Digital BW, The Print

Anthony,

>"Simulate" is the operative word here.  You can make something 
>look like Tri-X or Tech Pan, but if you compare it with the 
>same scene actually photographed with these films, you may be 
>surprised.  Almost all the information required to reproduce the 
>response of most B&W films is missing from color images.

>You can certainly produce fine prints; but if you want prints 
>that look exactly the way a certain film looks, you must 
>capture the original scene with that film.
 
I've been following this thread with great interest.  It's a subject
that has concerned me for a long time, as I've hinted at in past posts
about my fear of losing the look and feel of particular films.  You
have finally brought to the table a credible explanation for what I
have only suspected.

I don't have a high end digi cam, but do have a 4mpx model with a
decent lens, and so have been able to try making BW prints from a
few images.  I even tried using the demo version of the software that
emulates different films, and it's quite good.  The few images I
worked up were sharp, well rendered, and made prints that were
basically "good" in many ways, yet failed to fully satisfy by not
"pressing my button" in the way my scans of Tri-X negs have.

I'm not giving up hope for an all-digital workflow.  Perhaps better
cameras, software, and my own improving skills will make it possible
someday.  In the meantime I'll save my shekels and shoot film.  6x7
Tri-X negs made with Pentax 67 lenses are hard to beat.

Thanks very much for the great input.

Regards,
Clayton


Info on black and white digital printing at    
http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm