Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/11/16
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Mark Rabiner wrote: >I thought you scored greater deals than that with Neopan on your trips to >Toykeo. 32,100,400... >You even inspired me to go out and get some! I have the 1600 in my M6 now. >How would you say Neopan stacked up against Tri X? >Mark Rabiner Mark, I do get some good deals on the Neopan in Tokyo, but for the gloomy winter light of the Northwest I prefer the Tri-X. I have tried all the other 400 ASA films and somehow I always gravitate back to the old standby XXX. The Neopan 32 ASA is a wee bit too slow for now and even the Neopan Presto 100 strains your hand holding capability a bit. The Neopan 1600 is a remarkable film, I tend to shoot it at 800, but it can take 1600 too. It does not push well above that. Grain and tonality is very good, slightly finer grain than pushed Tri-X and considerably better than T-Speed or Delta-3200. I have been trying it with a variety of developers, D-76/Pyro/D-23 and D-25/split D-76/and even with Rodinal 1: 100 for 20 minutes. The last one is certainly not a fine-grain developer but if you like sharp, edgy grain it is good. Works well with the Noctilux and I will try it with the 90 APO/Asph later this month. I cant wait for some sunny weather and the possibility to start working my way through 150 rolls of Neopan 32 ASA, as well as several 100 feet of KB-14 and KB-17 that I picked up in Europe earlier this year. The KB-14 has that wonderful 50's look to it, including some rather interesting surface "blemishes" introduced in the coating. Incredibly sharp with the Beutler developer, it's like TechPan with midtones! All the best, Tom A