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Re: [OM] Kodak T400CN

Subject: Re: [OM] Kodak T400CN
From: Ken Norton <image66@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 07:13:10 -0700 (PDT)
--- Charles Geilfuss <cgeilfuss@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Some time ago someone wrote about shooting T400CN at
> ISO 200 to achieve 
> better shadow detail. When that is done does the
> film need special 
> processing or is that accomplished during printing?

That was me.

T400CN has an EXTREMELY wide exposure latitude.  You
can shoot it from ISO 100-800.  However, the less
exposure you give it, the less resolution (ie
grainier) it will have.  Shadow detail will fall apart
long before highlights block up.  In fact, I haven't
really found a saturation point yet.  Unlike TMAX,
highlights go on seemingly forever.

The negatives are not very dense.  In fact, when it
comes to density there really is no substitute for
Pan-X, and in comparison a full-range T400CN negative
appears about 2-paper grades up from Pan-X.

While you can shoot T400CN at ISO 400, I have found
that the negatives are a bit thin for my tastes. 
Going down to ISO 200 fattens it up some and
highlights (sun on chrome) still don't burn out.  No
special processing, just varying the exposures.

An example of just how sharp this film can be, I had
tested this film in a portrait session with my
sister-in-law.  I had done a "head and shoulders" shot
with the OM-2S, 100/2.8 and studio strobe (in
umbrella).  I enlarged the negative to beyond the
20x24" print size.  My test strips across the face
revealed the microscratches (with perfect clarity) in
the rims of her glasses.  The reflection of the
umbrella in her eyeball was so accurate that you could
make out the shape (scalloped edges) and the shadow of
the strobe.  The reflection of the umbrella in the
glasses showed not only a water stain on the umbrella
but also the wrinkles in the fabric.  On the other end
of the scale, she was wearing a black blazer. (not
SUV)  The weave of the fabric was visible.

With the extreme latitude of this film, the biggest
problem is finding a Zone 0 or 10 in printing.  This
has been one of the biggest criticisms of this film in
that it is sometimes too wide.  For that, I'm
considering keeping a roll or two of Pan-X handy.

Oh, and one other difference worth noting.  Where
normal B&W film achieves its grayscale through the
size of the particles (post development), T400CN
achieves grayscale through the density of the dye. 
T400CN provides a true grayscale in comparison.  The
result is a jump in "apparent" format of at least one
film format size.

Ken Norton


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