TOM ABRAHAMSSON CLASSIC SOFTRELEASES AND MINI SOFTRELEASES: THE LITTLE BIG DIFFERENCE

Text and Indicated Photos: José Manuel Serrano Esparza. LHSA

Photo: José Manuel Serrano Esparza

It´s known the great ability implemented by rangefinder cameras when making pictures under available light without flash, even in very dimly lit locations, taking advantage of the lack of a tilting mirror which brings about a huge reduction in vibration when shooting handheld, in such a way that it usually means to be able to gain two slower shutter speeds in comparison to a slr or dslr camera under the same circumstances. It enables the photographer to avoid trepidation in low or very subdued light levels impossible to tackle with a reflex camera without getting blurred images.

But there are high tech special and tiny devices allowing to stretch handheld top-notch image quality even further, authentic works of art sporting painstaking thoroughness in the shape of little round buttons made with aerospace alloys which screw into the cable thread of the shutter release socket, letting you fire the shutter with a very smooth squeezing that reduces any camera shake to the minimum feasible, highly increasing chances to save pictures under very faint light with the lowest ISOS in digital rangefinder cameras or using the best colour slides and black and white films in analog RFs, so preserving a very high image quality and sharpness at speeds of 1/8 sec (without any problem) and 1/4 sec (after some hours of learning curve) with most lenses, and up to 1/2 sec with wideangle lenses between 19 mm and 35 mm, something impossible to attain at these so extremely low speeds without these fascinating small gadgets, that broaden the surface area of the shutter button release itself, greatly reducing the vibration created by the photographer at the moment of exposure, improving the sharpness of the pictures taken at full aperture without flash, tripod or monopod, and allowing to use two lower handheld shutter speeds with lenses between 50 and 135 mm and up to three handheld lower shutter speeds with wideangle lenses between 21 mm and 35 mm without any trepidation.

They are the famous and fairly useful Softreleases and MiniSoftreleases, manufactured by the world class Leica expert and great craftsman Tom Abrahamsson.

Tiny great accessories for pros and connoisseurs alike.

Photo: José Manuel Serrano Esparza

ORIGINS OF A BRILLIANT IDEA

Since his idyl with Leica rangefinders cameras during his sixties stage as both industrial designer and photojournalist working for a Swedish newspaper (an epoch when he used a repainted in grey Leica M2), Tom Abrahamsson was progressively getting the hang of available light photography, a domain which can render superb pictures, but very exacting for the photographer, who will be bound to deeply grasp the technique, accumulate experience and using ultraluminous primes.

Therefore, he was always spellbound by the enthralment of taking pictures utterly handheld, without using any artificial light, an environment in which Leicas M have been in their element for ages.

In the beginning, there were a lot of types of Softreleases (made in cast aluminum ones featuring dish shape - which usually broke off in the cable release thread-, small plastic ones with camera names on them, and even one complex specific model made by Leica - loaded by means of a tall spring-), but they sported too much height and most times a concave surface, which prompted directing the index finger towards the middle area of the Softrelease and pushing the camera downwards.

This forced searching for the center of the shutter release button made the photographers wasting very valuable tenths of seconds, as well as turning them fidgety in decisive moments.

Photo: José Manuel Serrano Esparza

This way, Tom Abrahamsson decided to design his own Softrelease, realizing that it was necessary to find a workable solution, kept at it and started to thoroughly study the whys and wherefores of the problem, until it dawned on him that the key factor was changing the concave surface to a convex one, since the quoted dish shaped versions softreleases made by other respected companies required to use the tip of the index finger to squeeze the release.

The aim was firstly to avoid any anxiety to press the center, instead of it using the second joint of the index finger to gently touch the Softrelease on the edge to attain quick shots, simultaneously controlling the pressure on the release, and secondly to counter the problem of very frequent breaking of soft releases made by different brands and the subsequent jamming of the release it brought about.

Photo: José Manuel Serrano Esparza

From 1998 (year of beginning of production) on, the new convex Abrahamsson Classic Softreleases proved to be highly functional, practical and above all reliable with a very wide variety of rangefinder cameras as to remarkable image quality at very low shutter speeds attained with low and intermediate ISO colour and black and white films, something which has remained unaltered currently with the onslaught of digital photography, because the synergy between the Leicas M8, M8.2 and the great variety of Abrahamsson Softies is really outstanding.

Photo: José Manuel Serrano Esparza

BUILDING QUALITY

The materials used in the manufacture of Abrahamsson Classic Softies and Minisofties are of the highest quality, to know very special aerospace alloy, which results in maximum strength and durability (preserving a brand new appearance for decades), minimum weight (compared to stainless-steel or other metals) and resistance to scratches, along with a very reduced friction on being screwed around the cable release socket.

When you touch an Abrahamsson Softrelease or Minisoftrelease for the first time, the experience is unique and even somewhat shocking, since they´re so incredibly light that you can wrongly believe they are made of plastic or average aluminum. But they are truly state-of-the-art aerospace alloy, as thousands of customers all over the world can attest in a body.

On the other hand, the superb quality of the ultralight high resistance metal alloy allows the production of Abrahamsson Softies and Minisofties in a lot of different colours, together with the engraving of all kind of inscriptions, logotypes, drawings, diagrams, letters, etc, a long lasting permanence being achieved through a breakthrough technique based on laser beam.

Photo: José Manuel Serrano Esparza

Besides, the polishing of the Classics Softies and Minisofties is absolutely gorgeous, flawless, without any hint of imperfection, paint rugosity or minute metal cranny. A full-fledged masterpiece of miniaturization accuracy, boasting a very beautiful cosmetic look which enhances the charm of the camera, also adding touches of exoticism.

It must also be underlined the impressive perfection of the groovings surrounding the Classic Softies and Minisofties -all of them are knurled- something exceedingly instrumental to easily unscrew them if required and to prevent the finger from slippering, insuring at the same time the decisive lateral pressing so as to get the lowest possible hand and wrist shutter speeds with minimal ISOs in search for top quality.

