[Leica] B&W film

["Gib Robinson" <robinson@sfsu.edu>]

For those who have accepted the fact the B&W film is of use, I have some
questions:

Clearly there are still many Tri-X users. Question is why? I assume its
because the tonal range is good, speed is good, and many people know how to
use it in their sleep (some do, I'm sure). In my experience, Tri-X is more
or less "bomb proof" and if you've used a lot of it you know exactly how to
expose, develop and print it. (I have a pro-photo friend who recently
described Tri-X as a household pet "I can make that puppy sit up and beg.")

From my experience TMax provide higher speed for low-light shooting, but is
less forgiving, especially in the developing process where precise times are
important. Also, it's my impression, although I have never tested the films
side-by-side, that the tonal range of the T-grain films are not as great as
Pan films. Is that true?

- --Gib