M'Ate Posted March 10, 2015 Author Share #61 Posted March 10, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) Pico,I dismantled my darkroom last year and sold it off to recover the space to relieve pressure on the rest of my den. I'd not wet printed for a few years and was getting a physical reaction to the chemicals, I think. Don't get that problem with prints from my pro lab. I don't do inkjet at all, although I see huge strides have been made in the last 5 years. I've always appreciated the superiority of silver prints, but find the high quality MF scans from my Imacon very good indeed and sufficient to please me. Even Leica negs scanned at 8,000 ppi are quite stunning. I much prefer well scanned images to those derived from digital capture, even those from my S2, but they are hard won in comparison. I've shot around 100,000 digital frames in the last 10 years and post processed 1/3 of them, so it's not lack of familiarity with software. It's just the aesthetic, or the ability to switch from one to the other at my whim. Maybe it's just a frame of mind and a needed paradigm shift, so I'm unsure how I'll be creating images in 12 months time. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 10, 2015 Posted March 10, 2015 Hi M'Ate, Take a look here Moving from MF B&W to Monochrom. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
MOZ Posted March 10, 2015 Share #62 Posted March 10, 2015 (edited) I also use an Imacon X5 for scanning (24x36, 6x6, 6x7 and 6x9) and i also have/use a MM. Scans from the Imacon are just "stunning", something absolutely impressive and i can print above A1 to 2 meters large if wanted... I did some drum scans to compare... at A1 i can't see any difference between X5 and drum scan. The MM files are also really beautiful and can compare from time to time to those coming from MF. The Monochrom is a beast of a digital camera anyway ! But i still enjoy more the images coming from my films (special mention to the Pentax 6x7, very impressive camera). There is something more appealing to me with film, i'm not saying better :-) Edited March 10, 2015 by MOZ 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted March 10, 2015 Share #63 Posted March 10, 2015 Appropos the Phase One Achromatic Monochrome back;I had a chance to try it out to compare with my Monochrom (and with scanned 8x10 film). I did 40x50cm prints and could not see much difference. My money went on an Apo Summicron 50mm instead. For what it’s worth at 72dpi, you can see the shots here - https://picasaweb.google.com/cjbroadbent/OddsSods?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCObD7cyDuYysag&feat=directlink I do nearly all black&white with the Monochrom nowadays - with the occasional LF 8x10 just to make sure I’m not missing anything. Thank you . A very impressive set of comparison photographs.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vieri Posted March 10, 2015 Share #64 Posted March 10, 2015 I also use an Imacon X5 for scanning (24x36, 6x6, 6x7 and 6x9) and i also have/use a MM.Scans from the Imacon are just "stunning", something absolutely impressive and i can print above A1 to 2 meters large if wanted... I did some drum scans to compare... at A1 i can't see any difference between X5 and drum scan. The MM files are also really beautiful and can compare from time to time to those coming from MF. The Monochrom is a beast of a digital camera anyway ! But i still enjoy more the images coming from my films (special mention to the Pentax 6x7, very impressive camera). There is something more appealing to me with film, i'm not saying better :-) The X5 is an amazing machine, I was very sad to see it go. Incredible scanner for being a tabletop Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndevlin Posted March 11, 2015 Share #65 Posted March 11, 2015 I went through your same process - got the M9, sold it after a while, got the MM and ended up selling all my film gear (MF and 35mm). I now shoot the 645z and the MM, and I couldn't be happier Funny - that's exactly where I ended up and feels just the same way. (The MM can't touch the "z" - in particular where higher ISOs are concerned. I'm amazed at what was considered 'great' ISO 3200 just a few years ago.) That said, I decided to sell my beloved film MF cameras to pay for the MM. I hadn't planned to, but a friend asked right as I was agonizing over the MM, and I realized that the film cameras would just spend another year on the shelf gathering dust. Or, I could get them into hands that wanted to use them, shoot film and wet-print for the love of it, and I could enjoy true B&W work in digital. Once sentimentality of objects was put aside, it was an easy, easy choice. - N. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerndReini Posted March 11, 2015 Share #66 Posted March 11, 2015 I'm amazed at what was considered 'great' ISO 3200 just a few years ago.) It's also amazing how so many great photographer did such amazing work with TriX for so many years until just a few years ago. I do not need anything beyond ISO 2,500. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vieri Posted March 11, 2015 Share #67 Posted March 11, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) Funny - that's exactly where I ended up and feels just the same way. (The MM can't touch the "z" - in particular where higher ISOs are concerned. I'm amazed at what was considered 'great' ISO 3200 just a few years ago.) That said, I decided to sell my beloved film MF cameras to pay for the MM. I hadn't planned to, but a friend asked right as I was agonizing over the MM, and I realized that the film cameras would just spend another year on the shelf gathering dust. Or, I could get them into hands that wanted to use them, shoot film and wet-print for the love of it, and I could enjoy true B&W work in digital. Once sentimentality of objects was put aside, it was an easy, easy choice. - N. It's also amazing how so many great photographer did such amazing work with TriX for so many years until just a few years ago. I do not need anything beyond ISO 2,500. Very very true. Thinking that just a few years ago ISO 1600-3200 was the limit, the possibilities we have now are ridiculous To me, the question is not to use such ridiculously high ISO all the time; the question is to have it at my disposal when and if I need it. And it happened often, doing commercial work, that I enjoyed the possibilities that the 645z offers as far as ISO goes (not higher than 6400 though) As well, I always welcome - sort of in principle - any technological changes that enable us to do something creatively new and never possible before. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
