Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/04/03

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Subject: [Leica] Myth and anti-myth
From: "Jack F. Matlock" <jfmatlo@attglobal.net>
Date: Tue, 3 Apr 2001 13:43:27 -0400

Recently Erwin Puts wrote:

"Now to kill two more myths. ...
I have the Kodachrome films which I used as comparison for the 100 to 400ISO
slide film test some weeks ago. ... The King of all slide films is by now the Kodachrome 64, which resolves
easily 90 lp/mm, much more than the E100SW and even close to the resolution

Big surprise the K200, which showed as expected a tight but visible grain
pattern, but a resolution that beats the Provia 400F at 70 to 75 lp/mm. So
the idea that fine grain supports high resolution is as false as the idea
that low contrasr supports resolution."

Thanks, Erwin, for your comments.  They track precisely with my admittedly non-scientific experience (40 years with Leica lenses--usually with filters, but no evident quality difference when without--and nearly 50 with Kodachrome).

Aside from its other virtues, Kodachrome doesn't fade when properly stored.  I have slides from the 1940s with colors just as brilliant as they were when they came back from the processor.  I haven't found another slide film that holds up that well even for 10-15 years.  

Jack  

Replies: Reply from "Tom Schofield" <tdschofield@email.msn.com> (Re: [Leica] Myth and anti-myth)