Opinions: b/w film w/color chemical processing

[sirius]

Hi,

I'm not sure of the term for black and white film that uses dyes and color chemicals for processing. What do people think of it compared to the traditional silver based processing?

I have heard that it has a little warmer tone to it. The prints are probably not as archival as the silver-based (but I have had silver-based prints go brown because the chemicals used by the developer were old). It is easier for me to get dye-based processing done. Traditional printing has to be mailed out from where I live.

I know there ther are many people here with a lot of experience with film. Thanks for your advice.

 

[bmattock]

Hi,

I'm not sure of the term for black and white film that uses dyes and color chemicals for processing.

Chromogenic.

What do people think of it compared to the traditional silver based processing?

Everyone seems to have a different opinion. There is no advantage for me, since I process my own B&W at very low cost. I could process my own color film (or chromogenic B&W) but do not desire to do so.

I have heard that it has a little warmer tone to it.

I am not sure that that term means in the context of the negatives themselves.

The prints are probably not as archival as the silver-based (but I have had silver-based prints go brown because the chemicals used by the developer were old). It is easier for me to get dye-based processing done. Traditional printing has to be mailed out from where I live.

I don't do traditional enlargement at all. I scan my negs/slides, no matter if they are color, B&W, or chromogenic B&W.

I know there ther are many people here with a lot of experience with film. Thanks for your advice.

I think if you find that the chromogenic B&W films fit your needs, you should use them and enjoy them. Nothing inherently wrong with them. For me, they are not economical, and I do find that I prefer the characteristics of traditional B&W film, such as grain structure. But that's a personal preference, everyone will have different thoughts, I'm sure.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[Wayne R. Scott]

I have heard that it has a little warmer tone to it. The prints are probably not as archival as the silver-based (but I have had silver-based prints go brown because the chemicals used by the developer were old). It is easier for me to get dye-based processing done. Traditional printing has to be mailed out from where I live.

If your prints are made in a wet dark room onto the same paper as traditional b&w negatives they will have equal archival qualities. I would guess that the traditional prints you have that are stained are due to improper fixing and washing of the print.

Wayne

 

[John Camp]

I've heard that chromogenic films scan better with high-res scanners, because there's no silver grain structure to interfere with the scan. (That is, that a high-res scan is finer than the grain structure of traditional film, and that the grains may actually scatter light from the scanner.) Is this true?

 

[bmattock]

I've heard that chromogenic films scan better with high-res scanners, because there's no silver grain structure to interfere with the scan. (That is, that a high-res scan is finer than the grain structure of traditional film, and that the grains may actually scatter light from the scanner.) Is this true?

News to me, but that does not mean it isn't true. Interesting, if so.

As far as scattering light goes, some of it is unavoidable. When a photograph is taken, the anti-halation coating goes to work to keep light from going sideways inside the suspension (improperly called emulsion) and plastic substrate, or from shining completely through the film and bouncing back from the back of the camera, but when the film is processed, that coating is removed. Subsequent shining of light through the film (by optical enlarger or scanner or even slide projector) is going to experience some level of halation. Visible? Dunno. I haven't seen it to be true with a KM SD IV, but that's hardly state of the art these days.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[Sparrow]

I've heard that chromogenic films scan better with high-res scanners, because there's no silver grain structure to interfere with the scan. (That is, that a high-res scan is finer than the grain structure of traditional film, and that the grains may actually scatter light from the scanner.) Is this true?

Hi John
This explaines something I’ve noticed where did you hear it?