Tri X Leica Article 3
Judgment
The conclusions of the test are evident:
we are in front of all films
quality and yield is not too
different between them; then each will
make the choice based on your preferences
and the genre of photography.
The good news is the number of films
available, as well as developable
in the same bath; therefore, even if
a was interrupted production not
it would be a tragedy!
Gerardo Bonomo
RPX 25
the solution lies in the resolution
The range of films white / black Rollei RPX you
It has a new sensitivity of 25/15 ° ISO:
the RPX 25 fits in the current family,
which together with the RPX 100 from 100/21 ° and ISO
RPX to 400 from 400/27 ° and ISO are three real
its excellence in their sensitivity.
Available in both 35 mm and 120 Rollfilm.
Distributor for Italy of photo-chemical brand ROLLEI: Point Photo Group by KARL Bielser sas
www.puntofoto.eu -
info@puntofoto.eu
Via Aristotele 67, 20128 Milano Phone: 02/27000793 Fax: 02/26000485
© Gerardo Bonomo 2014
Kodak TRI-X 400, sixty years of history
1954 - 2014, the Kodak TRI-X 400 makes sixty years, and was one of the
emulsions used more precisely by reporters and photojournalists that by mid-century
last found themselves face and photograph conflicts like Vietnam where
was literally reinvented the mozdo give news reporting - even
visual -. Vietnam was also the testing ground for some of the brands photographic
renowned as Leica and Nikon, as well as Kodak, of course. Even for this date
Kodak TRI-X, although in some ways is an emulsion dated, remains the
favorite of many street photographers.
It should be noted that the TRI-X was born in 1940 with a sensitivity of ISO 200 - Kodak
He reads: "A feeling twice emulsion XX" - and in 1954 was
also produced in sizes 135 and 120. In conjunction with the launch of Tri-X 400
in size 135 and 120, also launched the Kodak Plus-X 125, which was produced until
March 2011, to allow photographers to choose between a film grain
extremely fine - the Plus-X - and for action photography, the TRI-X -.
The introduction of the T-MAX films 100 and 400 have absolutely dented
The myth is that the Plus-X of TRI-X.
It 'a fact that Kodak in the last century was one of the main companies in the world
both in the production of that film cameras, as well as papers and chemicals.
This also due to the fact that one of the most important markets in the field of
photography was just what American.
Referring to the production of black and white films today among the main
producers we include Kodak, Ilford, Maco / Rollei and Fuji. Kodak has still
the production TMAX100, 400, and the TRI-X320 and 400. The TRI-X320 is available in
flat film, the TRI-X400 in 120 and in the format used by most
photojournalist, the 135. This is one of the reasons why today when talking about TRI-X there
It refers to the first 400 ISO.
TRI stands for triacetate, material invented by Kodak in the 40's and that
substituted cellulose nitrate, which was the base of the films, first
film era, dangerous as extremely flammable.
This discovery Kodak was even honored with an Oscar. The power
resolving the TRI-X 400 stands at 100 lp / mm against 125 lp / mm of TMAX-
400
It 'a film among the most recognized and used, thanks to its
sixty years of history and its use to secure the History: insiders
They are able to recognize eye looking at a print if the film used
It is a TRI-X.
Although the resolving power is not everything, in fact, especially when it comes to photography
argentic, I still wanted to compare seven of the principal emulsions 400 ISO
(Format 135) on the market today.
Although today are available sensors able to work to 100,000 and more ISO, in
world dell'argentico last century already an ISO 100 film was almost a
miracle, bearing in mind that the sensitivity of most emulsions not
He exceeded 20 ISO. For decades were only available orthochromatic films, which
They were not able to record the radiation and consequently the color red;
the introduction of panchromatic film, capable of recording also the radiation
red, was greeted at the time as a revolution in science fiction and unimaginable.
