Digital BW, The Print

Had a brief conversation with A&I this afternoon, and the particular 
Lightjet they are using to output film for enlargment only goes up to 
8x10. In that they use Ilford Delta 100.  Their Lightjet 5900 is called 
in for print output, and I think will image larger film sizes but not 
as well.  What works best for contacting is a question for them 
directly.

> I wish I could follow up on this workflow: make a high resolution 
> scan of a good 4x5 original neg, manipulate it in Photoshop, output a 
> neg to silver 20X24 B&W film using the Lightjet, contact print on a 
> premium fiber paper. I suspect that it might be the Rolls-Royce 
> method of silver printing with a Rolls-Royce price unfortunately.
> 
> I haven't seen the Duratrans material but I noticed it as a Lightjet 
> output option at the A&I website. (Both Benoit and I have e-mailed 
> them invitations to joint the group here. If you see them, pass it 
> along in case they missed it.) I believe it is the color transparency 
> material for large displays. I saw something like this a few years 
> ago and the clear film had a grainy quality that might be a problem 
> for contact printing.
> 
> Do you recall what profile you used with Piezo to print on the 
> Pictorico?
> 

I think it was Epson Photo Paper.


> Piezo summit?

Yes, the West Coast Imaging Piezography summit in Oakhurst, CA, just 
outside Yosemite.  Check on their website, http://westcoastimaging.com.  
I heard a rumor Jon Cone may be there.

Phil
http://philbard.com
> 
> Enjoy and thanks for all the info.
> 
> Martin
> 
> 
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Phil Bard" <phil@p...> 
> wrote:
> > Martin,
> > 
> > I'm not sure if the limit on size has to do with the capability of 
> the 
> > LJ or simply what is feasible for them to stock in terms of the 
> film.  
> > The machine is capable of making prints up to 48x96 so I wouldn't 
> think 
> > that it's a magnification issue.  I'm expecting to see them before 
> I go 
> > off to the Piezo Summit on Friday, and I'll try to remember to 
> ask.  
> > It's one of about 15 questions I have for them so I'll do my best 
> to 
> > remember. Although expensive (its all relative of course- how much 
> for 
> > an Epson 7000 and software??) the production of a high quality 
> contact 
> > neg could well be the best possible way to print silver.  Its a one-
> > time charge for each neg, afterall...
> > 
> > Don't know about Duratrans, does it have an absorbant layer to hold 
> the 
> > ink?  If not you will get pooling.  I've only briefly tested the 
> > Pictorico, and as I said, the blacks were a little weak. I used an 
> 1160 
> > with PiezoBW inks. For continuous tone images perhaps it would be 
> fine 
> > as the edge sharpness might be less of an issue than with type. 
> Also 
> > maybe the quantity of ink laydown could be tweaked.  I couldn't get 
> the 
> > detail to stay tight and wonder if something wasn't set up right.  
> I 
> > did a nozzle alignment and that was right on, but the fine detail 
> was 
> > not up to par, in my opinion.  Perhaps I'll take another shot at 
> it, 
> > although I have some other priorities that are in first place.
> > 
> > Cheers,
> > Phil
> > http://philbard.com
> > 
> > 
> > > As far as the work flow goes, I wasn't thinking that the contact 
> neg 
> > > had to be from any particular digital printer. In theory I would 
> > > think that a laser printer such as the Lightjet would have an 
> edge in 
> > > sharpness. From A&I's site I gather there is a size limitation. I 
> > > wonder if you supplied them with 11X14, 16X20 or large sheet film 
> > > (special order from Kodak or other)if the printer could handle 
> it? (I 
> > > sent them an invitation to join the list their input would be 
> great.)
> > > Obvious the cost would be going very high at this point but it 
> might 
> > > be the ultimate silver print method in terms of sharpness.
> > > 
> > > Do you think printing a negative image on the Duratrans material 
> > > would be feasible?
> > > 
> > > I have several heard conflicting reports over the use of the 
> inkjet 
> > > on the Pictorico material for contact negs. Can you tell me what 
> your 
> > > workflow and ink set was for your attempt at this?
> > > 
> > > Thanks,
> > > Martin
> > >