Re: New B&W film

[P3D Eric Goldstein <egoldste@xxxxxx>]

David W. Kesner wrote:

> It is T400CN T-Max Professional. It has an EI of 400, but claims
> equal or better grain than 100 speed. The other feature is that it is
> developed in C-41 chemicals (standard color), and can be printed on
> color or B&W papers.

This is a chromogenic b/w film like Ilford XP-2. It uses color dyes in 
place of silver halide.

> I was also told that it could be developed in E-6 chemicals for B&W
> positives. If this is true it would be an easy and inexpensive way to
> get B&W slides.

Hmm. News to me and not initially intuitive, but if so that would be 
great. For now Scala's the only direct way to film positive b/w I know 
of...

> The only draw back is the EI of 400 which Kodak suggests f16 at 1/500
> in bright sunlight. This is too fast for most 50's stereo cameras.

If this stuff is anything like XP-2, there should be no problem rating 
it much lower and getting beautiful negatives. I typically rate XP-2 at 
160 and expose for the shadows, and get dense negatives which print like 
a dream; silkiness and texture I can't achieve with any other film. And 
wonderful contrast control. I'm talking 120 here; my 35 mm experience 
with XP-2 is more limited though results seem similar. I would not 
recommend you printing either of these films on color paper, however, as 
the color cast is disconserting.

You might want to check with Kodak, but I suspect there should be no 
problem rating it a good stop and change slower than iso 400...


Eric G.


BTW... for another peak experience in b/w negative, check out Delta 
100/400. Even in my decrepid old rolleiflex 2.8 C planar, the results 
are astonishing!


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