As it was considered the first science fiction film with a sensitivity
equivalent to our current ISO 100, then when a film "fast" not
He exceeded 20 ISO. Today be able to work with a film at 400 ISO instead of 100
ISO sensitivity means that it has a quadruple. To give you an idea of what a
four times, just think about a medium that travels at 100 km / h and one traveling at 400
km / h. Then you can count on a sensitivity quadruple really not cheap, and
Add to that the ability to pull the film 800, 1600, in some emulsions
even at 3200 ISO. I personally use a 400 ISO film when I have to take
day, freehand, using the ubiquitous orange filter, the two stop in me more
They serve to compensate for the light absorption caused by the filter; when this
I can not count on the tripod, which is the trigger mechanism that I prefer, and in this
If course work with ISO 100 film. It was right to take advantage
opportunity, then of sixty years of Tri-X 400 for comparing between
they also other emulsions 400 ISO most used today. Below the synthesis
the characteristics of the seven films being compared.
Kodak TRI-X 400: see above, undoubtedly the most historical film yet
manufactured. Value resolving 100 lp / mm, and RMS graininess (x1000): 16-17 (400).
Using developments strongly diluted and a development system said "stand
development "which provides very long development time without any
agitation or overthrow of the tank, you can expose the Tri-X 400 also in 6400
ISO. It 'was the favorite film of photographers such as Sebastiao Salgado, Alfred
Eisenstadt, Mary Ellen Mark, Henri Cartier-Bresson and John Sexton.
Kodak T-MAX 400: undoubtedly one of the most interesting films of recent
production: its ability to be exposed up to 1600 makes, according Kodak, a
valid alternative also for the T-MAX 3200 that from October of 2012 is no longer in
production. Kodak is considered the emulsion monochrome ISO 400 with the grain
finest currently commercially available, 125 lp / mm, 10-11 RMS. One of the peculiarities is
to reach a very wide tonal range, of course depending on the
development used.
Ilford HP5 PLUS: HP is an acronym for Hypersensitive Panchromatic, the heir
HP3 famous, here is another historical film with a resolution of 125 lp / mm;
also has 400 ISO and you can expose up to 3200 ISO. It was produced in
starting from 1934 with a sensibility of 160 ISO with the FP, which stands for End
Grain Panchromatic which had sensitivity of 28 ISO
Ilford Delta 400: as the T-MAX 400 also uses the Delta of Ilford
Grain T technology, which in the 90s was borrowed from the introduction of the format
APS in the films. The halide crystals here are composed of three different layers
concentric: the inner one controls the contrast, the intermediate size
of the grain and the last favors the rapidity of development. Also here the resolution is
125 lp / mm
Rollei RPX 400: derived from AGFA APX 400, which was part of the family APX
25, 100 and 400. While the Rollei RPX 400 is twinned with two other emulsions, the 100 and
the ISO 200 and allows you to be exposed up to 3200 ISO. It is an emulsion
Traditional panchromatic with a value resolvent of 120 lp / mm and 14 RMS. Two
are the characteristics that distinguish it: Wide tonal range also in
draw, eg by developing dedicated RPX-D and a good exposure latitude.
Rollei Retro 400 S: is the film that replaces the Retro 400, with respect to which
the emulsion is coated on a transparent support PET, now common to all the
ROLLEI production by Agfa, the nominal sensitivity is ISO 400, more than 160 lp / mm;
suited to traditional photography, the choice of Rollei than the technology T-Grain
induced Agfa to conceive emulsion technologically advanced, well that
to be hyper-panchromatic up more than 700 nm, it has an extremely fine grain,
we talk about a RMS (x1000) = 12, (eg for Kodak T-Max = 10-11)
Fuji: Neopan 400, this film was part of a triad, Neopan 100 SS and
Neopan 1600 Professional. The Neopan 400 is another film that uses halide
Silver small to obtain a fine-grained, we speak of a RMS
Only 9 (x1000) a record for an ISO 400 high acutance, resolving power of
140 lp / mm; the base is triacetate, it may be exposed up to 1600 ISO. It is about
emulsion hybrid between traditional technology and T-Grain. This technology allows
to reach the two top both in terms of resolving power of that grain. Fuji is not
new to this trend of "shuffling" technology emulsion. Suffice it to recall
the Neopan Acros 100 adopting an emulsion panchro / ortho.
On the field.
Since this year occur not only sixty film Tri-X 400m
even the Leica M system, it was natural a field trial using a Leica M.
