Hi,
I did not really know where to put this topic.
It is motivated by a recent topic about low ISO in digital, and some prints I saw recently. Here is the question:
I saw some B&W portraits prints about 2m high (human sized) made with 35mm using the gigabitfilm AND develpped in the traditional darkroom.
This is the only info that I have, do not know the paper, the camera used etc...
But what shocked me was the quality of the prints, I mean I have never seen such a beautiful output with any digital technique from a 35mm FF, and I've
seen so far a lot of prints.
What do I call "beautiful"?
Well, unfortunately I did not had a camera that day so I can just explains with words: the grain, very fine, precise, vibrate. The tones with grades that looked like a painting, warm, sharp and soft at the same time, very detailled considering the size. A sort of "organic" with the precision of digital.
My question is: Is it possible to acheive this kind of quality with digital in B&W and modern plotters?
Because I would consider strongly buying again a 35mm film camera and use Pan films for certain kind of works, really.
Since this experience, I've been trying to obtain this kind of results with digital and failed so far.
Are the traditional darkroom techniques still better for B&W ?
What you guys, gurus of film and wet-darkroom could say about that?
Thanks a lot.
Fred.