Digital BW, The Print

btvarner wrote:
> Hi Tyler,
> Changing subject somewhat here but I wanted to respond to your last 
> email.  Not wanting to pick a nit but I believe that opinions are 
> changing as to whether the highest quality B&W print has to originate 
> from B&W film?
>
> I have concluded (as I believe others have also) that the additional 
> data in color captures (digital or transparency) lend themselves to 
> the possibility of better B&W prints then do B&W film?

I'm not Tyler, but I can give you some thoughts on this. First, B&W 
films have different spectral responses than do color films. This is 
particularly true of a film like Fuji Acros. It's hard to replicate the 
look of most B&W films when using color films simply because of this 
difference. IOW it's more than you can achieve with channel mixer by itself.

Second, B&W films have far fewer layers than color films. This causes 
two things. First, for a given ISO rating, the B&W film will exhibit 
less graininess. Second, for a given ISO rating the B&W film will be 
sharper. If you are willing to give up a stop or more you can match the 
graininess with a slower color film. But it's hard to imagine how to 
match that last bit of sharpness.

Third, color films are hard to use with development controls. Especially 
C-41 which you can't really pull process at all without color shifting. 
So you sacrifice some control when you use color.

Forth, B&W films are less expensive to buy, and less expensive to 
process than color films.

Fifth, B&W films, especially t-grain films, have characteristic curves 
with most developers that are basically flat for as much subject 
brightness range (SBR) as you can throw at them. Said another way, they 
have huge dynamic range (IIRC there was a Kodak paper that claimed that 
100Tmax was flat and linear out 20+ stops, not that you can actually use 
that range outside the lab). Tranny films are crippled in comparison. 
Color negative films are considerably closer to B&W in this regard but 
still have some problems with color shifting when forced to handle 
really large SBRs.

Sixth, and most shaky on this list, is the psychology of it. Some of us 
see B&W better when using B&W films. I don't know why. But I know it's 
true. I speculate that it's learning to see beyond the distraction of 
color -- to see the visual rhythms, structures, harmonies that are under 
the color. And knowing you are making a color capture makes that more 
difficult to do for some reason.

I'm sure I could keep writing, but I'm also sure that anyone who made it 
this far is tired of readin'. So I'll let it rest ;-)

I'm not saying that anyone is wrong to use their favorite color film as 
the basis for B&W prints. You should do what works for you and that with 
which you are most comfortable. One can certainly make a high quality 
B&W print from a color capture. But if one truly wants the "highest 
quality B&W print" B&W films are still king of the hill.
--
Bruce Watson