[Bill Burk]

DMAX on the dr5 site or the 'filmreview' pages refers to the blackest areas of the films. In other words, where there isn't any image - to put it simply. The films run in dr5 are processed as transparencies/slides. DMAX is used in all measurement of transparencies, be they B&W or color.
How DMAX is used in other areas of photography is different.

dw

Thanks dw,

DMAX when you are talking about transparencies is important, the people watching a slide show see how rich the slides are. A low DMAX in a projected slide looks muddy or washed out.

(Compare this to printing from negatives where you choose the contrast of printing paper to make blacks richer).