Exactness is paid superlative attention in Abrahamsson Classic Softies and Minisofties, because the smallest mechanizing inaccuracy could cause either loosening of them or harm to the cable release socket due to undesired rubbing.

Photo: José Manuel Serrano Esparza

In order to properly understand the huge quality of Abrahamsson Classic Softreleases and Minisoftreleases, it is important to know that they´re made using a CNC machining center located inside this great artisan and photographer´s workshop.

Tom Abrahamsson´s softies are with difference the best in the world, with a high production cost for himself, because his popular ´mushrooms´ are not made with cheap stamped procedures like other models existing in the market, but through state-of-the-art CNC machining of very high end and expensive aerospace alloy.

That´s why they will not bend and break off from your shutter release and will easily endure the elapse of decades working flawlessly and keeping their beautiful original cosmetic appearance.

Photo: José Manuel Serrano Esparza

TYPES OF ABRAHAMSSON SOFTIES

There are two kinds:

a) Classic Softreleases.- Their production began on July 23rd 2008.

They feature a dome-shaped appearance and sport a diameter of 15 mm. Available in a lot of colours, with the choice of custom built orders, special edition units, etc, always with the added benefit of laser engraving for different organizations, companies, societies, photographic clubs, etc, preferably in batches of 100 with the customers previously supplying the Adobe Illustrator file to fulfil the order according to their specifications and design.

They must be screwed into the regular cable release of the camera (each Abrahamsson Classic Softrelease has a built-in thread coinciding with it vast majority of times).

They are suitable for rangefinder Leicas featuring standard cable release socket:

- Leica M8 digital
- Leica M8.2 digital
- Leica M7
- Leica M6
- Leica M5
- Leica M4P
- Leica M4
- Leica M3
- Leica M2
- Leica M1
- Leica CL

But at the same time, there´s a highly wide assortment of both rangefinders and reflex cameras from other brands which can use the Abrahamsson Classic Softreleases:

- Zeiss Ikon rangefinder with ZM lenses.

- Fuji 645
- Fuji GW 6 x 7
- Fuji GSW 6 x 7
- Fujica G690
- Fuji GW II and III 6 x 9
- Fuji GSW II and III 6 x 9
- Fuji GA 645 Autofocus
- Fuji GA645 Zi Autofocus

- Pentax M42 screw mount and K mount (except Pentax LX).

- Nikon F3 / T
- Nikon FM
- Nikkormat FTN
- Nikon FE2
- Nikkormat FT2

- Olympus OM-1
- Olympus OM-2
- Olympus OM-3

- Rollei 35

- Kodak Retina IIIc
- Kodak Retina Reflex
- Bessa L
- Early models of Bessa T

- Canon P

- Koni Omega Rapid
- Koni Omega Rapid M
- Koni Omega 100
- Koni Omega 200

Photo: José Manuel Serrano EsparzaPhoto: José Manuel Serrano Esparza

Photo: José Manuel Serrano Esparza

b) MiniSoftreleases.- They´re the mini version of Classic Softreleases and another prodigy of thorough miniaturization, mechanical quality and high resistance. They also feature a dome-shaped appearance, but sporting a diameter of 8 mm.

Their production began on February 22nd 2002 as a response to customers wanting to use the Softreleases on other brands of cameras as well as with rangefinder Leicas.

As a rule of thumb, the MiniSoftreleases will work with vast majority of round shutter release buttons sporting a threaded socket for a mechanical cable release.

There´s also a wide choice of rangefinders and reflex cameras which can use the Abrahamsson MiniSoftreleases:

- Leica M8 digital
- Leica M8.2 digital
- Leica M7
- Leica M6
- Leica MP
- Leica M5
- Leica M4P
- Leica M4
- Leica M3
- Leica M2
- Leica M1
- Leica CL

- Zeiss Ikon rangefinder with ZM Lenses

- Nikon FM3A
- Nikon FM2
- Nikon FE2 ( original Nikon FM and FE models are not compatible)

- Voigtländer Bessa L
- Voigtländer Bessa T
- Voigtländer Bessa R
- Voigtländer Bessa R2
- Voigtländer Bessa R2A
- Voigtländer Bessa R3A
- Voigtländer Bessa R2M
- Voigtländer Bessa R3M
- Voigtländer Bessa R4

- Epson RD-1

- Zeiss Super Ikonta III
- Zeiss Super Ikonta C

- Seagull 4a-107

- Rollei 35

- All the Fuji G, GW and GSW medium format rangefinders.
- Fuji GA645 autofocus
- Fuji GA645 Zi Autofocus

- Leica R6, Leica R6.2

- Pentax K1000
- Pentax ME
- Pentax MX
- Most Pentax K mount models

- Zorki 3M

- Rollei Twin Lens Reflex medium format models, including the GX.

- Canon F1
- Canon FTb
- Canon FL
- Canon L1
- Vast majority of manual focusing Canon cameras in FD mount.

- Olympus OM-1
- Olympus OM-2
- Olympus OM-3
- Olympus OM- 4 (Olympus Pen F, FT and rest of Pen half frames are not compatible)
- Olympus 35 SP
- Olympus 35 RC

- Agfa Super Isolette

The classic Contax rangefinders, Nikon Rangefinders, Nikon F, Nikon F2 and screw mount Leicas are not compatible with MiniSoftreleases, because these cameras require a cable release adapter which fits over the shutter release instead of screwing into it.

WAY OF USING ABRAHAMSSON CLASSIC SOFTRELEASES (15 mm diameter) and MINI SOFTRELEASES (8 mm diameter)

There´s a special technique recommended by Tom Abrahamsson to draw the full potential of his softies: hooking the index finger over the Softie, in such a way that you use the second joint to squeeze it down, so attaining the smoothest feasible action of the shutter release tripping.

