Noritsu/Frontier Lab using B&W Paper for digital files

I have done the exploration of sending digital B&W grayscale files to the local Costco Noritsu for output.

No matter what ICC/Dry Creek Profile monkey business you apply to your images, you are still printing to

Fuji Crystal Archive COLOR paper (Type C print?) so you are bound to get a color cast to your output.

Some days its magenta, some blue, some green. There is no rhyme or reason, and understandably so

considering the production volume of granma's 4x6s they crank thru the machines.

 

I have heard that there are some Noritsu/Fuji/Frontier Labs that load the machines with a B&W paper

(brand unknown or unimportant at this point) and that superior digital output results are possible with

this setup. No color casts because it is impossible for the "Color" space of a B&W paper to produce such

color demons.

 

Does anybody know of a lab that uses this setup?

Do they also have an uploading/ftp service available?

I am in San Diego Calif. and physical location is not too important with the internet and delivery options.

 

I would appreciate anybody's experiences and or +/-s of this setup and usage.

 

Thank you so much in advance...I couldnt find an answer to this on photo.net or found the right question

to ask google yet.

 

John Thurston

Try mpix.com.

The color cast is not because they are using color paper, it's because the machine isn't balanced properly. These machines use color chemistry and can't use true black & white paper. Kodak used to make a B&W paper meant for C-41, but it ran magenta no matter what you did. It was called Ektamax, but I don't think they make it any more. Costco's job is to sell you 12 cans of peas for 25 cents each, not to deliver high quality prints. Find a good lab that knows how to balance a machine.

Try WHCC at whcc.com.....inexpensive and good

Adorama and MPIX both offer digital prints on ILFORD B&W paper.

 

For what it's worth, I've always received nice, dead-neutral B&W prints on Adorama's Royal and Portra color papers. But certainly the ILFORD B&W paper is the ultimate choice, especially in regards to longevity.

There are some labs that will run black and white RA-4 paper in there machines, in

fact oriental makes a RA-4 black and white paper that is beautiful, however it is few

and far between. However, with the equipment that Costco has you should be getting

better results than you are. Did you tell them that you are wanting good black and

white prints. If they can't do it find a lab that can. The photo machines these days can

make a great looking black and white print on color paper with no color shift at all.

Now when I say a great print, I am not comparing it to a fiber black and white custom

print, nothing can compare to that.

winkflash.com is consistently neutral (or close to it given that Crystal Archive inherently shows metamerism) but if you get serious about B&W digital, it's time to get yourself an inkjet. I have an Epson R220 with MIS grey inks and recommend this approach for quality. Dead neutral (or warm if I set it warmer) and no metamerism.

Well thanks for the informative answers.

I have some interesting news to share also.

 

I spoke with a Rod Parsons at Ilford/Harmon recently about this subject. At Photkina they

just announced a new "Digital Optical" Series of B&W papers for the class of Durst/OCE etc

machines. It come as wide as 50" and in both RC Pearl and Fiber Pearl.

As this technology comes to fruition, it not only will archivally wash the fiber, but can

Selenium tone when output. I told him he's taking all the fun and smell out of the dark

room. Perhaps they are being overly optimistic but why not! Ten years ago you never

would have dreamed of such a device, let alone any digital cameras worth anything.

 

Check it out:

http://www.ilfordphoto.com/products/producttype.asp?n=4&t=Photographic+Papers

+Digital

 

Any lab running a Durst (Lambda, Theta etc.) or OCE output processor can make the

tweaks to use this B&W setup. Its all a matter of market demand in admittedly a small but

growing niche area.

 

Right now Mpix/Miller Labs in Columbia MO is using it. Also Printroom.com in Santa Clara

CA has this ability. Similar labs in Berkeley, Los Angeles, Dallas and others are looking at

this setup. They are mid-ranged priced between the uber cheap/color crap at Costco and

high priced and low volume "B&W" digital color niche labs.

I heartily recommend giving them a shot with our collective work and lets see what cutting

edge can deliver, good or bad? It can only get better with time and user input.

 

Yes a properly calibrated and non-Costco Naritsu type device can give better image

output, but it is no where near wet darkroom look still. Chrome Lab in San Diego has a

very competent operator and output for me locally. You get what you pay for. It's 10X the

cost of Costco. Photodyne also here in San Diego has a Durst Lambda processor and may

be considering the B&W paper switch.

 

Yes I could fork out lots for replacement inks and better inkjet printers. That puts the onus

on me to stay in step with the technology changes, when a competent and well capitalized

lab can fork out the dough (90K+) for setup and give me superior results and I have no

"down time" to my investment in hopelessly and rapidly outdated equipment when I have

occassional Digital B&W output needs.

 

I would be interested to hear of anybody's results and successes and horror stories with

this emerging field.

 

Thanks again.

 

John

Does anyone know of a European (preferably UK) lab printing on the new Ilford digital papers? I know that Metro's Argento service in London is doing it, but prices start at 15 GBP for a 10 x 8 on the RC paper.