Waiting to test a Leica MA, I used a Leica M6 with a "park" optics
It composed of two Summarit, the 50mm and 35mm, both f / 2.5. Both optical
have been tested by the Research Center Progress Photo, we are waiting for the new
release of Summarit presented in Photokina, especially the new 35mm f / 2.4 ASP.
We know that Leica M lenses are the most sought aspherical, but already with the test MTF
of "old" family Summarit center studies it has demonstrated the optical excellence
also Summarit. Of course, the maximum aperture of only f / 2.5 does not allow, for the same
focal distance and focus with an out of focus as the focal opening
f / 1.4, but working with a 50mm wide open at f / 2.5, and considerably closer
the subject in the foreground, the background out of focus is still remarkable.
Although for some time it seems that the focal "base" to be 24, if not the 21mm, I
It made almost all the shooting with the 50mm, trying to isolate, to tell
what I discovered from what I saw, thanks to the narrow angle of view
and its depth of field of 50mm precisely. Of course, in a situation more
street photographer a wide, if not an ultra-wide, allows
fix the situation almost without having to worry or to frame or above
to focus - unless you work with AF - but as the focal
50mm it is still fixed most of the history of 900, then the focal
not so incompatible with this kind of reportage. Leica M6 has a
excellent exposure system photocell measures the light reflected from the curtain on
which it is printed a stamp white; the sum of the parts of the black and white ones
curtain produces a reflection of 18%, exactly the proportion of which are calibrated
all light meters, so you can expose in TTL but as if it would test the scene
incident light and not reflected light. That said, given that the majority of
subjects were painted black, I opted for an external exposure with whom I
obviously he worked in incident light.
The "conflict" analog / digital has already written much, and too often wrong. The
technological differences and results are evident, as is evident, under meri
technical plans, or resolution and post-production of the image that the digital
certainly real progress compared to photography argentic.
I, while writing lyrics, I do not do a lot of text on this difference, since they are
He born and raised in a silver, and each time in a camera instead of a card
Memory stick a film, I find myself in my element, certainly in
my element original. Load the machine "by the book" or
limiting myself to enter the end of the film between the "blades" of the spool / trident
receiver without making any forcing his fingers to match the teeth of
dragging with the holes binate along the film. Leica recites that once
closed the case back the film settles properly with punctures serrations
drag and I want to believe. That said, even without the trickle
shots, they were equipped with several rolls and I'll have to take - unfortunately -
As tedious treatment of the exciting development, before they bring
machine eye look more carefully than usual that surrounds me, and
when I seem to have found a worthy subject, the port
machine eye and began to study the frame, using the lever that
amending Frames targeted to assess the various shots, or in this
case 35 between the focal length and the focal length 50mm. Then I begin to evaluate the diaphragm
employ, previsualizzando fund blurred rather than sharp, consistent
with the film speed. ISO 400 are not few, but today is overcast, light
there is not a lot and do not want to drop below 1/60 of a second, these first
images can not I use the tripod and do not want to see me with images
micromosse. Not relying on metadata me sign on a scrupulously
Notebook the subject and the main shooting information of each shot. The subsequent photos
shooting in an interior relatively enlightened, I do not seek the depth of field in
Instead, I run so many shots at f / 4 at f / 2.5; other shots I realize them staring
M6 on a sturdy little as mini table stand. For the accuracy of
mini tripods I brought two, one of the original Leica, the other of Manfrotto. With
cars like the M6 without mirror and with curtain fabric sliding
Horizontal risk of micomosso caused by tilting the mirror does not
exists, then you can safely work with a mini tripod table,
obviously relying on a solid surface and using strictly a click
flexible, on the one hand because the M6 is devoid of self-timer with which to activate the shutter
a few seconds after you press the shutter button, the other to manage
any longer than 1 second that the longer time settable onring before laying B. In these cases cameras like the Nikon FE, F3, equipped with
self-timer and allow you to set the ring time up to 8 seconds
reminisce a little. Despite having several rollers with me however the centellino
shots, focusing more than usual on the best exposure for each shot,
sacrificing the security of a good bracketing. However I tend to overexpose
slightly, as I usual, but not run more than one click to
framing. In this way the 36 shots that on a memory card usually
recorded after one minute of shooting on the film become latent images
very slowly and taking each run I can remember everything from
previsualization until the opening of the shutter.