Photo: José Manuel Serrano Esparza

It is true that in the beginning you feel a bit strange, after years used to press the shutter release button in the traditional way, id est, with the tip of your index finger on the middle of the release.

But this index finger hooking technique requires a very brief learning curve of a few hours to get the hang of it, and from then on, the trick will greatly pay off : a gaining of one slower speed in handheld shots without any problems and two slower speed after some days of experience. This means in practical terms to be able to shoot hand and wrist at 1/8 sec and 1/4 sec getting sharp high quality results, with the chance of using the highest quality low ISOS black & white and colour films with analog rangefinder cameras and the top quality lowest sensitivity settings with digital cameras like the Leica M8, Epson RD-1, etc, in all sort of available light picture taking contexts, with the manifold advantages it implies for diehard enthusiasts of top-notch handheld image quality, professionals and shutterbugs alike.

Photo: José Manuel Serrano Esparza

Without the Classic Softrelease or the MiniSoft release, chances of getting handheld sharp pictures with a standard 50 mm lens and a shutter speed of 1/15 are approximately of 50%.

But with a Classic Softrelease or Minisoftrelease threaded, the aforementioned handheld speeds of 1/8sec and 1/4 sec can be reached after a little practice, something which stretches to the very remarkable figure of up to handheld 1/2 sec speed when using wideangle 21 mm, 24 mm, 28 mm and 35 mm lenses.

All the previously commented great qualities of Tom Abrahamsson Classic Softreleases and MiniSoftreleases are not exaggerations at all, and very experienced professional photographers like Morris Wolf, Richard Wasserman, Stephen Faust, Alex Shishin, Vieri Botazzini, etc, have been enthusiasts of using them for a long time.

Photo: José Manuel Serrano Esparza

On the other hand, there are also people using Abrahamsson softies through the traditional technique directly pressing the central area of them with the point of the index finger. Obviously it is not the most advisable one, but so doing we have verified that one slow shutter speed can be gained when shooting hand and wrist, though probably, though probably with a secure limit of 1/8 sec, except with a reduced group of pros and shutterbugs boasting highly steady hands and striving for getting the best possible ´brass guidelines´ (breathe, relax, aim, stop and squeeze) who maybe could reach up to handheld 1/4 sec, though I deem it rather difficult without using the aforementioned ´hook technique´ recommended by Tom Abrahamsson and followed by most of his current softies users.

Photo: José Manuel Serrano Esparza

CHECKING OF THE SOFTIES

The difference between loose and lock regarding the softies attachment to the thread in the cable release socket is of only 2 1/2 turns.

This way, from a technical viewpoint it is impossible to attain a 100% secure tightening under every condition, movement and transport.

Therefore, though both Classic Softreleases and MiniSoftreleases have proved to be very reliable and made with a highly painstaking accuracy which makes them perfectly fit on their place, whatever it may be, truth is that they have a very little bias to unloose, so it should be rather advisable something so easy as to verify from time to time that the Softie is tightly screwed in.

Anyhow, the great benefits stemming from the use of Softies are utterly worth putting up with these small occasional inconveniences.

CONCLUSION

Tom Abrahamsson Classic Softreleases and Minisoftreleases are undoubtedly formidable weapons to make handheld shots in photographic contexts featuring low or very low light levels, and allow the photographers to significantly increase the quantity and quality of pictures taken under those circumstances.

These little big wonders of thorough CNC mechanizing and well done things, born after years of strenuous research by his author, are handcrafted with the best available aerospace alloy, having proved to be amazingly resistant to the elapse of time, bumps, scratches, etc, and what´s more, they´re practically unbreakable because of its built-in anti shock and temperature changes properties.

But above all, they´re a fairly workable solution to greatly augment the chances of attaining sharp pictures gaining between one and three slower shutter speeds in the handheld shooting realm, depending on the technique used and the personal ability of each person.

Photo: José Manuel Serrano Esparza

However, I do deem that an average photographer paying a minimum of attention and using Tom Abrahamsson Classic Softreleases or MiniSoftreleases, and using the recommended ´hook technique´ can attain without problems handheld shutter speeds of 1/8 sec and 1/4 sec, above all if using a rangefinder camera (Leica Ms, Bessa R Series, Bessa T series, Konica Hexar, Zeiss Ikon with ZM lenses, Rollei RF, etc) and even up to 1/2 sec with wideangles and extreme wideangles.

We can assure it after having used a Leica M6 with an Abrahamsson ClassicSoftrelease on it (using a Summicron-M 50 mm f/2, Summicron-M 28 mm f/2 ASPH, and fourth hand Elmarit-M 21 mm f/2.8 non aspherical with smaller front element from 1984), making indoor pictures inside places with subdued and very subdued available light.

Likewise, we made pictures with a Leica M8 digital and the same previously quoted ClassicSoftrelease on it, and truth is that results were very good but not so stellar as with the analog M6 and probably the rest of analog rangefinder cameras.

Photo: José Manuel Serrano Esparza

In my viewpoint the Abrahamsson softie allows gaining one slower speed in the handheld shooting scope when used on the digital M8, and my personal standpoint is that the secure limit would be around 1/8 sec, preserving at this hand and wrist shutter speed a remarkable level of sharpness and image quality under dim and very dim available light.

It could be defined like a kind of different feeling, because attaching a Classic Softrelease to the digital M8 seems to somehow enhance the notchiness of its release. Maybe it is a bit of subjective impression, but I think it is this way, though evidently I don´t deem it is a significant hindrance anyway.

And there are powerful reasons for it. Though perhaps not being possible to gain two or three handheld slow speeds as with analog rangefinder cameras, the easy chance of gaining one slower shutter speed on shooting handheld even improves to practical effects the results obtained with analog RF models whose limit of professional quality could be around ISO 800
with the best films of this sensitivity (Fuji Xtra 800, Fuji NPH 800, Fuji NPZ 800, etc).

