1st Roll BW400CN

[dazedgonebye]

Well, first roll in a very long time.
Mostly I like it. The whole roll seemed under-exposed for some reason...and I'd rated it at 320 ISO. Could be me, could be the camera, cold be the mini-lab? I don't know.

Anyway...scans nice and as an added bonus, I really like the color. Looks like split tone prints that I've seen and liked in the past.

These were taken in the Mogollon Rim area, in the White Mountains of Arizona.
The first was with a cv75mm, the others with the color skopar 21mm.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/221/477874493_4de1f8e54d_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/213/477853832_02a64021f6_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/173/477853764_7a22b93924_o.jpg

[nzeeman]

great shots and wonderful place is that forest. it seems that bw400cn is pretty good film.

[Bryce]

Having tried this film out, I decided it was pretty nice stuff. As you say, it scans beautifully, has nice tonality, plus nice tight grain.
Unfortunately it doesn't work very well at all for wet printing, which is what happens to my best negs. Too bad about that orange mask!

[Keith]

For some reason I seem to constantly under expose with it. Someone suggested shooting it at 200 and developing at its rated ISO ... which I now do! I really like the film though and those shots are nice! :)

[40oz]

those shots look really good.

[ibcrewin]

I have a roll of cw400cn in right now. I'll have to try overexposing it a little see how that looks. I like the second shot too..

[lewis44]

I've been using this film as well and really like it for scanning. The lab I use for processing recommended using ASA200. Here are a few pics.
Randy
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/206/441134073_b02ef15f5f_o.jpghttp://farm1.static.flickr.com/222/459161670_baea12c4dc_b.jpghttp://farm1.static.flickr.com/207/441132310_699a87326e_o.jpg

[Sparrow]

Nice photos Steve they look like they came from bigger negs, there looks to be no grain at all on my monitor.
How do you rate the 21mm CV’s performance at the edge of the frame, I’m thinking of getting one

[anhtu]

great tones in those shots steve. I've never used 400CN so this is a bit of valuable information.

[dazedgonebye]

I actually liked the tone of these negatives as scanned, so I did not do my usual grayscale conversion in PS.
I'm going to have to run another roll through...the "Professional" version this time...and rate it at around 200. It'll be a shame if it needs a full stop of overexosure.
Stewart,
I like that 21mm very much. I think I've hurt the sharpness of my images a couple of times by stopping down more than necessary, and by focusing much further out than necessary. So, a more thoughtful photographer should have even better results.

[boilerdoc2]

The Ilford XP2 prints in the wet darkroom a LOT easier. That way you have the best of both worlds!!!

[Sparrow]

Thanks Steve, I’ve more or less decided to have one, and then came across a few posts saying it was soft in the corners, it's good to have an opinion from someone who actually has one.
You can produce any number of those duo-tones effects on a de-saturated RGB file using Curves; many hours of “fun”

[dazedgonebye]

When it comes to lenses, I'm not the most critical person Stewart. There is so much room for error on my part that I find I let the gear down far more often than it lets me down. So, I won't say that a lens that satisifes me will satisfy others with perhaps more critical standards.

One more from that roll.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/183/477878878_7018c464cc_o.jpg

[Sparrow]

When it comes to lenses, I'm not the most critical person Stewart. There is so much room for error on my part that I find I let the gear down far more often than it lets me down. So, I won't say that a lens that satisifes me will satisfy others with perhaps more critical standards.

One more from that roll.


That’s as maybe but I’d prefer to have the opinion of a do’er than a talker

thanks

[fishtek]

Good stuff, Steve!

I REALLY, REALLY want one of those 21's...

See ya!
Don

[popstar]

Nice photos Steve!

I like the BW400CN on occasion too. I shot this at 400 and had developed normally. I personally like how the silver platter is rendered. It's not a great photo, but shows what nice tones this film can have IMO.

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/rffgallery/gallery/3672/U3672I1164343598.SEQ.0.jpg

Bessa R, 50mm/1.5 Nokton

[kshapero]

Just bought 4 rolls of BW400CN. here we go.