For each shot the feeling is that he had "traced" the reality of a fragment
matter - the frame - and not that it simply turned the shot
an endless line of binary numbers, absolutely abstract from image
I previsualized same. Also for the fact that I am in an extension and that
light changes during the day will not affect significantly the
possible shots, I end the shooting well before you finish the film.
Before the sun sets I still do a few shots in a kitchen utensil that I
He has always fascinated the tagliamela, and so I end the roller. Not developing more
directly to the roller, I know that I will have to wait several days before you can see the
images that "believe" they have captured, but that's part of the game - sometimes
dangerous - dell'argentico.
A curiosity: if you try to type street photographers on a browser then asking
an image search, 99% of the images are to be found in ...
black and white!
Nostalgia? Senescence? Who knows. It 'a fact that people like me, (we) started
photographed on film not by choice but by demographic evidence, if it were to
expose today even a roll, certainly not only do not get bored, but each
Shooting will remember forever the making of. I am equally convinced that those who
started taking pictures in digital, new evidence for personal data, whether exposing a
Roller certainly not be bored and would remember to turn every frame.
Certainly, at least in Italy, the arrival of digital imaging has been lived so
contrast, among those who immediately accepted - in many cases of getting discarded
their analog kit - and who has refused a priori, not taking advantage of the utility
of this new technology.
It 's time to reconsider the two methodologies, which in other countries since
beginning have peacefully coexisted.
Milan, 29 October 2014
Gerardo Bonomo
Prices:
BRAND TYPE PRICE IVATO AL
PUBLIC
ILFORD DELTA 400 6.20
ILFORD HP5 5.40
FUJI Neopan 400 7.40
KODAK TRI-X 400 5.60
KODAK T-MAX 400 5.60
ROLLEI RETRO 400 S 7.40
ROLLEI RPX 400 4.20
Thanks Felix Bielser of PuntoFotoGroup for having made available the
film used in this article.
Thanks Jacopo Anti laboratory JacopoBianco Black & Milan for
developments and prints of this article.
www.jacopoanti.com
www.puntofoto.eu
dida photo:
01 kodak tri-x 400. A roller "current" Kodak TRI-X 400 photographed together with a
Leica M3 of 1954, the 281 th Leica M3 produced in 1954, the year of presentation
is the Leica M3 that Kodak TRI-X 400. Courtesy New Old House Milan.
02 kodak tri-x 400: a roll of Kodak TRI-X 400 format 120 expiring
in November 1956, most likely one of the first rolls of Kodak TRI-X 400
products. In these sixty years the packaging of packs of Tri-X 400 is changed
several times.
03 kodak tri-x 400: one of the worst and most famous images of the twentieth century. Vietnam
South, February 1, 1968, summary execution of a Vietcong prisoner;
the author is Eddie Adams (Pulitzer Prize for photography in 1969), you know for sure
that the picture was taken on film Kodak Tri-X 400 with a Leica M.
04 kodak tri-x 400: This year they also celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the Leica M system
(Over one hundred years of Leica - and 120 years of Progress Photo! -) Leica, in
the sixtieth anniversary of the M in the last Photokina presented
Leica M60, a digital rangefinder camera produced in 600 copies, and the Leica
MA, a film camera fully mechanical - it also deprives
the exposure - which is presented in a beautiful box with a roll
Film Kodak TRI-X 400.
05 kodak tri-x 400: on the left the new "livery" Kodak TRI-X 400, to the right
old livery. TX is short of Tri-X 400, TXP is the acronym of TRI-X 320
ISO
06 kodak tri-x 400: table of the effect of non-reciprocity of TRI-X 400: top
left the multiplication coefficient up to 10 seconds: a pose indicated
from the exposure of 10 seconds is actually exposed for 50 seconds; below the
multiplication coefficient up to 100 seconds, which become 1200 seconds.
07 kodak tri-x 400: developments from Kodak Recommended for TRI-X 400 exposed
nominally and developed in tank with a rotation every 30 seconds; Kodak
recommended not developed with times of less than five minutes, because
insufficient results.