Photo: José Manuel Serrano Esparza

It´s important to bear in mind that the digital Leica M8 is a super stellar performer between ISO 160 and ISO 640, yielding top-notch image quality at ISO 1250 and acceptable at ISO 2500 (with a level of grain resembling the one featured by b & w film Kodak-Tri X 400, as proved by Dr Dick Santee with his in-depth research on the M8 performance as a low light camera, using Summicron-M 28 mm f/2 ASPH and Summicron-M 35 mm f/2 lenses).

This way, with the Leica M8 it is a cinch working handheld at ISO 1250 preserving professional image quality and lack of grain, something out of the reach of analog RF cameras whose films feature excessive grain beyond the boundary of ISO 800, always taking into account that the image quality delivered by the Leica M8 at ISO 1250 is far better than the one rendered by any analog RF Leica or other rangefinder camera brand with the best ISO 400 (including the excellent Fuji NPH 400, NPH 400 New - which is the same emulsion than the renamed Fuji Pro 400H- and the great Fuji Provia 400F slide) and 800 films and most ISO 100 emulsions with the exception of Fuji Reala 100 and Kodak Ektar 100 with which it is on a par regarding picture excellence at the aforementioned ISO 1250 sensitivity.

Everybody who has had the chance of shooting handheld with the digital Leica M8 without any softie on at ISO 1250 will have realized that it can tackle flawlessly a lot of low light environments producing high quality photographs in spite of the low speed often needed to attain it in such contexts, with a more or less reliable handheld limit without softie around 1/15 sec.

Photo: José Manuel Serrano Esparza

So, the choice of using a Classic Softrelease on a digital Leica M8 is really something to ponder over, because a gain of a hand and wrist one slower shutter speed available with this camera can be absolutely decisive in ambient light picture taking sphere, saving photographs that without using the softie would very probably be rendered blurred because of trepidation.

The author of this article´s experience (his hands steadiness is rather average) is that shooting with the M8 and the Abrahamsson Classic Softrelease on at a shutter speed of 1/8 sec is often child´s play, and a handheld workable limit of 1/8 sec instead of 1/15 sec or 1/30 sec makes a great difference, since it enables to save a lot of pictures in all kind of low or very low light conditions, specially indoor, something hugely useful during travels (inside famous cathedrals, palaces, temples, churches, museums, etc), without forgetting the dawn or twilight street photography.

On the other hand, I felt curiosity regarding the performance of the softies on a reflex camera. That´s why I made also pictures with a Nikon F3 with an Abrahamsson Classical Softrelease on it and Manual Focusing Nikkor AI-S 28 mm f/2, Manual Focusing Nikkor 35 mm AI-S f/1.4 and Manual Focusing Nikkor-S Pre-Ai 55 mm f/1.2 inside places featuring dim light conditions, and after shooting a full 36 exposure spool of Ilford Delta 400 film, making handheld the same shot firstly with the softie on and then without it, I think that a gain of one available slower speed can be easily gained thanks to the softie, albeit in my viewpoint the slapping mirror inside the slr camera makes difficult to attain two available slower speeds without trepidation on shooting hand and wrist, unlike the rangefinders whose handheld shooting efficiency is optimized to the utmost by the Classic Softreleases and MiniSoftrealeases.

Photo: José Manuel Serrano Esparza

But once more, truth is that the ability to have one more workable slower speed when shooting handheld makes also a great difference on using a reflex camera, and to put it mildly, it can mean to get the picture or not.

Suffice it to say that most people have a handheld slow speed limit between 1/45 sec and 1/30 sec on using a reflex camera before getting blurred photographs, to understand that the quoted one slower shutter speed when shooting hand and wrist can be of top paramount importance to be able to reach 1/15 sec with considerable margin of security to obtain sharp pictures, though I think that experienced photographers or connoisseurs carrying out a good ´brass technique´ and above all boasting very steady hands (evidently not my case) probably could reach an interesting percentage of sharp pictures at 1/8 sec.

Photo: José Manuel Serrano Esparza

Copyright Text and Indicated Photos: José Manuel Serrano Esparza

Text in Spanish:

http://www.reportajes-jmserrano.com/m_little_big_wonders.htm

FUJI ACROS 100: CULT FILM

Text and Photos: José Manuel Serrano Esparza. LHSA Published in Film und Foto Magazine Number 4
March 2008

The Fuji Acros 100 film is the best black and white film ever made in such sensitivity, and its superb virtues, among which we must highlight its uncommon enlargement capacity without grain (nothing less than RMS 7, a world record in its ISO segment), an amazing resistance to reciprocity failure in long exposures, a remarkable contrast, excellent sharpness and ability to capture the most recondite details, very interesting image features with a far more usable density range than the other b & w films of its sensitiveness along with a very convenient developing easiness, great suitability for scanning and many other values, turn it into the benchmark of the currently available monochrome ISO 100 chemical emulsions.

Fuji Acros 100, the best ISO 100 black and white film made hitherto.

ORIGIN
The Fuji Neopan Acros 100 was born with premises of maximum feasible qualitative demands, in which the key factor was striving by all means after beating the excellent b & Kodak T-Max 100 (with its famous tablet shape ultrafine T grain) and Ilford Delta 100 (with its Core Shell Crystal Technology and ultrafine grain too) black and white films, the two flagships in this sensitivity preceding it, and of course the Fuji Neopan SS ISO 100 which was the best ISO 100 Fuji monochrome emulsion in such sensitivity.

The task was utterly strenuous, since both films (epitomes of the monochrome high technology emulsions, featuring tablet appearance grains, homogeneous geometrical shapes and king size capturing light surface) were until then the acme amongst the medium sensitivity black and white chemical emulsions , above all regarding no grain at all and ability for the making of big enlargements on photographic paper without any loss of quality, both the Kodak T-Max 100 and the Ilford Delta 100 excelling at their very good level of detail in shadows, though the T-MAX 100 is difficult to master in the high key areas, because it sports a certain bias to burn them if you want to simultaneously keep an appropriate level of detail in the low key areas, and besides, when using the high technology grain emulsions, sometimes the tonal range is somewhat unsatisfactory, for they only manage to come off with their good traits when the most exacting processing standards are thoroughly fulfilled, and usually they don´t even withstand slight changes as to the conditions of it.

