[filmscanners] RE: over resolving scans

["Austin Franklin" <darkroom@ix.netcom.com>]

Anthony,

> > I've seen this comment and similar ones regularly
> > but I've never understood why these films are
> > problematic to scan.
>
> Slide films and black and white films can be very nearly opaque in their
> darkest areas.

That's simply not correct.  SOME specialty B&W films may be nearly opaque,
but no typical films that I know of, or have ever used, are.

> > The range of light that the film can handle (subject
> > luminance range), whether very large or not, is mapped
> > to a reasonably manageable density on the film, with
> > dmax usually not exceeding 2.0.
>
> Slides go higher than that, and so do (true) B&W films.

So, Tri-X and Plus-X are not "true" B&W films?  What about Delta 100?  No?
T-Max 100 or T-Max 400?  No?  They all have density ranges of around 2, and
they are easily some of the most popular B&W films.  I don't think Tech Pan
would even register on the charts.

Austin

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