Digital BW, The Print

Phil,

This gets more interesting all the time. I just might have to chase 
the spiders out of my enlarger.

I am not surprised that the scan is sharper than the silver print. 
There was a recent letter in a photo magazine (that I can dig out if 
you are interested) regarding the resolving power of silver paper. 
Contact printing a test target the author achieved 80+ lines per mm. 
When he put the target in his enlarger and did a 1-to-1 print the 
resolution dropped to 20.

As you say the real deciding point will be if the dynamic range is 
preserved. Pushing up paper grade to save a soft neg is rarely 
satisfying.

Are the negatives output onto a true B&W emulsion or do they use the 
color transparency material?

I develop in pyro, either PMK or my own formula. It would be 
interesting to scan in RGB and preserve the pyro stain in Photoshop 
(need to think about how to do that) and output the negative image to 
color transparency material keeping the yellow/green negative stain 
to print with.

Lots to think about.

Thanks,
Martin



--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Phil Bard" <phil@p...> 
wrote:
> Martin et al:
> 
> I've just posted some visuals for you on my website at the 
following 
> address:
> 
> http://philbard.com/tests.html
> 
> It shows what I have so far, which is lacking a successful film 
output, 
> but that will come in a day or two as just confirmed by phone with 
Chip 
> at A&I.  I will post further results as they come in.  Hope this is 
> more informative that just a written description.
> 
> Thanks for the comments on my site, Martin.  A&I has a site at:
> 
> http://www.AandI.com
> 
> You will find complete information on the services they offer, see 
the 
> Digital Services listings.  I used this lab for years for E6 
processing 
> when I ran a full studio over in Hollywood and they are extremely 
> reliable and quality-conscious.  They have one of the finest 
> reputations in LA among pro shooters.
> 
> I will be receiving 4x5 negs (from 4x5 originals) if the LightJet 
can 
> output sufficient quality at that size, which they indicate it can. 
If 
> I have to go to 8x10 it will cost more, but that's still an 
option.  I 
> will have to output at that size for the images I originally shot 
on 
> 8x10 anyways, but it's easier if I only have to print 4x5's.
> 
> Anticipated workflow is: Scan to file; contrast/burn/dodge/sharpen 
in 
> PhotoShop; move in a bunch of clouds and birds and scantily clad 
young 
> ladies (just kidding and no offense anyone); output film on the 
> LightJet; print silver in my darkroom OR create Piezo's on my 1160 
> (directly from the scans of course). As far as the dye inksets are 
> concerned, I'm not that deeply experienced with the archival 
varients, 
> perhaps someone else could comment. I'm already happy with the few 
> great looking Piezographs I've made so far.  If only I had a 7000...
> 
> The real trick here with the Lightjet output will be getting the 
> dynamic range transferred to the output neg in a manner that 
doesn't 
> require a significant upgrade to the contrast when I'm exposing on 
my 
> enlarger.  It would be nice to print at Grade 2 or 3.  Remains to 
be 
> seen.
> 
> Cheers,
> Phil
> http://philbard.com
> 
> 
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., mwesley250@e... wrote:
> > Phil,
> > 
> > Sounds really interesting and I have a bunch of questions for you.
> > 
> > Does A&I Digital have a website?
> > What size are the negs you are currently getting from them?
> > Do you foresee a workflow of scan to Photoshop to inkjet work 
print 
> > to transfer curve to LVT?
> > Since the finished product will be a silver print, would using 
one of 
> > the dye ink set for the inkjet work prints be closer to the 
silver 
> > print?
> > 
> > I will be eagerly awaiting updates on this as you can post them.
> > 
> > By the way I enjoyed your website portfolio very much. The hikers 
> > under the arch is wonderful. I hope to get an opportunity to see 
the 
> > original prints sometime.
> > 
> > Martin Wesley