Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/04/13

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Subject: Re: [Leica] OT - film resolving power
From: Christer Almqvist <chris@almqvist.net>
Date: Sun, 13 Apr 2003 09:43:26 +0100
References: <000001c300f0$44b32cd0$6401a8c0@YOURF68DMBR429> <000001c300f0$44b32cd0$6401a8c0@YOURF68DMBR429> <5.2.0.9.0.20030412092956.00a66c00@lightcurves.com>

Dave,

as I said before, one should not spend too much time on this matter, 
but I feel obliged to reply.

My statement below is based on my looking at prints that I have made. 
Part of the judgement
is no doubt subjective. And perhaps the way I work makes my prints 
from TMX come out less sharp than my prints from Delta 100 negatives. 
Perhaps it works the other way round for you. Therefore I have tried 
to find some third party opinions that substantiate my statement.

I only buy one magazine dealing with the technical side of 
photography,  (the French) Réponses Photo. The October 2002 had a 
test of the seven most popular 35 mm b+w films. The following are all 
the negative parts of the  technical summaries (i. e. excluding 
comments like 'expensive' or 'not widely available'- Acros: slow; 
APX: does not handle overexposure well; TMX: slightly unsharp edges; 
Forte: grainy.

I am also on the Pure Silver list. I quote a comment from some of the 
most knowledgeable list members (hope he does not mind being quoted). 
RSuzuki@mit.edu says: TMX .... very high resolving power, yet it 
looks unsharp in some popular developers, even if diluted.

I can't find the reference right now, but I recall Richard Knoppow 
saying on the Pure Silver list that the fine grain of TMX prevents 
the prints from looking sharp.

My personal feeling is that they are all correct in their statements. 
But I admit that b+w films are an emotional choice. This probably 
influences my (our?)judgement. Blocked highlights do not. I have a 
very accurate thermometer, a stop watch and a densiometer, so (for 
most of the time) exposure and development do not cause blocked 
highlights

Chris

>Chris
>
>At 03:04 PM 4/12/2003 +0100, you wrote:
>>T-Max 100 is well known for producing less than sharp looking prints.
>
>My jaw just about hit the floor in disbelief when I read this.  It 
>flies completely in the face of my personal experience, and those of 
>many other photographers. Some people don't like TMAX, because if 
>not developed properly highlights can block up in a hurry (this is 
>more of a problem with TMax400). But when it comes to sharp prints, 
>nothing I know beats T-Max100`
>
>Please substantiate your comment.
>
>DaveR
>
>--
>To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html


- -- 
Christer Almqvist
D 20255 Hamburg and / or
F 50590 Regnéville sur Mer

please look at my NEW  b+w pictures at:    http://www.almqvist.net/chris/dozen/

old pictures still at:     http://www.almqvist.net/chris/new
- --
To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html

In reply to: Message from "Oliver Bryk" <oliverbryk@attbi.com> ([Leica] OT - film resolving power)
Message from "Oliver Bryk" <oliverbryk@attbi.com> ([Leica] OT - film resolving power)
Message from Dave Rodgers <drodgers1@lightcurves.com> (Re: [Leica] OT - film resolving power)