Therefore, Fuji endeavoured to the utmost in order to get that the Fuji Acros 100 was very easy to develop with all kind of chemicals from different brands and various dilutions, also trying that the new would-be champion of the ISO 100 b & w films followed Kodak Tri-X 400 trail of tolerance and ease of processing, something hugely complex, because the Fuji Acros 100 belongs to the same type of chemical emulsions featuring high tech crystals as the two aforementioned ISO 100 films, both of which have always been prominent showing off very fine grain and excellent image quality, whilst at the same time revealing their very scarce tolerance to changes in exposure and development, specially when you overexpose or overdevelop (in this regard, the Ilford Delta 100 is more tolerant than the Kodak T-MAX 100), though it was slightly more than required, which will result in impasted high key zones, hard to reproduce on photographic paper with a minimum of texture.

Korean note of 1,000 wons. The ability of Fuji Acros 100 capturing even the most recondite shades, textures and fine details, both regarding the paper and its rugosities along with the granular gotelet wall in the background is certainly impressive. Nikon F2 + Manual Focusing Micro-Nikkor 200 mm f/4 Ai-S IF Lens. 1/125 sec at f/5.6

That´s to say, with its new excellent Fuji Acros 100 black and white film, the Japanese concern tried from the ground up the creation of a monochrome emulsion joining together the best of two worlds: the great tolerance to errors of exposure and development, along with the effortless attainment of very wide and balanced dynamic range of the classical black and white films (boasting plenty of silver halides and irregular surface grains like the Kodak Tri-X 400, etc) and the finer grain, superior sharpness, resolving power and remarkable potential to get fairly big enlargements of the till then high technology reference-class ISO 100 monochrome films Kodak T-MAX 100 and Ilford Delta 100 (sporting a better sensitivity/granularity ratio, thanks to the regular geometrical shape of their grains featuring a large capturing light area and tablet aspect).

And it must be admitted that the Japanese firm has achieved it to a great extent, since the Fuji Acros 100 is a film boasting the traditional qualities and values of the classic black and white photography, in which it is essential the extensive control you can carry out during development stage as to such sides like contrast and the various shades of grey between absolute black and absolute white, which noticeably fosters the work of those photographers using Ansel Adams and Fred Archer Zone System.

IRRUPTION INTO THE JAPANESE MARKET
Since the very beginning of its launching in Japan, the Fuji Neopan Acros 100 became a cult film among the Japanese enthusiasts of top-notch best of the best black and white chemical emulsions, both in 35 mm, medium format and large format (it is made in 35 mm, 120 roll film and 4 x 5 ´ sheets), due to its gorgeous traits approaching it to the qualities achieved with ISO 25 and ISO 50 black and white emulsions (rendering the highest degree of image excellence in b & w photography, but demanding to be very careful with the exposure and most times using a sturdy tripod to avoid trepidation, because of its very low sensitivity), to which we must add the great advantage it provides the photographer to shoot handheld in a significantly higher percentage of picture taking contexts than with the low sensitivity panchromatic and orthochromatic emulsions.

As a matter of fact, lots of Japanese pros became astounded on realizing the great quality and impact of the over 30 x 40 cm enlargements (specially 50 x 70 cm ones) made on photographic paper from Fuji Acros 100 35 mm negatives, for this qualitative image level combining the almost integral lack of grain, full keeping of top-drawer resolution, amazing sharpness and excellent tonal range together with an outstanding development easiness and worthy enough adaptability to possible exposure errors, were something wholly uncommon in a high quality ISO 100 tabular grain black and white film.

Jet engine of the seventies. The Fuji Acros 100 reveals its power, rendering with unutterable subtlety the whole range of greys and the innermost structure of the anodized areas, simultaneously enhancing the aesthetic beauty of metals and alloys to a great extent. Nikon F2 + Manual Focusing Nikkor 50 mm f/1.4 lens. 1/30 sec at f/4

Thus, the Fuji Acros 100 has been a full-fledged flagship of Black and White Photography and Fine Art for a long time, with very loyal followers coming from both the segment of users of medium sensitivities monochrome films (ISO 100 and 200) and slow/very slow ones (ISO 20, 25 and 50), drawing out the utter capabilities of the different formats in which it is distributed, to wit 35 mm, 120 medium format rolls and 4 x 5 ´ (10 x 12 cm) large format Quickload sheets.

SUPERB IMAGE QUALITY AS AN ALL-AROUND BLACK AND WHITE FILM
To begin with, it should be borne in mind that the Fuji Acros 100 boasts a very up-to-date built-in Technology of Sigma Superfine Grain (in the lead of chemical researching on b & w emulsions based on silver halides, through the mixture of the Sigma Crystal Technology and the Superfine Even Sigma Grain Technology - both of them Fuji trademarks- avoiding the problems related to diminished sensitivity often having an effect on ultrafine grains) with a magnificent alignment, a key factor in its famous fitness for big enlargements on photographic papers or the excellent Hahnemuhle if what you use is top quality ink jet printers working from the scanned negatives (and in that respect, the Fuji Acros 100 in 35 mm format has proved to be excellent in digitizations made with Epson Perfection 4990 Multiformat and Nikon 9000 Multiformat Professional scanners with 35 mm negatives, while results made with an analog medium format camera and a 120 roll of Fuji Acros 100 will be superior because of the much larger negatives - between 2,7 times bigger the 6 x 6 cm format and six times bigger the 6 x 9 cm format).

