From: tip@lead.aichem.arizona.edu (Tom Perigrin)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: "Once upon a Weekend" demo tape
Date: 27 Jul 92 19:25:41 GMT
Organization: University of Arizona UNIX Users Group

Howdy, to Hal and everybody, from Tom Perigrin  (16'th C mode OFF)

> Hal discusses the merits for XP-2...

Thought I'd amplify his comments,  but first, a digression:

Last time I posted about photography somebody asked somebody asked 
"Is there anything you DON'T do Tom?".

I don't dance, can't do lace, can't carry a tune in a bucket, too weak and
slow to fight, don't have the patience for scroll making, and as I said long
ago when we were guessing what each other look like,  I'm short, fat, bald,
lame and passingly plain, tending towards "child scarer".  So I have to 
try to gain some sense of self worth, no?

Back to photography...

Hal,  XP-2 is all that you say it is, and more...   XP-2 has the neat feature
of adjusting it's grain size to accomidate the amount of light that has
struck the film (I can talk about this,  but it gets real technical because
the film has halide released development inhibitors..   blah blah blah).
What this means is that you can set the camera film speed from ASA 50 to 
ASA 1600 without pushing the film,  ON THE SAME ROLL OF FILM (No, I
am _not_ nutz, or mistaken).    Pictures taken at ASA 50 come out with
increadably fine grain; I have made 28" x 36 " prints from 35 mm negs
and the grain is still negligable...    Pictures on the same roll taken at 
ASA 1600 are noticably grainy when blown up to 8x10...  about the same
as Tri-X.  But you can do this on the same roll of film!

What does this mean to the SCA-er with a camera?  You go can shoot outside
during the tourney at ASA 100 (compromise between grain and speed), and
then go to candle lit revel or court and shoot sans flash at ASA 1600
(please observe the sensitivities of all gentles and don't be obtrusive)
on the same amzing little roll of film.

Now, this comes with penalties.  C-41 processing just barely works for
XP-2.  Oh, it works fine if you use a single film speed the whole
roll, but it fails somewhat when you get creative.   You must send multi
speed rolls off to a XP-2 lab, or do the fiddly processing yourself
(37 deg +/- 1 deg (NO MORE) for 4.5 minutes +/15 seconds,  water
wash at 37 deg for 30 seconds,  etc...).

Now, lets assume the film is developed.  What about printing?
XP-2 has a very low gamma (range of contrasts) so you must use
a very high gamma paper (high contrast, 3 - 5) to compliment this and 
obtain normal looking prints.  Most commercial B&W places print on
grade 2 paper,  so XP-2 shots come out looking muddy and grey.
Most people who send XP-2 off for C-41 processing don't like the muddy
results. (for photographers,  you would see only zones 2 through 7 in
the print).   But the commercial places that do XP-2 generally use
a easel light meter and Multi Grade paper, and print so as to
optimize the gamma for each print.  Sure, this costs a bit more,
but it brings out the full range of tonality (you can get zones 1 through
10, although most places do print dark so you miss the highlight end).

However, the printing is post-development.  SO if you shoot a single speed
on a single roll, and then use "Rays 1 hour snap and print",   you
will get muddy looking prints that can be custom re-printed from
the negatives at a later time to give the full range of tonality.
Mind you,   you will probably PAY through the nose to get most
places to follow the order;

"Hi, I'd like to get negative 23A printed as an 8*10, on grade 3.5
paper with an exposure sufficient to obtain zones 2 through 10, 
dodged 15% in the upper RH corner, and cropped 20% on the lower right
and bottom"

"That'll be 45$ Sir or Madam".


But,  if it is "that print",  that shows your amourata in "that pose",
the one that stole your heart, well then it may well be worth it.


Yours in service to those who want to be served,
and "Oh-well" to the rest,

Thomas Ignatius Perigrinus