Please help if knowledgable with Fuji Frontier systems

Hello all,

 

I have some 35mm (135) negatives (B&W C41) that I want printed. I'm

in Taiwan as a foriegner. The lab, which developed and printed the

film, has a Fuji Frontier system.

 

I want to get some re-prints, but this time I want them with a

border, and at 6x8 rather than 4x6, and showing the entire negative

[they cropped some of the negative in the 4x6 prints]. They tell me

that it is not possible with the Frontier. Is this true? They said

that if I had it scanned first, and then printed, they could do it

with the border, showing the full frame at 6x8...but I'd rather not

pay for the scanning.

 

Does anyone know if I can get:

 

1) 6x8 prints showing the entire image from the negative with a white

border on good glossy paper

 

Using:

 

1) Ilford XP2-Super B&W C41 Process Film AND mounted Velvia slides

2) Fuji Frontier (unknown model # - if there are different ones)

3) good glossy paper

4) 1 dim-witted Canadian

5) 2 seemingly knowledgable Taiwanese people

 

I told them I would ask around to see and then come back. Hope

someone can help. Thanks!

Hi, Guhan. Okay so first you realize that 6x8 won't show the full frame unless your white borders are uneven right? If you want 6x9 with white borders, they could do that directly at the machine. If you want 6x8 with uneven white borders, they'd have to scan it over to another computer and set it to print as 6x8 but resize the actual image to fit the full frame into the 6x8. It would hardly be any more work than just printing directly from the machine, but they are correct. Still, I can't imagine that they would charge you very much for the scan. The scan wouldn't even have to be at very high resolution. Less than an 8x10 obviously. In any case, if you indeed meant 6x8, then they are correct.

So, if I am happy with 6x9...I'll get a full image (no cropping) with even white borders?

 

I am also fine with uneven white borders. Is it the even borders on 6x8 which isn't possible?

Correction to my last post:

 

So if I'm happy with 6x9, I'll get a full frame (no cropping) picture with borders (even or uneven - both are fine)?

 

Thanks for the help :)

I use a lab with a fuji frontier and they regularly make 6x9 'strip prints' for me but charge me an 8x10 price. I could also get strip prints on a 5x7 size sheet if I wanted for a 5x7 price. So what you may need to do is inquire about their 'strip prints'.

Can you please tell me what a "strip print" is?

G,

 

When they suggested to have it scanned first, did they mean scanned on the Frontier, or scanned at home, or at a pro lab? My Frontier guy here in Central Taiwan charges me an extra NT$30 per roll for 300dpi scans - not much at all.

 

OT - if you're interested, a friend and I are going on a photo-shoot in some Hakka villages in Hsinchu county this weekend. If you want to come along, send me an email.

 

Craig

Hey Craig...yup, its 30NT here too (per pic at there best res)...but I'm getting about 15 rolls done (total $16,000), and I dont see the necessity in this situation...the pics are fine, i'm not going to post-process them...all I want is a border

...but I could have been mistaken, it might have been $30 for the roll...do you know the pinyin for "roll"?

Even when the print size is proportional to 35mm frame size, the few

Frontiers I've used crop liberally. In fact this was one of the big

complaints when Chasseur d'Images reviewed digital minilabs. However

maybe the "strip print" or "border" print solve the problem. A border

print has margins on all 4 sides, while a strip print has margins on

just 2 sides. E.g. http://colorgenesis.com/guides_tips.html

No, I don't know the pinyin for roll. But I'd be amazed if it's $30 per pic on a Frontier - check with them again.

I may be wrong... but when you print any size from a 35mm (machine print) you always lose a little. no? it's never 100% full frame, even when it's in the same proportion as your neg (i.e 4x6,6x9, 8x12)

I think what they were trying to say was that you will need to scan it on a seperate scanner ( not the frontier scan) and then lay it out and print it digitally so that you can have 100% from your neg.<p>

does this make sense?<p>

--Roy www.NYvisual.com

I'm not sure Roy. But it seems strange to me that these expensive machines can't duplicate the simplest task in a home darkroom.

