Are 256 shades of grey enough dynamic range for silver? or platnum?

Hi folks,

I have been lurking for years on the list. perhaps since 1993 or 1994.
Most of the time whenI read about people asking questions someone
very qualified has already answered.

I have been making Gum Prints since 1989 and have done
Silver Cyanotype and Collotype and have made paper negatives.

Since 1992 I have been doing digital photo manipulation.

Any way I have been making enlarged negatives on APHS film with some
success..
About a year ago I bought a 16 K Film recorder. It makes beautiful
4 x 5 negatives or positives.

It seems that they look correct but I can't help but wonder how
big of a dynamic range that 256 shades of grey really is.

I know that it depends somewhat on what the medium one chooses
to use to interpet the negative. I am thinking of silver as a kind of
starting point.

Does anyone know of any objective way to evaluate this?

Thanks,

Mark A. Morrill
Received on Wed Sep 29 00:39:46 2004