Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/08/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Greetings Michael, Lets see, C-41 is just the process name for the standard Kodak process for color negative film. XP2, and Kodak's various offerings are color neg film with a single gray dye layer. Typically, these films are finer grained than their comparable traditional films. Also, as color negative material they can provide useable images from two stops underexposed to as many as five stops overexposed(think really long, and I mean go to lunch long print exposures). The Illford material you received probably works best when overexposed about half a stop(320 EI). Usually, apparent grain decreases with overexposure and if you are patient, highlights will never block up. The C-41 process is both the benefit and deficit of these films. You can get the film processed virtually anywhere sometimes in less than fifteen minutes if it is a lab you patronize often and it is a slow day. One of the problems is that in a typical lab your film may not be treated well and there will be scratches and other blemishes. The other problem is that it is a standard process so your level of control is basically in the exposure you give the film. The last deficit to mention is that because the image is a color dye, longevity can not be guaranteed. My ten year old negatives seem somewhat darker than I remember. As more and more darkrooms go away, these films are becoming more popular as it is a way to get quite good images in B&W. Also, commercial shooters like it as it can be mixed in with other color work seamlessly. However, with the advent of digital, I think the commercial use will fade pretty quickly. As to a comparison with Delta, it is more a question of which Chardonnay you prefer. You will need to shoot similar scenes and decide for yourself. Regards, Don - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html