Kodak BW400CN Scanned + NIK Silver Efex

[lewis44]

I pulled out some old negs that I shot using Kodak BW400CN as I was getting a little disappointed with what I was getting recently using this film. Comparing the recent ones and some older negs, I found that processing ( I switched the place I was processing) makes a world of difference. I should have known that, but I was also shooting with an M8 and just let it slide.

I have been using the Nik software with some of my shots with the M8 and love the way you can get pretty great B&W film like images, but had not thought of using it on the Kodak film.

Re-Scanning the older negs in 16 bit RGB and then using NIK Silver Efex Pro gave the images a new lease on life.

The main benefit of the C-41 B&W films is that you can use Digital Ice on that film base and save a lot of time cleaning up your files.

The drawback was the film was nothing like the Silver Halide B&W. Kinda' flat and boring. You could tweak it in Photoshop, but it still lacked a little something.

Enter NIK. For those of you who don't know about or have not tried it, what it does it convert the scan to mimic some of your favorite B&W Films.

I have attached the ones I did today, so take a look.

 

[Jamie Pillers]

Lewis,
Thanks for posting these. I'm trying to use BW400 more and I like these images and what they say about the NIK software. Gene Wilburn (genewilburn.com) also speaks very highly of this software. I think I'm going to have to give a try.
Jamie

P.S.: Were the photos made at Morro Bay or Moss Landing Power Plants?

 

[lewis44]

P.S.: Were the photos made at Morro Bay or Moss Landing Power Plants?

Moss Landing. We go there a lot. Love Phil's Fish House.
Heres one from Morro Bay. Shot with the 50mm J3 on a M8

 

[MCTuomey]

great shots, randy. nice tonality - on my monitor it seems you're able to give the BW400CN a nice, balanced contrast boost, avoiding the extremes, keeping nice greadations.

are you able to compare the NIK software to JFI's profiles? JFI is quite a bit less expensive, couples well with Capture One (so I've read).

 

[Steve M.]

They look better, but still pretty far from Tri-X or FP4 tonal range. I agree w/ you, not having Dig Ice available w/ real B&W films is a hassle, but I try to be super clean on my film handling and scanning and it isn't nearly as big a deal as when I was more sloppy. Of course enlarger prints will show a big difference between C41 B&W and the silver based films. I think it depends on what you're shooting. For portraits C41 is probably good, especially in 35mm. For MF or LF the grain is much smoother and traditional B&W films would be the way to go for me, but everyone has their preferences. Nothing comes close to Tri-X tonal range and deep blacks.

 

[lewis44]

are you able to compare the NIK software to JFI's profiles?

Mike,
No, I have not tried the JFI Profiles. I tried NIK and that was it. It offers profiles for films, various modifications and a way to adjust the grain pattern and character of each one that I found to my liking and stopped looking. Also has a lot of preset mods that work well for different situations. Kinda' one stop shop for B&W Conversions.
Before I scanned these negs, I did scan some Delta 100 that I shot and found the work involved with the Delta was a lot more than I wanted to spend, except in special cases.
I don't process my own film anymore and I'm getting lazy in my old age.
I find that the results I got from the BW400CN and NIK, were quite acceptable to me.
I commend the people who keep the faith and do it other ways, but I've moved on.
I remember the hours I spent with a Polaroid 4000, Silverfast 5 and the spotting brush in Photoshop and wonder how I did it.

 

[MCTuomey]

thanks, randy. later this month i'm going to demo both JFI and NIK, hopefully. JFI is around $15-$20 versus NIK at nearly $200. it's worth a look.

i respect the view of folks like steve too, but i'm good with the compromises. i just don't have as much time lately and need an alternative to traditional B&W, as much as I like it.

 

[loganvillejc]

I've had the same kind of results with bW400 and Nik Silver Efex. I really like the combination.

 

[lewis44]

Mike,
Please post the results of your work comparing both.

I think many are in the same boat. Too little time and still want the traditional look of B&W.

 

[Al Kaplan]

Very interesting. Working harder and harder and coming closer and closer to getting pictures that look like they were really shot on real black and white film. Maybe I'm old fashioned but I like to smell real coffee brewing in the morning, stir in real sugar or honey, add some half and half. Instant coffee, Splenda, powdered "creamer" just don't seem the same. But then there are guys who seem content with life sized inflatable dolls.

I'm sticking with conventional film.

 

[lewis44]

I'm sticking with conventional film

Al,
As far as I know, so am I.
I'm just not developing it myself and doing contact sheets and working with an enlarger like I used to.
Last I checked BW400CN is a B&W FILM and does produce a B&W image, only the chemicals have changed.
So does Ilford XP2
I just prefer to scan and print.
Too each his own.
And by the way, what color is you dolls hair? Mine is a redhead.