Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/06/03

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Subject: Re: [Leica] A Humbling Experience
From: "Glen M. Robinson" <gmrobinson@imation.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Jun 1999 14:49:08 -0500

"Noel H. Charchuk" <nhcharch@calcna.ab.ca> on 06/03/99 02:06:14 PM

I suspect the album Glenn discussed may have been done by a photographer
with talent, if it moved him so much a 80 or 90 years later.
Noel Charchuk


All of the photographs were taken in a studio with a variety of backgrounds and
props, apparently with a north facing window.  The photographer was a very
skilled artist and darkroom technician.  But what astonished me is the technical
quality of these old contact pictures, their sharpness and grays.  No grain is
visible in the pictures.  Based on the size of the pictures, the photographer
probably used a 5X7 view camera.

Again, we seem to lose much quality in the enlargement step. I wonder if the
formulating of modern emulsions to minimize grain is responsible for the loss of
the fine gradation of grays seen in these older prints?  Many photographers
claim that good ole Tri-X is still the best B&W film on the market because of
its wide gradation of grays.

Glen