Digital BW, The Print

On 10/10/02 9:08 AM, "Austin Franklin" <darkroom@...> wrote:

>> [snip]
>>> If you are scanning 35mm, and will
>>> be making huge
>>> prints on the Epson 10000, then you really have one choice- a Tango scan
>>> mounted with Kami fluid on the drum. That film is just too
>> small to get a
>>> really good scan on anything
>>> less.
>>> 
>> IMO, if you are regularly attempting to push 35mm beyond its limits (e.g.,
>> huge prints), no amount of drum scanning, prayer or voodoo magic can help
>> you. You should really be skipping the drum scans and putting that money
>> toward a film format that CAN handle the gigantic prints.
>> 
>> As long as you respect the inherent limits of the film format and are able
>> to get a decent exposure on film, I see no need to ever get a
>> 35mm drum scan
>> vs. what you can get with one of the 4000dpi dedicated film scanners and a
>> reasonably talented operator. Unless you just have some excess money you
>> need to get rid of, in which case feel free to give me a call.... ;-)
>> 
>> Doug
> 
> Doug,
> 
> Though I agree with you completely in principle, there are ways of getting
> amazing results from 35mm, and one is to use a tripod.  You won't get better
> than 40lp/mm from hand held no matter how hard you try...and that's usually
> the killer, more so than simply film grain.  The obvious other, is to use
> the best films you can, with careful exposure and development.  I get some
> absolutely amazing results from Delta 100 and Plus-X from 35mm film.
> 
> Austin
> 
> 
Absolutely, and consider using a rangefinder instead of an SLR (either 35 or
medium format).  I've recently started shooting a Mamiya 7II for some
landscape work.  Its really incredible what you can get handheld without a
giant mirror to rattle the works.  The mamiya 6x7 negs are just begging for
something bigger than my 7000.

Robert