08 kodak tri-x 400: developments, and the time of treatment is recommended for Kodak
TRI-X 400 exposed to 1600 and 3200 ISO
09 kodak tri-x 400: treatment table for the developments in powder of Ilford
Ilford films. For tests and photos of this article it has been used in the ID-11 stock,
ie undiluted.
10 kodak: tri-x 400: treatment table for the developments in the dust of Ilford
Ilford films not.
11 kodak tri-x 400: We tested the Kodak TRI-X 400 together with 6 other films
400 ISO. All were exposed nominally, all were developed in
Ilford ID-11in stock, so undiluted. The magnification made under
the enlarger corresponds to a print format 40x50 cm. equal to a
magnification of about 14 times.
12 kodak: magnification of the test of Kodak TMAX-400 development in ID-11
stock, 7 minutes
13 kodak: an enlargement test Rollei RPX 400: development in ID-11
stock, 8 minutes
14 kodak: magnification of the test of Kodak TRI-X 400: development in ID-11
stock, 7 minutes
15 kodak: magnification of the test of Ilford HP5 Plus 400: development in ID-11
stock, 7 minutes
16 kodak: magnification of the test of Ilford Delta 400 Professional: development
ID-11 in stock, 9 minutes
17 kodak: an enlargement test Rollei Retro 400 S: development in ID-11
stock, 10 minutes
18 kodak: magnification of the test of Fuji Neopan 400 Professional: development
ID-11 stock, 7 minutes
19 kodak: in the darkroom of the Anti Jacopo "Seven Sisters" ready to be
developed
20 kodak: in the darkroom of the Anti Jacopo "Seven Sisters" ready to be
developed
21 Kodak: Kodak TRI-X 400 is designed to be used by hand is exposed
nominally that especially with treatment push to 1600 and 3200 ISO. Where
can - and where necessary - however, the use of the tripod is always
essential, for the search of the best composition on the one hand, to avoid the
shake-that average times, medium / long. Here a Gitzo Traveler GT1551T
Kodak 22: Also the black and white negative, as any emulsion, needs
perfect exposure, that whenever possible and necessary to add a
bracketing. Here the newest Leica MA that does not have built-in exposure meter, is
It was accompanied by a light meter Sekonic L-398 A, introduced in 1986 and again in
production. Even this meter, just like the Leica MA, works
without batteries ...
23 kodak: when times begin to lengthen, remote shooting and tripods
become Penalties: here Pixi Manfrotto, a table-top tripod with ball head
perfectly able to hold a camera like the Leica rangefinder, rather
that an APS with a mirrorless or compact zoom. Thanks to the fact that the Leica
M does not have the mirror, also a tripod pocket is capable of supporting, without
the danger of the damping of the vibrations induced by the overturning of the
Mirror, instead of the typical reflex.
24 kodak: minimalist as complete kit: a Leica M6 here with shooting
distance, Summarit 35mm and 50mm Summarit both f / 2.5, a tripod table,
a light meter with the possibility of measuring in incident light, Kodak TriX
400 q.s.
25 kodak: Summarit 35mm f / 2.5, f / 4 1/60 sec. An obvious example of excellent
exposure latitude in this where the readability of the dim bulb
light is the sum of the parts of the scene more enlightened in some areas, in the shade
in other.
26 kodak: Summarit 35mm, f / 4, 1/60 sec .; despite shooting freehand
a time not so fast, and a depth of field almost zero at f / 4, the
Bolt's focused in the foreground is perfectly in detail, while the rest of the
locomotive blurs progressively while maintaining excellent visibility thanks
bokeh effect typical of these optics.
27 kodak: Summarit 50mm, f / 4 1/125 sec .; same aperture also used for
the other shots, but here on focal 50mm, and then with a depth of field even more
reduced which allows to focus on the subject - the volvulus pipes
Copper - decontextualizing the background without, however this is not the end
readable.
28 kodak: from the contact sheets you begin to get an idea of the shots more
Interesting, that aa this point are printed in small format, such as
13x18cm and from this point designed to assess which interventions carried out under
enlarger, then burns, screenings ...
Grazie, Mustafa.