[dazedgonebye]

Just bought 4 rolls of BW400CN. here we go.

That's one of the things I like about this hobby. You share a little and if someone sees something they like, the enthusiasm is contagious!

[Keith]

I like it that much I currently have thirty rolls in the fridge ... I really like the way this film renders tones and contrast and as said previously it scans perfectly!

[Will]

It's a good film, but you need to be lucky with your minilap.

Love the first photo, Steve

[Gray Fox]

Steve, I've got some that I'm going to run through the Moskva 5 I got from you, and it should be amazing in a 6x9 neg. I'm just looking for some suitable subjects to play with. I love the shots at the edge of the rim. I went to high school up in that area in my pre-photog days many, many moons ago, and taught my sons rappelling in an area just like that in later years. JW in Atlanta

[mike goldberg]

Good stuff Steve and all. I like Kodak 400 B/W C41, and in editing I have found that it helps to pull the saturation way down. That gets rid of annoying pinkish cast. Ciao, mike

[anhtu]

Keith, when you said it scans perfectly, does that mean you can use ICE on it?

[shenkerian]

anhtu, I can't speak for Keith, but C41 B&W films like 400CN can have ICE applied to them. They're dye-based.

[dazedgonebye]

Steve, I've got some that I'm going to run through the Moskva 5 I got from you, and it should be amazing in a 6x9 neg. I'm just looking for some suitable subjects to play with. I love the shots at the edge of the rim. I went to high school up in that area in my pre-photog days many, many moons ago, and taught my sons rappelling in an area just like that in later years. JW in Atlanta

I'd love to see a larger negative with this stuff.
I'm constantly tempted by medium to large format.

You have to watch yourself on the rim. "That first step is a doozy." Seriously, I've found myself way too close to the edge when I forget to take my eye out of the camera when moving for the next shot. It's about 100 feet to the first rocky ledge on the way down from that spot.

[anhtu]

thanks shankerian! :-) that's another plus for 400CN!

[Madrigal]

Steve, those are lovely shots, and that downed tree is is particularly cool.
Love the one of the boys walking ahead, as well.
I just started using the Kodak 400CN, too. I agree it scans very nicely.
From my first roll-
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/177/445628170_ba4949cc45_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/248/445629682_0b071b31b9_o.jpg

FM2N, 55/2.8

[raid]

These are excellent photos, Steve. Well done. Have you considered using PS to increase contrast in the sky?

I usually use Ilford XP2 Super, but I recently used the Kodak film instead. Both seem to be good choices for C-41 B&W film.

[Rhoyle]

I've never been able to get the beautiful tonality aout of this film that I'm seeing here. I guess it's back to the drawing board. BTW, I understand you CAN use ICE while scanning the c-41 BW films.

[dazedgonebye]

These are excellent photos, Steve. Well done. Have you considered using PS to increase contrast in the sky?

I usually use Ilford XP2 Super, but I recently used the Kodak film instead. Both seem to be good choices for C-41 B&W film.


I've got a number of great shots of that location, taken with digital. I guess I didn't want to manipulate these very much because they struck me as strong right from the camera...and not at all digital.

[Keith]

I have discovered with my V700 that negative exposure is everything. Underexposed images scan very poorly and I scan everything using Epson's own software as 'Silverfart' gives me the irrits ... well the version they supply with the V700 does ... it won't do multi scans.

I have scanned a 35 mm negative using all the variables and compared the results side by side to make up my own mind what gives me the look I like. I scan everything as colour in 24 bit, without ice, and medium sharpening and the auto exposure at minimum setting, at 4800 or 6400. Maybe I could get better results but I'm happy at that! Ice seems to slow the scans down markedly and provided I'm not scanning damaged negatives I don't feel the need ... If I do see stuff in the scan I don't like I do the work in PS which is time consuming I know but a glass of red wine helps! :)

[gb hill]

Steve, those are beautiful shots. I love this film, but always exposed at normal rating. Gonna have to rate it at 320 next time. I'm running through my first roll of xp-2 right now. Can't wait to compare the results.