We have carried out tests with 30 x 40 cm, 40 x 50 cm and 50 x 70 cm enlargements made both on Fuji Crystal Archive photographic paper from some original Fuji Acros 100 35 mm format negatives (using a Beseler 45MXT enlarger) and identical size copies made on Hahnemuhle Fine Art from scanned negatives, and in the two cases alike, results have been superb up to 50 x 70 cm (with a remarkable capture of textures and superb resolving power, sharpness and contrast, with the further benefit of a very wide tonal range sporting smooth transitions).

It isn´t less true that we tackled the proofs with a Nikon F2 camera in A/B condition and very top-notch manual focusing Nikkor primes, it all on a tripod, but anyhow, talking turkey it can be stated that the Fuji Acros 100 b&w film in 35 mm format, even shooting hand and wrist, allows superb quality enlargements without problems up to 50 x 70 cm, with nearly imperceptible grain and an acutance (visual sharpness sensation) superior to the Kodak TMAX-100 and the Ilford Delta 100, with a laudable natural depiction of the medium tones, churning out very realistic pictures with tridimensional depth, along with a lavish microcontrast.

The photography of crystal made objects is another of the spheres in which the Fuji Acros 100 greatly excels, fostering their design and shapes, as with this cologne flask. Pay attention to the delicate stepping of greys, the smooth transition between the different sharpness planes belonging to the depth of field progressively reducing and the realism with which the texture of the vial and the upper metallic zone are reproduced, together with the gorgeous level of detail both in the flask high key area (including the little drops inside it) and in its inferior low key one, everything with an uncommon easiness of development and positiveness on photographic paper and  a seamless control of high keys and shadows.The Fuji Acros 100 is an authentic thoroughbred of the black and white chemical emulsions. Nikon F2 + Manual Focusing Nikkor 24 mm f/2 Ai-S. 1/250 sec at f/2.8.

But as well as this unusual capacity to get high end king size copies and the excellent contrast (two features of paramount importance often enhanced to the utmost in ISO 100 tabular gran high technology monochrome emulsions), the Fuji Acros 100 succeeds in keeping a very good detail in shadows and high key areas alike, a very uncommon virtue in this type of emulsions, but characteristic in legendary monochrome films of yore, as the Kodak Panatomic X, with lesser degree of contrast but standing out because of its great flexibility (usable with top results between ISO 8 and 100 with a very comprehensive range of developers and also sporting an outstanding tolerance to over and sub exposure, which brought about that James Lager used it in 1988 to photograph the great trove of cameras, lenses and all kind of artifacts and accessories inside Wetzlar Leica Museum), highly wide tonal range and excellent level of detail in high key and low key zones.

Id est, the Fuji Acros 100 allows the photographer to obtain deep blacks, bright whites boasting a very good level of detail and the whole range of intermediate greys, something fairly appreciated by lovers of Fine Art, while on making use of the Kodak T-MAX 100 you must be very careful not to burn the high key areas if you want to preserve a good level of detail in the shadows, something frequently difficult, compelling the photographer to print ´soft´ to be able to keep an acceptable level of detail in the whites.

Hereupon, the Fuji Acros 100 is also prominent because of its highly wide dynamic range boasting smooth transitions along with subtlely stepped lights and shadows, complementing this with splendid grays, rich and deep blacks, praiseworthy simultaneous level of details in shadows and high keys, amazing resolving power, very good contrast, excellent capture of textures and the already quoted extraordinary sharpness and acutance it shows off.

The Fuji Acros 100 is one of the most versatile black and white films in the history of photography, a full-fledged all-around emulsion, utterly adequate for such diverse photographic genres like landscape, portraiture, fashion, publicity, weddings, all kinds of reportages, reproductions, etc. In principle, only the indoor sporting photography (requiring ISO 400 or more film) and the indoor works inside theatres or sceneries in which lighting conditions are dim or very dim would be out of its range.

Full-swing metallic chimneys at 4:00 a.m. Once again, the metals are depicted with noteworthy faithfulness. It must be underlined the accuracy with which the Fuji Acros 100 reproduces a very comprehensive variety of whites, from the brightest areas of both large chimneys up to the left lower half of the picture (with a white in the boundary of the high key, but being translated with an excellent level of detail, in the same way as the right lower area showing a more in shadow white wall on which the plate with the name of the street can be seen, without forgetting the fine rendering of the white smoke going out of the two big chimneys alike). In addition, the Fuji Acros 100 manages to also keep a superb level of detail in a very wide low key range represented in the image by the two air inlets on the left lower half, the little electric light bulb and the lattice under it, along with the two small chimneys located on both sides of the large ones. The making of selective framings on the aforementioned little chimney on the right undoubtedly confirms that the Fuji Acros 100 succeeds in keeping a very good level of detail even on its lower half which is rather in shadow, with rich and deep blacks, sumptuous grays (specially the intermediate range) and bright whites exhibiting gorgeous detail. Nikon F2 + Manual Focus Micro-Nikkor 105 mm f/2.5 Ai-S. 45 sec at f/8.

On the other hand, it´s an excellent choice for those professional photographers and enthusiasts of the black and white chemical film having a penchant for mixing the Zone System with the exposure for shadows, because unlike the Kodak T-MAX 100, the Fuji Acros 100 keeps a praiseworthy detail level on high key areas, controlling them much better and being much more resistant to the burning of them, aside from the decisive fact that the Fuji Acros 100 is superior in terms of acutance, and always achieving it with an amazingly fine grain, slightly beating in this regard (as well as rendering superior sharpness) the splendid chromogenic C-41 Kodak BW400CN - current version essentially identical to the famous chromogenic Kodak T-Max T400CN- and Ilford XP2 exposed at EI200, which deserves high accolades, since in these emulsions the grain is not made up with silver salts, but by colorants clouds that when overexposed do optimize the fine-grained character to significantly higher levels than those ones sported by the classical black and white films between ISO 100 and ISO 400 including plenty of silver halides.

Likewise, the Fuji Acros 100 has proved to be a splendid film for the capturing of special atmospheres and moods, in all sorts of pictures with people (obtaining excellent skin tones), both individually and in group.

