hybrid workflow

Do you have a hybrid workflow, that is, do you shoot film, especially b+w, and then scan it -- no wet darkroom printing with an enlarger at all? If so, do you miss the old darkroom work? I am thinking of going the hybrid way--I think it is because the editing software I use (paint.net and adobe elements) has spoiled me for the traditional darkroom, only. (Standing on my feet for long periods isn't much fun anymore either.) It will mean getting rid of a lot of nice equipment tho--am in a quandry. Another problem is the scanning.. My scanner is getting old (Nikon 5000ed) -- if it craps out, don't know what I'll replace it with.

Hello Bruce & others. I "started" the hybrid work flow early 2010 when I put scanning ALL my B/W for "posterity" on my bucket list. . . actually, my niece "informed" me she would not keep boxes of negs & prints. . . Hawaii destroys both in quick order. Thumb drives Yes.

Until 2015, I might putz in the wet lab, but more & more, gave into the digital printing from both old & new negs. Final wet lab work was just weeks before the 2015 fire storm took the house & all with it. . .luckily 99% of my negs & all the scans were over in Puget Sound. Miss the "lab", somewhat, but not interested in rebuilding for tons of reasons, some you mention.

I use Epson V600 & V800 scanners & find them excellent for my level. A number of times since 2010 I have sent the negs out for drum scanning & super duper printing (archival ink sets). For two years I have put getting into high end digital printing on that bucket list, but so far, no go.

As too the "excess" lab equipement, find a school which has some type of photo program & donate it. I have started putting my 35mm SLR cameras into such a program with a fellow Photo.net buddy. If you need the bucks to support the digital "fix", go Ebay. Bill

Hi Bill;

It sounds like you don't miss the darkroom much at all. You say that the v600/v800 "..are excellent for my level". What do you mean by that last phrase "...for my level."? Do you know how the scans of bw 35 mm on the v800 would compare to scans on the Nikon 5000 ? (I've been looking into the alternative machines and the Epson v800 may be a reasonable alternative.

As I said, there is no reason to rebuild a wet darkroom. They are very enjoyable, but "labor" intensive. I will let 40+ years of "wet" be a memory for now. I do not require prints larger than 11x14 now, nor do I have "picky" customers badger me about this or that, so "that's my level". It would be nice to have some big box store put a line up of all the current scanners out for a test session, but I have not seen that event happening. I picked first the V600 when a friend allowed me the use of his machine for a week. The V800 came on board when I started to do a treasure trove of 4x5 & 8x10 negs. Selecting scanners is like new cars. . models galore!

I am actually partial to the V600 for 35mm & MF (I have 6x6,6x7 & 6x9 cameras). With the Better Scanning carrier it has just a little edge on the V800. My V600 is in Hawaii, the V800 here in Puget Sound. If you do not have need for the 4x5 scans, save a few hundred bucks with the V600. I see some excellent work with either machine, with native Epson or other software drivers. Bill

I started out thinking I would siply scan my b7w negs and print them but never got results I was happy with simply printing b&w digitally. That was early on in digital for me and I'm sure it made me not trust the process. I've recently put a darkroom back together and am going back to the old way of printing. It's much of what I enjoyed when it was the normal process and digital hasn't shown me anything I like better.

 

Rick H.