Pleased with X100F B&W photos

[dcriner]

I have experience with wet darkroom B&W processing. My X100F is surpassing that. I'm running with auto white balance, auto dynamic range, and ACROS film simulation.

 

 

[papedo]

What about some samples?

 

 

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[dcriner]

I've taken but a few, experimental, B&W photos, using the ACROS film simulation - just to observe the dynamic range....dark blacks with shadow detail, plus highlights that aren't blown out. In my experience, those X100F photos would have been difficult, at least for me, to print in a wet darkroom. I haven't taken any photos worthy of posting from an artistic point of view. Maybe later.

 

Try it yourself.

[dcriner]

Here is a snapshot of a backyard scene with a large dynamic range using ACROS film simulation and built-in yellow filter. (No artistic effect was attempted or achieved):

 

http://imageshack.com/a/img922/4981/LjqU5y.jpg

 

This is an example of what B&W film users would classify as a difficult-to-print image. There is detail in the shadows - the lower part of the corn plants and the lawn in the shadow of the shed. The siding of the shed itself is smooth vinyl, so there is no detail to be seen - the highlight may or may not be blown out. (If it were a film negative, I'd examine it with a loupe.)

 

The firmware-based yellow filter pops out the clouds a bit.

 

The usual mantra for B&W film is "expose for the shadows, develop for the highlights." With film, this image would have required quite a bit of manual darkroom work, at least for me, to achieve what was accomplished inside the X100F. And, with roll-film, it is impossible to develop each frame separately, so the highlights would have to be addressed during printing.

Edited August 1, 2017 by dcriner