And if already in 24 x 36 mm format the Fuji Acros 100 is from a global viewpoint the reference among the black and white ISO 100 emulsions in 35 mm standard, the results that can be reached in medium format and large format are even more spectacular, with the added advantage of being able to use the developers attaining greater aesthetical beauty of image as Agfa Rodinal or Beutler in king size enlargements over 50 x 70 cm without any observable grain.

It should also be underscored that the Fuji Acros 100, an emulsion with high technology orthopanchromatic sensitiveness (partly sensitive to the wave length of red colour which will be shown as dark grey when it makes appearance in the picture) with excellent characteritic curve featuring an elongated straight trajectory, as well as achieving the typical ultrafine grain inherent to these monochrome films, keeps most of the feeling of the classical b & w films boasting high quantities of silver halides ( an aesthetic duality in which the Ilford Delta 100 stands out too), in such a way that its image qualities are unique and of unmatched beauty in its iso 100 sensitivity domain.

Moreover, the Fuji Acros 100 masters seamlessly the high contrasts on using fill-in flash, which results in very showy pictures.

Old Siemens Sunterstatz-C telephone exchange. The faithfulness and realism with which the Fuji Acros 100 renders the different textures and veins of the wood is really plentiful. It must be also underscored the impressive aesthetic beauty of the blacks, above all in the telephone and also, once again, the wide tonal range of greys captured in wire, wood areas of the upper half, large base in the shape of wooden box with an iron handle in its center, metallic stand of the whole set, etc. Nikon F2 + Manual Focus Nikkor 35 mm f/2. 1/60 sec at f/5.6.

HUGE ENDURANCE TO RECIPROCITY FAILURE
In addition to the many excellent traits already outlined, the Fuji Acros 100 has a further quality turning it even more into a desire object for high quality black and white photography: its exceptional resistance to the Schwartzschild effect in long exposures, to such an extent that it doesn´t need any correction in exposures up to 2 minutes, and you are to only give half an f stop more in exposures between 2 and 16 1/2 minutes.

Therefore, the Fuji Acros 100 hugely bears down in this regard the Kodak T-MAX 100 (which requires + 1 / 3 f stop for exposures between 1 and 10 seconds, + 1/2 diaphragm for exposures between 10 and 100 seconds and + 1 diaphragm for exposures from 100 seconds, that´s to say, a resistance to the reciprocity failure comparable to the one boasted by the Kodak spectroscopic films available thirty years ago) and the Ilford Delta 100 (similar to the Kodak T-MAX 100 in this respect).

This means a highly significant added advantage to the Fuji Acros 100 when making all kinds of night pictures, twilight ones under subdued light conditions, astronomic photography, architecture, etc, with the camera on a tripod, and also for the professionals and connoisseurs of large format who often work between f/32 and f/64, requiring long exposures.

Notwithstanding, you must realize that in the same way as happens with the rest of black and white films, the endurance of the Fuji Acros 100 can experience slight variations depending upon the emulsion batches, albeit Fuji knowledgeable chemical experts have also borne this factor in mind , and in this regard, it has proved to be the ISO 100 b & w film with highest quality control in this regard.

San José de Valderas Castle at 3:30 a.m. The Fuji Acros shows here another of its many strong points: its extraordinary resistance to Reciprocity Failure Law, a side in which it is with difference the best available till now. Nikon F2 + Manual Focusing Nikkor 28 mm f/2.8 Ai-S. 2 minutes and 14 sec at f/11.

OPTIMIZED FOR ITS EASY DEVELOPMENT WITH ALL KIND OF CHEMICALS
Thanks to its ultramodern P.I.D.C technology (highly accurately controlling the iodine distribution within the silver halides), the ease of development with all sorts of chemicals of the Fuji Acros 100 is outstanding and something really odd in the sphere of the high quality ISO 100 tabular grained black and white chemical films, since for instance the Kodak T-MAX 100 or the Ilford Delta 100 (both of them also excellent) are scantly tolerant to exposure and development errors.

And this is another major strength in favour of the Fuji Acros 100, that can be seamlessly developed with a very comprehensive array of chemicals, among which the following ones can be quoted : Ilford ID-11, HC-110, Ilford Perceptol, Xtol, T-MAX developer, T-MAX RS Developer, Kodak D-76, Kodak Microdol-X, Fuji Microfine, and even developers not optimized to get superfine grain (but indeed delivering a great aesthetical beauty on photographic paper) like the Agfa Rodinal (exposed to ISO 64 1: 100 8 minutes and 15 sec at 20º C).

It also renders very good results with Paterson Aculux 2, exposing it at ISO 50 1:9 at 20º C for nine minutes; with DD-X for the obtainment of superb contrasts; with Pyrocat HD exposed to ISO 50 1:1:100 at 20º for nine minutes; and with PMK exposed to ISO 50 5: 450 for 11 minutes at 20º C.

It is specially versatile with the developer Kodak D-76H, attaining excellent results exposed to three different ISOS: iso 50 (1:1 for 7 minutes at 20º C), iso 80 (1:3 for 9 minutes at 20º C) and iso 300 (1:3, N + 1 for 10 minutes at 20º C).

Not in vain, the Kodak D-76 (formula invented in 1926 by the Eastman Kodak genius John G. Capstaff, who would also have great significance in the development of the cinematographic 16 mm film) has historically been the developer par excellence enabling black and white films to show their authentic fingerprint and abilities.

Venetian mask made in hot painted plaster. The Fuji Acros 100 handles greatly this context in which the luminic difference between the object and the brick wall in the background was important, keeping in spite of it full detail in the high keys and shadows alike.
 After making a 30 x 40 cm enlargement from the original 35 mm negative corresponding to this image, it was rather interesting to check the very high levels of detail attained by this black and white emulsion not only in the area surrounding the mask face (with every relief, fold, texture, silver cord, etc) but also in the most extreme low key areas (the space between bricks) and the mask face just in the middle of it and is the most high key zone of the photograph. And it all achieved with astounding development and positiveness ease. Nikon F2 + Manual Focusing Micro-Nikkor 200 mm f/4 Ai-S IF. 1/8 sec at f/3.5.

