How many use C41 B&W

<p>Which C41 b+w film did you use? Some do have an orange tint to them. I shoot the occasional roll of XP2 when I am in a situation where I want b+w negs but haven't got access to processing facilities. I find XP good for portraits in bright weather because of its ability to handle contrast.</p>

<p>I like BW400CN. When I want to test a newly acquired classic camera or lens, the one hour turn-around at the local minilab and the film's sharpness and small grain are useful. It scans well, and you can use FARE or Digital ICE. Maybe it's the limitations of my technique, but I can't get the same results by desaturating color ISO 400 C-41 films. They're always more grainy.</p>

<p>Now, that is about it for the positives. When I want to get the best black and white image I can, I use Tri-X, or its coy Freestyle lookalike. 'Prints' made from BW400CN at the minilab I take to be a humorous parody of an actual B&W print. While the film can produce a decent low contrast portrait, especially of high-key type, it takes some work in curves to give most images any punch.</p>

<p>Larry,<br>

I think I may have read book you wrote. You would not by chance be an author would you.</p>

<p>As for the C41 black and white I think I will use up what I have and then go back to Tmax and Tri-x</p>

<p>That is the other Larry Dressler. Sorry it was not me.</p>

<p>C41 B&W film works very well for learning how to load stainless steel reels. When I needed to sacrifice a roll to teach someone how to load a reel with film, I chose C41 B&W. I haven't tried to do anything else with it yet.</p>

<p>Well, I for one am very happy with the Kodak BW400 Professional - I've used it exclusively for quite a few years now, establishing a workflow where I get 4x6 inch proofs and do my own scanning on a Nikon Coolscan. Not much experience with darkroom printing, but I've been very happy with printing the scans. When posted here, people seem to praise the tonality of my pictures. FWIW :-)<br /><br />Soeren</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

<p>Great image Soeren.. Truly awsome...</p>

<p>On one hand Soeren, that is a fantastic image. On the other hand - and I don't mean to take away the comliment by saying this - if one looks hard enough one could find fantastic images shot with all films, especially if it's going through that camera and lens.</p>

<p>Oh, and darkroom printing ... I've never tried to print C41BW in the darkroom. I do regularly make BW prints from colour negatives though, and I don't have any problems. My exposure time is very long, but it works well. I think an 8x8 at f/8 or f/11 from a 120 neg usually takes 45 seconds to 2 minutes to print. However, I use graded papers. It's very possible that using a film with a coloured base, along with a coloured filter, causes problems.</p>

<p>Another really nice image, Soeren!</p>

<p>I love Kodak's version, BW400CN, for the sort of landscapes that I do, and for my workflow: shooting film and scanning with a Coolscan for digital printing. Seems to print beautifully with a nice smooth look, and contrast is easily adjusted to appropriateness or taste. I've had no discernible problems with "color casts", etc., and the few images I've displayed in a local gallery received very favorable comments from experienced people, including a college level teacher of photography that still regularly works in the traditional darkroom.</p>

<p>Ansel Adams seemed to be very open towards these films. From John P. Schaefer's Ansel Adam's Guide, <em>Basic Techniques of Photography, </em>Ansel says<em>,</em> "... Chromogenic films are an intriguing alternative to traditional black-and-white films and are worth exploring..." He mentions how the highlights in chromogenics "... do not "block up" as they do in traditional b&w films..." He also mentions that they are excellent for "subjects that have an extended brightness range..", and more. Nothing negative (pun intended), except a little about concern for stability and life expectancy of the neg's., but he seemed to say that proper storage might well off-set this.</p>

<p>Of course a few decades have passed, but I thought this was quite interesting...</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I like the Kodak 400 Black and White C-41 film. It scans well and has fine grain. It is more difficult to print to black and white paper in the darkroom, but I find that if I add a good amount of contrast filtration the results can be good. <a href="http://hull534.smugmug.com/photos/307300540_s2CZy-XL.jpg">Here is one image</a> I took a few years ago and scanned at home:</p>

<p><img src="http://hull534.smugmug.com/photos/307300540_s2CZy-L.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="519" /></p>

<p>I enjoy the occasional use of Ilford's XP2, which is easy to print in a home darkroom. Kodak's C-41 film is nice too but if you want to print it at home you might just as well shoot color film and print it as B&W. </p><div></div>

<p>I'm having great results with XP2.<br>

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mindthemix/8258605721/</p>