Digital BW, The Print

Film speed all depends on your method of development and purpose of use.
Underexposure (higher EI) will result in loss of shadow detail.
Increased development can bring some of it back, but will at the same
time also increase contrast and highlight density as well as grain.

You may want to do some tests and see where the limits lie or where your
quality is best for your purpose. I recommend processing the film
yourself if you can or have a small custom lab (or a serious photo
hobbyist) do it. Just sending it out to get souped in over-replenished
stock D-76 will give disappointed results with blocked highlights and
poor acutance.

I have exposed Kodak TMZ at EI 25,000 (4 2/3 stops under its true rating
of 1200) and after careful but extended development still had very
usable images which were very grainy and flat looking because of lack of
real shadow detail. I guess EI of 100,000 (another 2 stops under) is
possible.

These high speed films such as Neopan and TMZ are designed to be
"pushed" at least 1 to 2 stops, to give you usable images at under low
light conditions. But they will give you better image quality if
slightly overexposed and DEcrease development, which is what you are
doing now (1/3 to 2/3 stop overexposed from 1600).

Frits


-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Smallfield [mailto:r.smallfield@...] 
Sent: Sunday, February 27, 2005 9:26 AM
To: Digital BW Print
Subject: [Digital BW] Neopan 1600 - best speed?


Hi,
I've just laoded some Neopan 1600 and have set the iso to around 1400.

Can anyone tell me what the optimum iso for this film is?

many thanks,
Richard