I read Adams and he say he rarely took a preface shot. All his stuff was darkroom work. Read that in the book "The Print"  He showed how he did it worth the money if you doing dark room work. I not but I did some and I know what they talking about. Not good at it but ...
How about the big camers I guess they take good b/w? I love to get on ot thoses 16x20 lol

what you see is not what you know; it in your face