Digital BW, The Print

I concur with what has already been said, but would like to add that the
image quality just is not as good.

I used Impresa 50 for a couple of years, thinking that the ability to do
variable filtration in the computer would add more than the disadvantages
took away.  After that extended experiment, I went back to B&W film.

With respect to image quality, the real reduction in quality occurs when you
"filter" the image.  If you think about it, the only way the individual
color layers can be exposed by just using a small part of the spectrum is if
those individual layers are much "faster" relative to B&W film of the same
nominal speed.  When the color film is un-filtered, the various emulsions'
dye clouds act as multi-sampling the even out some of the grain (noise).
But, when you want that nice dark, red-filtered sky, and use only the
red-sensitive layer, what you thought of as slow, fine-grained film looks
more like 400 speed film.

So, for me, the image quality just was not there, and the usefulness of
multi-filtering (red for the sky, green for selected foliage, for example)
did not off-set the quality loss.

Then there is my psychological problem -- I can't resist the pretty colors
if I have color film in the camera, and those shots usually make bad B&W
prints.  I shall remain a purist B&W guy as long as possible.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com 

_____________________________________

-----Original Message-----
From: Scott Graham [mailto:gebilwil@...] 
Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 1:03 PM
To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Digital BW] color film for B&W?



Hi

Does anyone out there regularly (mainly) use color film to produce gallery
quality fine art 
B&W prints?

If so, two questions:

1.  what kind of film and why?

2.  what disadvantages do you find?

as a standard of comparison, I am currently using Plus X.  For samples of my
work see 
www.sgraham.com.

I am also familar with many reasons for using color film for B&W (in the
digital age), but 
not potential disadvantages.

Thanks
Scott






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