Although you will be able to make big enlargements without grain on photographic paper practically with the whole assortment of developers in synergy with the Fuji Acros 100, regarding this side we must highlight the Fuji Microfine (with superfine grain formula including metol) and the Ilford Perceptol, an excellent developer breaking the emulsions grain and optimizing both the capacity of enlargement of the copies on photographic papers and the selective reframings without any loss of quality (something likewise traditionally taken out in association with the Ilford Pan F 50 b & w film, whose remarkable grainless enlargement factor is greatly enhanced by Ilford Perceptol, attaining very good results, though without reaching the outstanding aesthetic achieved with Agfa Rodinal, which preserves a bit of velvety grain embellished by an excellent acutance).

As to the Fuji Acros 100, from the standpoint of balance between fine grain and sharpness, the Perceptol 1 + 3 ratio has proved to be specially efficient.

On the other hand, I think that the real granularity value of the Fuji Acros 100 is approximately RMS 7.5, because the RMS 7 figure announced by Fuji refers to its specific granularity using non diluted Microfine developer.

That´s to say, the actual granularity value of the Fuji Acros 100 is intimately linked to its behaviour with the Fujidol E developer (whose formula includes ascorbic acid and fenidona, featuring properties similar to Kodak XTOL) with which it gets RMS 7.5.

Besides, the developer Agfa Rodinal in the ratio 1 + 100 attains top-notch results too with the Fuji Acros 100 exposed at ISO 100 (and also shot at ISO 50 and developed through 1:50 ratio for 11 minutes at 20º), though when making enlargements over 30 x 40 cm on photographic paper, there will be a bit of grain not being any handicap at all, but enhancing the image beauty along with the acutance rendered by this more than 100 years old classical developer.

In the same way, excellent results can be obtained with the Ilfosol-S developer in the 1:14 ratio and with the D23 developer at ISO 100 1 + 1 for 12 minutes.

Propeller fastening nuts of a classical radial piston engined plane. Once more, the photographic virtues of the Fuji Acros 100 become apparent, with very deep blacks in the area just on the right of the propeller, along with a comprehensive range of blacks both on the blade and on the ring encircling the nutted disc; and at the same time, the black and white chemical film has captured a wide array of whites, both in the area including the eight small nuts and the central large one, along with the engine cover on the right and the two lit up out of focus areas of the left lower half of the frame, together with the grey scale from the left half of the frame upwards. In a 30 x 40 cm enlargement made from the original 35 mm negative corresponding to this image, the texture and detail of the nuts along with the paint worn out by the elapse of time and the small dent caused by all kind of little impacts, both in the black ring surrounding the white nutted disc and in the forward border of the engine cover, are exquisite, something which could be also confirmed in selective reframings of very specific areas of the negative surface. Nikon F2 + Manual Focusing Micro-Nikkor 105 mm f/2.5. 1/15 sec at full aperture.

An also interesting enough choice is using the Fuji Acros 100 with Kodak Microdol-X developer.

Equally, it´s necessary to know that the Fuji Acros 100 sports a rather thin grey base (so negatives must be handled carefully) that can induce to think that one has underexposed or underdeveloped, above all the first times.

In addition to the already quoted great synergy between the Fuji Acros 100 with a fairly wide range of developers, the times are normal and the recommended fixing duration is the customary one or only very slightly over usual, with the added benefit of DX coding allowing the automatic setting of the sensitivity value in the cameras featuring this system.

Likewise, the Fuji Acros 100 yields superbly stepped negatives, very easy to positive on standard photographic papers, attaining top qualities.

And if we make the copies on baryta papers ........... we will get into the Black and White Alchemy, the magic of the Fine Art, striving after transferring to high grade paper even the most hidden details of the original negative: exquisitely separated high keys, very subtle gray transitions, deep and saturated blacks, etc.

On the other hand, in my viewpoint, the real sensitivity of the Fuji Acros 100 is around ISO 86.

GREAT EASE OF SCANNING
Fuji has also made a strenuous researching effort in this aspect, and the Acros 100 is literally scanned easy as pie, both through semiprofessional and professional scanners (Epson Perfection 4990, Epson Perfection 4990 Pro, Epson Perfection V700 Photo, Epson Perfection V750 Pro, Canon 8800F, Nikon SuperCoolscan 4000 ED, Nikon Super Coolscan 5000 ED, Nikon Super Coolscan 9000 ED Multiformat, Nikon Super Coolscan 8000 ED Multiformat, Minolta 5400 Scan Elite II, Minolta Dimage Scan Multi Pro, Microtek ScanMaker s450, Microtek Scanmaker 1000XL Pro Large Format, etc) and with the superb virtual drum superprofessional scanners (Hasselblad / Imacon Flextight 343 Multiformat, 646 Multiformat, 848 Multiformat, 949 Multiformat, the different models belonging to the Flextight Precision, together with the current flagships Hasselblad Flextight XI Multiformat - 8,000 optical dpi - and Hasselblad Flextight 2 Multiformat - 6300 optical dpi- featuring a 4.8 DMax dynamic range, vertical optical device and CCD sensor with top-notch Rodenstock lens directed downwards, which creates an optical path without glasses between the original negative or slide and the quoted lens).

In tests carried out with 35 mm format Fuji Acros 100 digitized with Epson Perfection 4990 and Nikon Super Coolscan 9000 scanners, making enlargements up to substantial sizes (30 x 40 cm and 50 x 70 cm) on Fuji Crystal Archive photographic paper, this formidable Japanese black and white film has utterly shown its deserved fame.

RESOLVING POWER
60 pairs of lines / mm at 6:1 and 200 pairs of lines / mm at 1000 : 1

Copyright Text and Photos: José Manuel Serrano Esparza