Creating Digital B+W negatives

[leo_maniace2]

Can anyone direct me to a source for creating digital B+W negatives? I

wwould like to create digital B+W negatives for contact printing.

[brian_e]

there's a book on it, i forget the name of the guy.

 

20 seconds on google answered the question - dan burkholder.

 

http://www.danburkholder.com/Pages/main_pages/page1_main.htm

 

next time try google, it is the oracle. ;)

[gary_ferguson1]

Dan's book is mainly about producing digital negatives using a film writer. With the help of a friendly off-set web printer who has a film writer I produced some absolutely magnificent digital negatives using Dan's book as a guide.

 

Unfortunately I've been unable to come anywhere close to the same quality using an Epson 2100/2200 inkjet to print the negatives onto transparent film.

 

I've tried several different combinations with the Epson, different films, printing in red as well as black, different sharpening levels, and many permutations of tonal scale. I'm reasonably experienced at contact printing in a traditional wet darkroom, but whatever I try the results with inkjet digital negatives are always slightly disapointing. They're not too bad when viewed in isolation, but when seen alongside prints made with the film writer (or silver 10x8 contact prints) they just look soft and muddy.

 

For me digital negatives could be photographic nirvana, Photoshop control married to the gorgeous look of air-dried, glossy, fibre prints. And with a good film writer you can see what's possible. But with current inkjets and films I've been unable to realise the potential, if you fare better remember to let me know the secret!

[william_john_smith]

Burkholder has written a supplement called, "Inkjet Negative Companion". It includes a CD

with templates for use with Epson printers. You can order it through his site. I have tried

them with a 2200 and they work well.

 

Burkholder has moved away from film recorders and does it strictly with inkjet printers

now.

[roger hein]

I've used both Burkholder's and Schreiber's methods and have found Schreiber's to work

well with my 1280 & OHP for platinum printing.

 

Look under articles: http://www.jkschreiber.com/

 

I've just got my copy of Mark Nelson's book and am anxious to give it a try:

 

http://www.precisiondigitalnegatives.com/