I used film and Leicas for over 30 years, developing everything in my Jobo
and even buying bulk film and loading it myself. I am so, so glad I don't
have to do that anymore for many reasons. Carrying all of that film
through airports is one reason. Not knowing if I had the photo until I got
home and developed the film is another. No more headaches in the darkroom
is another. I had state-of-the-art fans and ventilators in my darkroom but
still developed allergies and could not stay in there longer than fifteen
minutes before I got terrible headaches. Expense is another. Limits on
experimenting because it meant more film, more chemicals, more time.
I admire film photos and am still scanning my huge backlog, but I also
admire digital photos when the photo is about the subject and not the
process. I am very happy with my new B&W camera and will never go back to
film. I'm too old and it's too late. I'm just glad Leica has made it
possible for me to use all of my wonderful film lenses on my digital
cameras.
Tina
On Fri, Aug 31, 2012 at 5:08 PM, Dawid Loubser <dawid@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:
> I am afraid I have to disagree - nothing film-like at all about them to
> my eyes, far too "linear". The Leica M Monochrom's archilles heel is
> much more limited dynamic range compared to e.g. a standard M9 (not to
> mention the even the worst monochrome film) and it shows in the
> highlights that clip very abruptly.
>
> Tina, this is nothing personal. You have acquired an absolutely
> wonderful tool, that is sure to make most of us envious. You just have
> to understand that some of us around here are very passionate about film
> (few more so than Ken and Myself, actually).
>
> I shoot B&W film almost exclusively, and have come to appreciate the
> great differences between ti and digital capture. The MM has
> extraordinary resolution, exceeding all but the most carefully-shot
> medium format film.
>
> But the tonal response and dynamic range is like just any other digital
> camera - linear, and very limited compared to film. That's not to say
> you can't mess with the processing to make it appear very close to film
> (I myself have attempted some successful Olympus E-5 conversions that
> closely imitate Adox CHS Art film, one of my favourites).
>
> It however takes but a single large B&W negative in the darkroom to
> realise again how very different the two mediums are.
>
> If I may use as an example your image of the dog:
> http://www.pbase.com/tinamanley/image/145748288
>
> It appears flat and linear to my eyes, and it's clear that both in
> shadow and highlight detail retention that the sensor did not have
> enough dynamic range to capture the image. Of course, we sit with the
> same problem with our (Micro) Four Thirds sensors.
>
> If I may offer a comparable "pet" shot (don't have many of those) taken
> in extremely harsh direct afternoon sunlight, captured on 35mm film:
>
>
> http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/339/6/8/mousse_portrait_by_philosomatographer-d4i9b7j.jpg
>
> The white parts of the cat exhibit the gentlest transitions to
> near-white, but never clips, courtesy of Kodak TMY400-2's extreme
> dynamic range. This was shoot at ISO 400 at full midday sun at f/2.5, an
> over-exposure of a considerable number of stops.
>
> Digital is FAR from matching monochrome film in tonal response and
> dynamic range, make no mistake.
>
> Enjoy your wonderful, wonderful toys! I sure would like some of your
> lenses for my M3... Looking forward to many more images from you with
> the MM.
>
> regards,
> Dawid
>
> On Fri, 2012-08-31 at 15:28 -0500, Ken Norton wrote:
> > Those are the most film-like digital BW images I've ever seen.
> >
> > --
> > Ken Norton
> > ken@xxxxxxxxxxx
> > http://www.zone-10.com
>
> --
> _________________________________________________________________
> Options: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/listinfo/olympus
> Archives: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/private/olympus/
> Themed Olympus Photo Exhibition: http://www.tope.nl/
>
>
>
--
Tina Manley, ASMP
www.tinamanley.com
--
_________________________________________________________________
Options: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/listinfo/olympus
Archives: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/private/olympus/
Themed Olympus Photo Exhibition: http://www.tope.nl/
|
