Semi-Digital Workflow

[j._michael]

Having seen many great looking scanned negatives (B&W) that have been

uploaded to these forums, I would like to try to get more involved

in digital as well. Plus, I have no area for a darkroom anymore but

could possibly make some room to develop negatives.

 

How I see the process is:

 

1. develop B&W negatives

2. proof by scanning (view on the screen)

3. print - ???

 

Can a B&W print (comparable quality to traditional) be done on the

computer for a reasonable cost? OR Is the best I can expect more of

a quick proof quality?

 

Should I send the negative or the digital file to the print lab?

What is the cost difference and/or benefit of one vs. the other?

 

I would like to hear how some of you are incorporating digital

technology into the traditional workflow.

 

Thanks!

[gannet___]

<i>Can a B&W print (comparable quality to traditional) be done on the computer for a reasonable cost?</i><br>

I would say yes, but it depends on what you mean by "reasonable" and "comparable". Some folks think it can't be done, but I've seen prints that I find fully satisfactory, and some others, with far more B&W experience than mine, say the same. Some disagree. It is not (yet) a plug & play process. Expect a considerable learning curve.<p>

<i>Is the best I can expect more of a quick proof quality?</i><br>

No, that would be an overstatement. The best you can expect is very, very good. Whether it is "as good as" the best silver prints is where the debate lies.<p>

<i>Should I send the negative or the digital file to the print lab?</i><br>

The digital file. elsewise you both lose control, and have to pay for them to scan it. Part of the beauty of scanning is you are in control. All you have to work out after that is how to get your final image to look the same way on paper as it does on the screen. This can be a not-insignificant task.<p>

All just IMO.

[steve_hovland]

I think analog to digital is the most cost-effective approach at this point.

 

People say good things about the results from under-$400 Epson scanners- a real bargain compared to $10,000+ backs.

 

Do your cropping, dodging, and burning in photoshop and then send the digital file to the lab- custom print at machine price. Get a printer and make 4x5 or 4x6 guide prints, and discuss what you want with the lab.

[gene crumpler]

I don't know how much you know about photoshop, but I've been getting good results from a consumer photo quality inkjet printer using diotones, tritones and quadtones. Using this approach, one can get good B&W(technically monochrome)images by not even trying to duplicate a fine B&W silver print. I have a B&W darkroom, so I can get nice silver prints anytime I want to invest the time in producing them.

 

With photoshop, you could shoot a good negative color film like Supra 100 (soon to be 200), have it processed by your minilab and then have the option of doing either color and/or B&W(monochrome)from the same negative. Also you can use Ilford xp2 and kodak CN 400 for B&W only, process in C41 at the minilab and then scan. For the lower end scanners, these films scan better than silver B&W negatives. With digital you have a whole range of options.

 

For more B&W see

 

http://home.att.net/~nikonguy

[andrew_ito]

I'm scanning medium format color transparencies on a flatbed

scanner and printing them on an Epson 1160 & 1520 both set

up with quadtone inksets. For some images, I have some

Tango drum scans made.

 

The Piezography software is great and easy to use and the

prints rival that of platinum prints. Epson's new 2200 is also

supposedly very good. I haven't used one yet, but people have

claimed it to be equal to or superior to the quadtone ink process.

This process when used with MIS or Piezotone inks are

considered archival with around a 100 year lifespan. You can

read up more on it at www. inkjetmall.com.

 

Good luck!

[barry schmetter]

A lot of this will depend on your personal preferences. I use a film--->digital workflow along side of a film--->silver gelatin print wet darkroom workflow. They both produce great results, not exactly the same, but both good.

 

For smallish prints (11x11), the digital workflow of scanning with an Eposon 2450 works pretty well. Right now I use conventional silver prints for 16x16 and 20x20 prints, but a good scan (drum or film scanner) with a high quality inkjet (Epson 2200, 7600, piezography) will produce a very nice larger print as well.

 

The link below shows an example of a 2450 scan that prints out to a very nice 11x11 inkjet print.

 

http://www.photo.net/photo/1024133&size=lg