For B & W work, Tri-X is still hard to beat. Using a regular developer with
Tri-X will allow you to shoot it at the recommended ASA 400. Using Neutral
Density filters will allow you to shoot Tri-X in brightly lit situations when
shutter speed selection is too limited to compensate (i.e. depth of field
choice). IIRC, a ND2 will reduce light transmission sufficiently to
"effectively drop" ASA speed by one stop, a ND4 by two stops and a ND8 by
three stops. You can purchase these three filters in a set.
For fast speed film, try Tri-X developed in Diafine's two-step processing.
It's supposed to be impossible to overdevelop. Negatives look great. Raises
film "effective ASA speed" two stops. For example, the "normal" ASA speed for
Tri-X is 1600. Used to recommend it to beginners in photo lab classes. It's
virtually a fool proof combination. You must set the ASA dial for 1600. The
developer compensates for the extra two stops by recommended developing
times. Diafine is very forgiving. It develops to a chemically determined
point and stops further development. Exceeding developing time by two or
three minutes seems to make no difference at all. After development, use
regular stop bath, fixer and washing procedures.
Re B & W filters: The most commonly used B & W filters are light or medium
yellow, orange, red and green. As mentioned green provides good looking skin
tones although it lightens foliage slightly. Yellow, orange and red darken
blues (as in skies) and emphasize clouds. Yellow is most frequently used.
Orange and red make skies appear progressively darker. Red is sometimes used
to get pseudo night shots during daylight hours.
B & W photography is an intriguing art form. Most photographers have moved
exclusively to color. That's sad. An unfortunate result of the decline of B &
W photographers is that it is becoming increasingly difficult to find local
processing for B & W negatives and prints.
Anyone know of a good custom lab which doesn't charge and arm and a leg for
processing and printing B & W?
Robert
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