Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Djon"
<westsidemaurice@y...> wrote:
snip...
> 8 Vs 16 bit is not necessarily important.
snip...

and

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Tom Andrews"
<tandrews@b...> wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> In my own experience I have yet to find any use for 16-bit files,
which agrees 
> with Dan Margulis' ideas (check out long discussions on Colortheory
list).
snip...

As someone who works on other people's files on a regular basis I can
vouch for the unquestioned advantage of hi bit for B&W.
Currently I'm struggling with banding in gradated skies that have come
in from someone who knows what they are doing, made otherwise good
scans, but with an old Imacon that would not yeild 16 bit (could have
been old software).
I've seen it time and time again.
I regularly rescan for people because of this, many pro scanning
services will not offer 16 bit, nor understand why you want it.
We're in a niche here.
If you are fine with 8 bit files, keep working and be grateful. But if
you keep going with this stuff over the years, particularly single
channel B&W gray files with extremely accurate output systems, you
will find the need to go to 16 bit.
Who has time to argue with Margulis, he doesn't do what we do, and
most of us who work with this stuff every day know he's wrong for our
application of the technology.
If you are interested in someone who knows what they are talking about
and can counter him, go to Bruce Lindbloom's site.
Tyler