Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, Bruce Watson <bwyg@...> wrote:
>
> m_misiaszek wrote:
> > I shoot 35mm film and want to print in B/W. Typically, what would give 
> > the better B/W print in the end, shooting in color or in B/W? I 
> > understand that Digital ICE does not work when scanning in B/W so it 
> > would take some more time correcting dust in software. While I would 
> > like to think it would be dust free I know that is effectively 
> > impossible. 
> > ~Mary
> >   
> It's a complex question. Largely it depends on what you want. Of course.
> 
> All other things being equal, B&W film for a given ISO will be sharper 
> and less grainy than the color negative film counterpart. If you like 
> enlargements bigger than, say, 10x or so, this might matter to you. The 
> reason for this is in the construction of the film. Color film can have 
> dozens of layers, and the graininess adds as the enlarger or scanner has 
> to look though them all to capture the image. B&W film has far fewer layers.
> 
> But... in B&W the image is formed from metallic silver. This leads 
> directly to the Callier Effect which effects both enlarger and scanner. 
> In color films, positive or negative, the image is formed by translucent 
> dyes. Color films have interesting features, but don't exhibit Callier 
> Effect.
> 
> Then there's graininess, and perceived graininess. Graininess is a 
> function of density. In areas of low density there is very little 
> graininess, while areas of high density exhibit considerably more 
> graininess. In trannies, this means that the graininess is in the 
> shadows where it's hardest to see. In negative films, color and B&W, 
> it's in the highlights where it's easier to see. Even though most modern 
> negative films have lower graininess ratings then their similar ISO 
> tranny counterparts, the tranny can be *perceived* to be less grainy -- 
> a property of perception.
> 
> All of this (and more that I just can't be bothered to talk about) 
> before you even consider scanning. And the various scanners all interact 
> differently with the different films. Some seem to be optimized more for 
> trannies. Some are more tolerant of negatives. The same is true for the 
> software that drives said scanners.
> 
> In the end, and you knew it would come to this, you'll have to do the 
> work yourself to find out which film works best for your style of 
> photography, your equipment, and your workflow. No one can tell you 
> which is actually going to be your favorite -- only you can make that call.
> 
> That said, if I want B&W prints, I always shoot B&W film. The extra 
> sharpness and ability to capture detail matters to me. But clearly YMMV.
> --
> Bruce Watson


Hi Bruce

I believe grainer hilites are a product of development.  Hilite areas tend to exhaust or have  
slower development activity, because of the large amount of exposure they receive, 
creating a larger "grain" where as shadow areas develop more fully.  this really holds true 
with "silver solvent" developers like D76.