slightly to remove something disturbing, but my pictures are made in my mind's eye as I see the world before me. They are not improved by subsequent surgery. The value of my Leica is that it captures my intent while staying out of my way. That is why it is unique. Walker Evans, Robert Frank and many others who have used Leicas (and other cameras) have cropped as needed. They were great because they had a great eye and could translate that to a great print (or book)...cropped or not. Different strokes....not right or wrong. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tgray Posted March 24, 2010 Share #20 Posted March 24, 2010 Hi Tobey I though sepia toning was still available, to make the print truly archival? Ive just bought a lot of warm tone mutligrade on paper... Noel Yes there are a ton of toners still available. Harman (Ilford) just released a selenium toner in the last couple of years. There are also many options from Kodak, Fotospeed, Moersch, ect. What is not available anymore are papers like Panalure, which allowed you to make B&W prints from color negs. Since it was sensitive to all wavelengths of visible light, you could use a red filter on a color neg while printing and you'd end up with a print similar to what you would get using a red filter in front of B&W film. Now, when you make B&W prints from color negs, you are stuck with paper that is sensitive to only the blue and green wavelengths. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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