Re: Continuous Tone? (was Re: Pt/Pd vs Gum???)


S. Carl King (sanking@hubcap.clemson.edu)
Tue, 12 Jan 1999 11:14:08 -0400


I wonder if silver negatives developed in staining developer like Pyro
might not be considered continuous tone? The stain, which is greatest in
areas of highest silver density, effectively fills in betwen the grain and
such negatives give results which are smoother than those of non-staining
developers.

Sandy King

>There is no silver negative that is true continuous tone. All silver images
>are made of particles of silver, with definite size (in fact, one of the
>advantages of T-Max lab-made crystals is their uniform size). As you know,
>the so-called "grain" in silver negs is just the silver particles, and the
>greater the enlargement, the farther apart they are, and the "grainier" the
>image. Present computer printers can lay down images at 1440 dpi max, but
>the day is coming when the process will yield results that will rival silver.
>
>We now have an embarrasment of riches, and can mix and match! Computer
>printer negatives for alternative process or silver "factory" prints can be
>excellent now in smaller sizes, but with the difficulty of obtaining and
>expense, we may be forced to use computer printer processed negatives. As
>the market progresses, the printer designers will find ever better methods
>of reducing the appearance of graininess, just as the silver film mfrs have
>been doing.
>
>But don't ever even think that silver negs are true "continuous tone." They
>always have been made of silver particles of a single color (some shade of
>black) and clear gelatine (or in the new Kodak "Select" series, a new
>plastic scratch-resistant material).
>
>Sil Horwitz, FPSA
>Technical Editor, PSA Journal
>silh@iag.net
>Visit http://www.psa-photo.org/
>Personal page: http://www.iag.net/~silh/



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