batmobile Posted March 11, 2015 Share #68 Posted March 11, 2015 It is of course a given that photographers of the past did not use high ISO, but this does not mean that extreme high ISO has no real value, or 'point'. It is an argument perfectly described by the word 'dogma' IMHO. Very high ISO capabilities open up possibilities.... that have creative potential. I may not use or need a clean ISO 12,800 and neither may you, but to dismiss the whole thing seems... well... silly. Sure, for most people the frequency of use of such high ISOs is most likely 'very rare' but for others it will be the entire basis of their work. Super high ISO is a key part in photography expanding and becoming larger than was five years ago. Technology moves forwards and, when a few pioneers do amazing things with their high ISO cameras, it will be only a matter of time until other people start doing the same. This is nothing new either; it has happened before (35mm, improved high speed emulsions etc). Besides, improved high ISO comes with few penalties that I can think of and tends to extend its benefits down into the medium ISO range that most of us use every day. Surely its just another form of progress. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerndReini Posted March 11, 2015 Share #69 Posted March 11, 2015 Restrictions also open creative possibilities. When photographers used to shoot slide film and exposed for the sun, large patches of the photograph would remain black and create graphic shapes. Look at the work of David Alan Harvey, or Alex Webb for example. I much preferred Webb's work of that time to what how he later shot and processed his M9 images. I find that for example shooting ISO 320 at night and pushing it by two stops recreates much more of the nighttime mood than shooting at a high ISO to begin with. I also welcome new technology, but it becomes problematic when we are chasing it. I feel that we often get stuck in that mindset of "oh if I only had a camera that shoots ISO 6,400 instead of 3,200, I could start creating a great body of work." I watched a documentary on Helmut Newton. He created stunning work with his Hasselblad and one lens, and I think the restrictions of it contributed to his personal style. Everyone who has time to come to this forum is guilty of it to some extent, me included. I could have taken a walk and made some photographs in the time it took me to browse the site and write this. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOZ Posted March 12, 2015 Share #70 Posted March 12, 2015 (edited) Trix-400 (not pushed) at the "moon" light. I don't need more asa/ iso M6 TTL + Summilux 35 ASP (pre-FLE) + Imacon X5... Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Edited March 12, 2015 by MOZ 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/219929-moving-from-mf-bw-to-monochrom/?do=findComment&comment=2779227'>More sharing options...
batmobile Posted March 12, 2015 Share #71 Posted March 12, 2015 Sure, we can all decide to impose limitations on what we do for the benefits conferred, but that's a far cry from the mantra of some, who decry super high ISO as 'stupid and 'just not needed' (not only for their needs, but others' too), citing the greats of the past. The great photography of the present and future matter too and super high ISO in no way impoverishes us. If we wish to impose restrictions, I think it makes more sense to do so on a personal basis rather than suggesting that camera manufacturers should ignore this 'fad'. Its not a fad; its just technological progress that we can choose to use or ignore as we wish. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOZ Posted March 12, 2015 Share #72 Posted March 12, 2015 I have the choice, i use what i need in fact Almost at night, MM + Summaron 28 at f5.6 and 3200 iso... Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/219929-moving-from-mf-bw-to-monochrom/?do=findComment&comment=2779281'>More sharing options...
MarkP Posted March 12, 2015 Share #73 Posted March 12, 2015 Everyone who has time to come to this forum is guilty of it to some extent, me included. I could have taken a walk and made some photographs in the time it took me to browse the site and write this.. So true Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjames9142 Posted March 16, 2015 Share #74 Posted March 16, 2015 I'm not too concerned about whether earlier photographers had high ASA, as they would have called it. Bill Brandt and Brassai both had tripods, and they also often used their friends to act in their nocturnal pictures. Personally I am happy that the Monochrom gives me a more-than-usable ISO of 2500, which allows me to work at night --by moonlight at the equinox and without a tripod Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/219929-moving-from-mf-bw-to-monochrom/?do=findComment&comment=2781603'>More sharing options...
Cyril Jayant Posted April 7, 2015 Share #75 Posted April 7, 2015 Monochrom is digital Leica best camera ever, yes, sell all your gear and buy it. No regret! Inviato da mio iPhone utilizzando Tapatalk Direct suggestion but a hard decision to make Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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