Digital BW, The Print

"Jacob" <jacob@...> wrote:
>
> ... I'm not going back to film just to reproduce this effect.

Nor am I.

But, there is no magic in Tech Pan plus Technidol developer.  I used it for years -- until I bought the Canon 5d2.  (And TP is the only film left in my freezer.)  Tech Pan is mostly known for its ultra fine grain, not it's dynamic range.  TP is, by nature, a high contrast film.  The Technidol developer just allowed us to get normal B&W range from it.  But, that "normal" B&W range is way more than digital.  Digital is closer to slide film than B&W negative film.

Still, with TP I occasionally used 2 frames and stitched them together.  My Grand Teton, where the sun is virtually in the frame (see http://www.paulroark.com/GrandTeton.html) is an example of that.

> I tried HDRI processing ... They still don't look like Berts' ...

I think its the dodging and burning style that we're seeing.  These images have been worked up for the artistic effects.

> It's amazing that with digital I need to shoot 3 times and HDRI processing to get little bit close to what he gets with one shot and special processing.

Any dilute, compensating development B&W processing technique can match TP + Technidol.  So, I would not call what he did particularly special processing.  Also, we can do this with digital, but it's more work to have to shoot and deal with multiple frames.  I'm not impressed with the automated HDR, but the tools are there, one way or the other, if we've captured the information adequately. 

I think what we're seeing is normal B&W with very nice, artistic printing.  

But, it does take very good dynamic range to do this.  Our digital dynamic range -- or lack thereof -- is just awful compared to standard old B&W, and it's the main thing I miss with the Canon 5d2.  The MPs are OK, but the dynamic range is not close to B&W film. 

I'm still sticking with digital, but due to its other attributes, even despite the sad DR.  Digital needs a major breakthrough with respect to dynamic range to get to where it ought to be for the best B&W.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com