Digital BW, The Print

That's an interesting way to work Jimbo.

 

I admit to reprising your experience with 35mm film cameras and film..too
many and too much!  I too work almost exclusively via the digital route.

 

I have kept my 4x5 kit but wonder if I will ever use it again.  I recently
sold virtually all of my Jobo equipment except for a tempering box.  I
thought that I could till develop any 4x5 negatives by inspection ( I had
become reasonably proficient at DBI ) and my 35mm film using the tempering
box.  However, now I wonder if such efforts are still worthwhile.

 

My 8x10 is gone but I still have the "best negatives".  I have had a few of
the negatives scanned and printed by the analog route.  I am in the midst of
comparing such prints with digital ink jet prints made from the same scans.
If more immediate relevance perhaps is a comparison of a few of my "native"
digital files ( from the Monchrome and the Leica Vario ) printed using the
Cone inks and profiles with prints of the same files via the analog route. 

 

One might embrace "digital" as a way to broaden various analog options.  For
example, as some skilled photographers are doing, one might use either
native digital files or scanned analog files and create a larger negative to
be used for Platinum printing.  

 

Might you tell us who develops your film?  Also, do you own a drum scanner,
or have the negatives scanned elsewhere?  

 

Elliot

 

From: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com] 
Sent: Saturday, March 14, 2015 9:30 AM
To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Digital BW] Rolleiflex to be liquidated

 

  

Yup I agree , but it's a sign of the times with everything that is going on
with digital. Sadly we'll likely see more of it as time goes on.. 

So a share for those of us that are stubborn ..well, or think they are.
I'll admit to not shooting 35mm film anymore but still have one heck of a
stable of 35mm camera's and literally hundreds of rolls of transparency and
B&W film.. Like David I have a Pentax 6x7 also have a couple of 4x5's and
8x10's. Plus a zoom back for the 4x5. These I still shoot. And I think I
have enough film to last easily the rest of my life.. I have for many years
used a process of shooting film , drum scanning & print.. Sadly I never got
much into the dark room side of it like so many did.. when I discovered
drum scanning that was the way I choose to go so abandoned the print side of
my old dark room. I do have a film processer so I can develop my own but
generally it's easier for me to ship it out for developing to a lab as my
volumes are low..

Anyway for the past couple of years I've been doing something a bit off the
wall and it has honestly helped me justify keeping that side of it going..
So I'd like to share that. I have only been doing it with 4x5 so far.. The
only images I am doing this with are images that are worth doing it with so
for me some of my best.. I scan the film or transparency and when I'm
satisfied with the file and the print I sign the film with a Sharpie. I've
been doing the prints a bit on the larger side, and attaching the film to
the back of the framed art work and it goes with the sale. I can still make
another print if needed with the file but am only doing a smaller version.
I have only done three of these so far and I'm hoping to get to maybe three
or four of these a year.. assuming I get the right images and still have the
guts to continue something that many would likely consider pretty stupid.
For me this is justifying keeping this gear and has added a totally
different market that I think will make it work for me. It has really
changed pretty much everything in how I look at it. 

jimbo

From: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com] 
Sent: Friday, March 13, 2015 10:03 PM
To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Digital BW] Rolleiflex to be liquidated

It's a real shame to see this happen. I was more of a Pentax 6x7 fan, but
all medium format cameras are/were great.

The longevity problem created by the digital switch is difficult to
confront, too. You could buy a Rollei and shoot with it the rest of your
life. If things went really bad, you might need to replace it once. The
bellows on your view camera might need to be replaced a couple of times. And
your enlarger might need realignment and an occasional new bulb. As long as
you could get film, your old box that holds film was good to go.

Now, your digital camera is obsolete in a couple of years and quits working
in just a few more. With analog, when a new film came out, you could buy a
roll and get improved images for a couple of dollars. Now, if a new sensor
comes out, its of no use to you unless you buy a whole new camera. And
certain manufacturers don't have a problem making your lenses obsolete at
the same time. (Isn't that right, Sony?!)

Though I went 100% digital six years ago, I hate to see this stuff go.

David Kachel

___________________

Artist-Photographer

Fine B&W Photographs

WEBSITE: www.davidkachel.com

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EMAIL: david@...

PO Box 173

Globe, AZ 85502

(928) 275-0925

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