Re: [Leica] B&W Film

[Mark Rabiner <mrabiner@concentric.net>]

Roy Feldman wrote:
> 
> I want to thank everyone how responded to my "How to clean a tray question"
> one suggestion I got was to drop in the tablets used to clean dentures-- it
> works.
> OK this has been discussed a lot but.
> I'm in search of a B&W film to standardize on. I am looking for a 400 speed
> (320 is ok). I want good detail but don't care if it has some grain. I do
> not push. I have been using cn and xp2s but am concerned with the archival
> properties. All my film is sent to a commercial lab(XTOL- D&Dunk) .
> I don't really have the time to test HP5,Delta 400. Agfa is hard to find and
> TMAX scared me off before XTOL was available. I use TRI-X  now but wish I
> had a bit more detail.
> Could one of you regulars give me a thumb nail sketch on HP, Delta and TMAX
> in XTOL.

I hate to do good stuff on Chromegic film. Time flys.
In a flash you are looking at 33 year old negs that you are glad you processed
and stored right.
Well I've been using TRI X but the times are a changen. I printed a Delta 400
neg yesterday that had been developed in Xtol and it was a whole level sharper
"more detail" than my usual Tri X. T Max bums me out because it doesn't come in
220 and scratches my 120 back but it has a reputation for being a formidable
combination with Xtol. I have seen 8 by 10 RC prints and they were impressive.
Your lab probably does a lot of that combination and I'm sure they will put in a
good word for it. Agfa in Xtol I would love to see. Some hotter developing
temperature to keep the times down perhaps as that has become the thing. And
Agfa is good old fashioned non tab grained film. More silver. Less tricky to
process. Richer look. Straight Line. But grainier and less sharp than that tabs:
T Max and Delta. 
And don't forget Neopan 400 which is great stuff and cheap. I used to shoot a
lot of that stuff.
That said standardization in this Xtol era on a 400 film is a question mark.
Like Salgado it might be the proper time in the millennium to standardize at a
1600 or 3200 speed. Delta 3200  Fuji 1600 and Kodak T Max P3200 all give a solid
1600 rating that I can speak from pre Xtol direct experience. They just cost
more. I say the sharpness is like TriX in the Seventies. Get a neutral density
filter or Green if your shooting in unrelenting sun. And then indoors throw away
your flash and heavy lenses.
HP5 I can't speak for. I've never gotten it to work for me with any of my
developers. What it might do in Xtol Lugnut Dan Khong might know. I think it's
his combo.
Cant' come back until I leave first!
Mark Rabiner