Pushing the values in Black and White film

[Mike McCarty]

It is my understanding that you have much greater latitude regarding values during the processing of B&W film than with color. Is it just that the chemistry of the B&W film is such that it can capture more value information? Also, Marvin M. mentioned a "zone" method of processing, I wonder if I could get someone (maybe Marvin?) to elaborate on this?

As a not too seprate issue, I have been questioning the usefulness of B&W film lately. It seems that unless you process in your own dark room, the labs willing to do this sort of work on a timely basis is dwindling. Even though the lab I use will process the B&W film, they use their regular color machine to do the prints. I think that most people these days are bringing their color images into photoshop and converting them to gray scale. Is it true that computer manipulation has surpased dark room creativity? Or, are they searching for information that does not exist on the color film?

[Marvin Mattelson]

So many questions and so little time.

There is a book called "The Practical Zone System" by Chris Johnson. It is by far the best photo book I ever read. The only one I would recommend. This book explains the zone system in layman's terms. Some zone books can be mind numbingly technical. Basically you overexpose the film which gives you shadow detail and underdevelop it for highlight detail.

I have my own darkroom. I develop and print my own photos. It would take about $35,00.00 to buy a digital system which equals the resolution and the density range of my reference prints. That price doesn't include the additional cost of a divorce lawyer or a funeral.