How can I improve my results?

I just got a Minox IIIs and shot a roll of Minocolor 100 through it last weekend. Most of the shots were exposed at 1/1000, with the focus set to the hyperfocal setting. Some of the resulting 3 X 5" prints are quite good, but there's more problems than I thought.

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There's way more grain than I expected in 3 X 5" prints. How can I improve this? Is the new Minocolor Pro 100 significantly better for grain? Would more accurate exposure help?

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Focus/Sharpness isn't great, either. It looks like, on the Minox, infinity is WAY closer than I thought. Closeups focused by "guestimate" at from 1-2 ft. looked pretty good. Near foreground, and moderatly near subjects look fine, but everything else looks like I should have set focus on infinity. Any ideas? Is the "B' lens significantly sharper than the IIIs?

Joe

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<li><p> Minopro 100 is better than Minocolor.

<li> You may not need 1/1000 speed, try Minocolor 25 and shoot

at sunny condition at 1/250, you will get finer grain and sharper

picture.

<LI> Try Minopan 25, sharp film.

<li><p> If your main object of interest is far, such as landscape,

building, scenics, etc, you should focus Minox at infinity instead of

at hyperfocal point, you will get sharper picture.

See <a

href="http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000

KCY">Hyperfocus or Infinity</a>.

<li><p> Learn to focus more acurrately, the more accurate you focus, the

sharper the picture.

<li><p> Minox B lens is the same COMPLAN lens as IIIs.

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Graininess tends to be reduced by overexposure. There are also other

benefits, such as a mild washing away of skin defects and perhaps a

better color balance. If you are shooting color film try to get one

with the lowest Kodak PGI rating for grain. Currently Royal Gold 100

and PJN-100 or even the tungsten balanced PJT-100 have the best

scores. In the black and white arena look for the lowest RMS value.

Techpan 25 has the lowest with a 5, and the tmx, tmz have 8 and 10

respectively. The only real answer is to experiment to find out what

you like!