 

Choose your paper, adjust the lenses distance from the baseboard so the whole thing is in (with borders if you like), focus, make the print.

 

I don't understand why such an expensive machine can't just be loaded with whatever size paper, and then told to project whatever standard sized image onto the larger sized paper.

 

But they weren't talking about scanning on a different scanner...they said they can use the Frontier scan...all they were saying was that it must be digitized first, then printed from a digital file.

I run a Frontier every day. 3 comments:

 

The Frontier can make a 100% full frame print, no cropping, even can show the sprocket edges.

 

The Frontier can make ANY size print from 3.4x5 to 10x15. ANY size in between. With ANY border size, even or uneven.

 

However, a person must first know how to do it.

 

 

-Dave

David, thanks for that answer, but normally, without making a special request from a lab, a 4x6 wouldn't be a 100% full frame would it (even borderless)?

David!!!! The world makes a bit more sense again after reading your post.

 

Is there any way you can describe how this can be done? The lab won't let me do it of course, but they wouldn't mind if I told them/pointed/etc... Is there an online manual? Please anything...

The Frontier system is capable of printing any size provided the template (size) is loaded onto the Frontier system. There are generally individual templates or settings for borderless prints.

 

mdd

Hi guys...well I've finally gone nuts so I've decided to start beating myself with my camera rather than using it, it feels a bit better. It doesn't seem like I'll get the kind of prints I want in this city. Every question I've asked today has been answered with "Taiwan mayo" (Taiwan doesn't have). Sometimes I wish the Japanese were still here.

 

Anyways. Like I said, I've lost it, so dont pay any attention to that.

 

Craig: I asked again at the shop, it is $30 per pic, but like I said, its the highest res scan their Frontier can produce. Of the 15 rolls, there are at least 150pics I want scanned...so I think I'm just buying a dedicated film scanner. The threads I've read on Frontier scanning don't give it much praise as compared to something I can have sitting on my desk at home.

 

These are pics of my brother's wedding which is why I'm being particular about the scans and prints.

 

In any case...thanks for the help everyone. And if anyone knows of a pro-lab in Taiwan, please let me know. I'm not a pro by any means, but it seems like only such a place will be able to give me peace of mind (here at least).

 

Later

Michael: Is this a physical template, or a software template? If software, can it be downloaded and installed (free)? Fuji's website has 4 data files listed for this Frontier (350). I don't see any software templates tho.

 

About pro labs: I'm looking for one anywhere in Taiwan. I'm in Kaohsiung, but I'll travel anywhere on the island. A little frustrating given there is a photofinisher every two blocks.

 

Thanks again for the help everyone

G,

 

There's a pro-lab in Taipei called Jazz, they're meant to be the best in Taiwan. Their phone is 02 2721 9011.

 

I've not found anywhere in taiwan that sells dedicated film scanners - if you find a place, could you let me know where it is?

 

Thanks,

Craig

Remember, not every Frontier can print 10" the 390 will only goto 8". Plus not all labs have 10" paper. I've added about 8 extra "sizes" to both of mine. We would do wallets from neg without using pic unit

Hey Craig...are you telling me "Taiwan mayo?" :)

 

I haven't looked at dedicated film scanners, but I've been buying stuff from the States with no hassels (no unexpected huge customs fees either - but I haven't bought a camera body, only lenses and accessories). I don't think a film scanner would incur a huge customs fee. If I remember you don't have a credit card...me too. B&H accepts wire transfers, as do a surprising number of other online retailers.

 

I don't do this often, additional charges can get up there...but more times than once it has been the only option after hearing "Taiwan mayo."

Oh Sorry Craig...one thing. I did see a Nikon 5000ED for $48,000NT in Tapei last weekend. I couldn't tell you the name of the store, but it was one of the many around Main Station. They are just a couple storefronts up from the Subway sandwiches. They've got some very large telephotos in the window...and they had the most complete Ilford line I've seen in Taiwan.

The frontier is able to do a full frame scan by turning on the full frame scan option in the print screen then using the center crop adjustment to adjust how much of the negative is scanned, but this option is generally only available on Version 6.0 and up in the US version, not completely sure about other markets.