OT: Printing from slides

[john dorfman]

May I tap the group's considerable expertise on the subject of making prints? I have

no scanning equipment, and I'm interested in making 8x10 prints from slides. A bit

OT, I realize, but most of the slides were made with a Leica! I'm not interested in

buying equipment right now, so do any of you have recommendations as to

exactly what the process should be and what kind of lab I should go to? How low can I

go on price (I'm in NYC), approximately, and still get good results? Yes, I know

everyone's idea of "good" is different... Also, I don't necessarily need to keep a disk

with the scan on it afterwards. And Cibachrome/Ilfochrome -- if it still even exists --

is not what I need. Thanks very much.

[matt_m__toronto_]

ilfochrome or high res scan is pretty much your only options. i'd go with a high res scan so as to have a copy on disc for reprints whenever you may need. since you're only doing 8x10, i wouldn't even bother with one of those fancy, high priced drum scans. find a small establishment or photographer with a nikon coolscan or something similar and get a 4000dpi scan, for $15-$20.

[shashikant_agarwal2]

If you have a Costco warehouse nearby, check if they will print from your slides. The Costco in Nashua, NH has a Noritsu 3101 that they use to scan slides and print photos from the scans. I found their charges to be pretty reasonable (around 40c for a 4x6 photo from a color slide) for me, since I print very selectively. I haven't gotten a 8x11 of a single slide, but I did get a proof sheet from them once. They scanned the entire roll and printed it on 8x12 for about USD 2.00. I'm assuming the same charge for a single 8x11 print.

 

While many of the prints came out fine, there were some prints where colors were quite dull, and the scan seemed underexposed (while the slide itself wasn't). For those, the lab tech said if I could scan the slide myself, and correct it for their color profile (found from http://www.drycreekphoto.com), they would print the scan for me for no extra charge (basically refunding the screwed-up prints). I've been too lazy to try that option, though.

 

Caveats: the machine they use apparently cannot scan traditional B&W film, only chromogenic. Slides I've had printed so far have included Kodak 100VS and Fuji Provia.

[preston_merchant]

In NYC, I use Alkit for 8x10 Frontier prints from slides. I think it's about $12--they look great. Modernage does a terrible job. I tried to use them for a while. The Alkit at 18th/Park Ave South has a tech manager who really knows what he's doing.

 

Despite all the noise about prints from slides vs. prints from negs, as long as the operator is smart, you can get excellent prints from slides from a Frontier. The operator is everything. Modernage uses a Frontier, and the slides I had printed there were awful--despite my repeated protestations and the fact that I had been a loyal customer for years.

[george_b1]

I agree with Preston. Here (Washington DC Metropolitan area) the Ritz Camera chain uses Fuji Frontier equipment. Our local outlet has made up to 8x10 prints with much better-than-average results. For larger prints, I use a custom lab that does Ilfachrome.

[john dorfman]

Thank you, Preston. That's exactly what I was after. I'll give Alkit the job.

[preston_merchant]

Alkit seems to have figured out that shooters of slides want prints that look like the slides. At some other places, the operator tries to pump up non-existent shadow detail, casting a gauzy glow over the entire picture. When you place your order, just to be safe, indicate "match slide." Naturally, it helps to expose properly from the outset. The stuff I have sent to Alkit has always been excellent.

[ravi_swamy]

Walmart will make a 4x6 print from slide for around 50 cents. They usually look pretty bad though depending on the operator. The Wolf Camera next door charges 99 cents and they look pretty good. When I want a better print I get a Cibachrome 5x7 for around $10 from a pro lab. The same pro lab will do a drum scan and Lightjet print for much more. I think $30-70. That is probably the best you can get.