"PGG" schreef in bericht
newsan.2004.09.10.20.47.28.229000@NO_SP_A_Myahoo .com...
I think it is a hard tradeoff to make. Developing less reduces grain.
However printing at a higher grade seems to makes grain more noticeable.


Exactly. But in the same degree? Maybe Kodak's solution was favorable for
the end result, that is: if the 'loss' of grain is greater on film
developped softly than the 'gain' of grain when increasing print contrast.

Second drawback: tonality: a negative developped to be printed on #2 and
printed on #2 has a different tonality than a negative wich is developped
softer and printed on a higher grade. Don't ask me why, but Adams knew why.
And I believe Ralph W. Lambrecht has given a good explanation in "Way Beyond
Monochrome".

And I noticed it in practice. Even on 35 mm I prefer (you see, it's a bit
personal too) a real 'N' development and a print on 2-2,5. Since I had my
APX100 calibrated (in ID-11), my prints got that extra twinkle. Imagine I
was once asked (by a 4 x 5" user BTW) if a certain picture was taken with 4
x 5 "!

Third drawback: a little loss of speed.

Jan



On Fri, 10 Sep 2004 12:10:08 -0700, Michael Scarpitti wrote:

I have often stated that 35mm film should be developed to print on
(about) grade 3 rather than grade 2.

Here is the explanation, from Kodak, in 'Kodak Films for
Black-and-White Photography', 1960.:

"....a low gradient in the negative material and a correspondingly
high gradient in the paper is more favorable than the alternative
combination."


Here's the context:

"Graininess.
When a negative is viewed at a sufficiently high magnification, it is
seen to possess a grainy or granular structure. This impression of
non-uniformity in the image is called graininess. It is caused by the
irregular distribution of the silver grains, rather than by the
individual grains themselves which are visible only under
magnifications much greater than are used in making ordinary
enlargements.

For emulsions of a given general type, graininess tends to increase
with the emulsion speed. When development is carried to the same
gradient, the common developers of normal and high activity (e.g.,
Kodak Developers DK-50, D-72, and Dektol) produce approximately equal
graininess with a given film. Some fine-grain developers (e.g., Kodak
Developers DK-20 and Microdol) produce noticeably less graininess but
at the expense of some loss of speed.
Graininess of the print increases with the density of the negative,
.so overexposure or overdevelopment of the latter should be avoided.

The graininess of both negatives and prints increases with increasing
gradient of the material on which they are made. When the gradient of
the negative material is low, prints are normally made on a paper
which has a high gradient and vice versa, so what may be gained by
holding one gradient down would be largely lost by the high gradient
of the other. It is usually true, however, that a low gradient in the
negative material and a correspondingly high gradient in the paper is
more favorable than the alternative combination.

The graininess reproduced in the print is most apparent in the lighter
middle tones, especially in large, uniform areas.

It is possible to conceal graininess somewhat by softening the focus
in enlarging, or by using a paper with a rough surface, but only at
some sacrifice in sharpness."