Re: [ATM] photo supplies

[Dominic-Luc Webb <dlwebb@canit.se>]

On Thu, 26 Aug 2004, David  Williams wrote:

> Hello list
>
> I since I have a darkroom

Lucky you....


> paper and film just like any one else..... I'm looking for film and
> specifically 8X10 film and besides that black and white, infra-red
> sensitive.  All I need are one or two sheets to start with not a bulk
> amount, and then maybe a large variety including 25 speed, ortho litho,
> color 200 speed,  black and white 800 speed.


Email Ilford for some assorted samples. They once sent to me. In my
case, it was several different 120 films. I think they realize their
generosity pays off. I found what I wanted and am now a regular
customer (Delta 3200 B&W and PanF ISO 50, also B&W). I do not use
much else for photography. The paper this goes on is not known to me
because there is a very talented pro shop here that seems to have
taken interest in my AP efforts and usually makes adjustments to the
developing without telling what they did. One thing they have done was
to switch some comet pics to what is called "hard" paper, which helped.
I went to another pro shop that has a huge assortment of papers, asking
for hard paper, which they did not seem to understand. They then pointed
me to some chemicals that they said would enhance faint objects.

The infrared sensitivity sucks on most films and the red hypering is
cumbersome. If you must have infrared, consider a CCD, which has peak
sensitivity in the infrared. Kodak once made a megapixel B&W CCD camera
for the consumer market. I once checked into this and it used a 2"
version of a very expensive 1" KAF-1400 chip that I use professionally
in my research. We have considered buying a used one to replace our
research grade unit. I suspect a used one could be had for under
1000 USD, quite OK for a serious photographer. One problem I have
had with this is that many objects I am imaging are in fact faint
and in the blue or green. CCD prints to paper are usually inferior. Going
the other way, scanned photograpic prints have also proven hopelessly
poor. Consideration of the final format should be considered. That having
been said, my future in AP seems to be heading towards simultaneous
multiple format (imaging both film and CCD at same time).

It seems you wish to use large format film, which could be quite
impressive. I am curious how you plan to get the image to this
large surface and what the target is? Some of my attempts were less
than impressive. Successes are things like projected images of Sun and
Moon on PanF iso50.


Dominic-Luc Webb

_______________________________________________
ATM mailing list http://www.atmlist.net/