ADOX CMS 20 ... wow! no what.

same roll. haven't re-rinsed these.
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LeicaForever, I used a dash of photoflow at the beginning of my initial rinse. then about 10 minutes with a continuous flow of tap water through a Jobo hose.
 
any suggestions about controlling the contrast?

was the issue more due to my exposures when I shot? choice of lens? or, my processing?

this one is after a bit of tweaking the levels...
5040530548_a8bfff989e_b.jpg
 
How are you scanning these? I have a strong suspicion that it's your scanning technique and not the film. Those areas that are pure white in your scan most likely have much more detail on the negative.
 
bensyverson, I'm open to ideas.

Let's see. I'm using a Epson V700 and its own software. Scanned at 4800 dpi. with unsharp mask on. 16-bit grayscale. what else would you like to know? my workflow is simple and sloppy. I'll take any suggestions I can get, so thanks for whatever you can offer.
 
if you have SilverFast, I received better results with it (and even better results when i use VueScan, as I do now). i scan as .DNG files, I scan them with no adjustments, just straight scans - no adjusting the levels. the scans are very flat, I open in Adobe PS and process as RAW files (even then, all i do it set black and white points) and the images closely resemble how my prints come out. It's not that 'simple' but it works, I then save these as TIFFs and trash the DNG files.

Oh, and I scan as 48bit RGB files then convert to Grayscale in post.
 
The Adox films are nice but have very delicate emulsion. I've been using ATM49, which I think they're renaming Atomal (the old Agfa developer).
 
Are you using the autoexposure? It's best to turn that off and adjust the levels manually to encompass the contrast range of each shot. I'll take a few screenshots next time I scan!
 
The scanning was also my first thought. However the shots that you posted later aren't as contrasty.

I use a Nikon Coolscan V with Vuescan. In Vuesccan set it at the maximum resolution of 4000dpi and save it as a 16-bit B&W TIFF file. All options are turned off - no automatic corrections. The scan is very flat at this point. Then I open up the file in Photoshop and do all my adjustments there.
 
trying that right now. thanks for the tip. of course, this means I'll have to be more attentive to my work flow, but this film sure seems like it's worth the effort.

bensyverson said:
Are you using the autoexposure? It's best to turn that off and adjust the levels manually to encompass the contrast range of each shot. I'll take a few screenshots next time I scan!
Click to expand...
 
Adox CMS 20 is one of my favourite films, as there is no other film that gives you the same black and grey range. Without exception I try to shoot it with a fast lens wide open....this film will suck detail out of f2 and faster like no other. The film is notorious for being curly, a dust magnet and very susceptible to scratching; otherwise it is fantastic ;p

Note the wild greys in the OOF areas despite the high contrast:


dreaming of a memory by thomasw_, on Flickr

This shot shows the range of blackness in a very challenging light with such a slow film -->


Ballet light by thomasw_, on Flickr
 
thomas, beautiful shots, both of them, especially that second one. appreciate the tips. gives me something to look forward to if I can tame this beast. my scanning workflow/technique sucks -- quick and dirty. I'll need to get serious about it with this film.

thomasw_ said:
Adox CMS 20 is one of my favourite films, as there is no other film that gives you the same black and grey range. Without exception I try to shoot it with a fast lens wide open....this film will suck detail out of f2 and faster like no other. The film is notorious for being curly, a dust magnet and very susceptible to scratching; otherwise it is fantastic ;p

Note the wild greys in the OOF areas despite the high contrast:


dreaming of a memory by thomasw_, on Flickr

This shot shows the range of blackness in a very challenging light with such a slow film -->


Ballet light by thomasw_, on Flickr
Click to expand...
 
Everyone, thanks for all the tips and please feel free to keep them coming.

Do any of you use Aperture? Does the film demand something with more flexibility?

I've never used SilverFast and I rarely use PSE. I'm used to trying to get what I want straight out of the camera and the soup and this film seems to demand much more than I'm accustomed to doing (not necessarily a bad thing).

Thanks all! All ideas very much appreciated by me.
 
severely underexposed, then heavily tweaked in Aperture, dialing up the shadows as far as the slider will go (not my usual process). and, yet there's still an incredible level of detail hidden here. what a damned dust magnet this film is.

5040825726_c1d24d8656_b.jpg
 
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