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[OM] A film better than digital

Subject: [OM] A film better than digital
From: "tOM Trottier" <tom@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:55:37 -0400
Modern slow speed films

ACCESSED:       Wed Oct 01 2008 04:48:34 GMT-0400 (EDT)
PAGE URL:       http://www.imx.nl/photo/Film/Film/page32.html
...

Adox CMS 20.
This film has the finest grain that I have seen over a long period of years. 
Even under the microscope at 100x magnification the grain is hardly 
visible. One needs to use a special developer, the Adotech 50, also available 
from Adox. But there are many pota type developers on the market that can 
be used. Originally Dr. Schleussner Company manufactured Adox films in 
Germany. For many years the films were unsurpassed for its resolving 
power and sharpness impression due to the acutance effects. But Kodak 
and Ilford introduced improved versions of their classical films and after 
Dupont acquired the Adox facilities, it was very quiet around Adox. Later 
the marque was sold to a company in the Eastern European area and EFKE 
became the label. This company used the original formula of the classical 
Adox films. I tested these films and them very good, but not so outstanding 
in comparison to the normal ISO100 films from Kodak and Ilford, that they 
could become the standard films to be used.

Recently Fotoimpex in Germany has introduced a new series of Adox films 
of which the document film CMS 20 is quite interesting. The base is crystal 
clear and well suited to scanning if you do not want to work in the 
darkroom.

First the workflow: the useable speed value is ISO16, which delivers well 
exposed negatives with excellent tonality and normal density. Of course the 
inherently steep characteristic curve limits the highlight densities and the 
workable subject contrast range is narrower than what you get from normal 
films. But that is one of the charming aspects of working with these films: 
you need to examine the scene, take exposure readings and make decisions. 

The Adotech developer is free from hydroquinone and therefore does not 
spoil the environment. With hydroquinone-free fixer from Amaloco the 
darkroom is quite healthy nowadays. Developing time is 5 minutes, stop 
bath 15 seconds, fixing time is one minute and washing with the Ilford 
method takes another two minutes. Then the film is ready to dry.


The dense highlights are more related to the limitations of the scanner than 
to the capabilities of the film. In the darkroom you can handle the densities 
a bit better. It is wise as always to do some experimenting yourself.

...

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tOM Trottier,  +1 613 860-6633 
469 Ancaster Ave,  Ottawa, ON K2B 5B6  Canada
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