Digital BW, The Print

Hello Helene,

>Which scanner are you using on your medium format Tri-X negatives?  

I use an Epson 1600SU with a transparency adapter.



>What developer do you use?

HC-110 when I do it myself, or Tmax when a local lab does it.



>Are your 2200 prints large or small?  

Depends on the source image, just like with enlarger prints.  4x5, 6x6
and 645 scans I go up to 11x14.  35mm and 4mp digicam images (Canon
G3) I usually limit to 8x10.  


>I ask because I am wondering about the grain issue with Tri-X 
>and BO printing.  

IMO the difference between a 35mm scan and a 4x5 scan is going to show
up in a large print no matter what ink system is used.  Printing with
the BO technique will not exaggerate the limitations of the smaller
neg, nor will it diminish the advantages of the large neg.  If you
enlarge a 35mm scan to 16x20 then it's going to look grainy (or
pixellated) even with the Septone system.  I've printed all the above
mentioned formats, and the differences among them are exactly like
what I experienced in wet prints.  

As for BO, the dots are so small on these modern printers that
resolution is becoming a non-issue.  There is some extremely fine
detail in the new 4x5 interior shot (ornamentation on the column and
cracks in the plaster, etc) and the resolution of the 2200 with BO at
2880 is incredible.  The smallest details are clearly and sharply
rendered.

Another thing to consider is that as the print size increases the ink
dots do _not_ increase in size or spacing.  It's not like film grain.
 A larger print does not emphasize the dots any more than a small
print.  The practical effect is actually the reverse, as normally the
viewing distance increases.   If you need a loupe to see the dots on a
5x7 print, you'll still need the loupe to see them on a 16x20.

Each of the major systems (MIS, Piezotone, Septone, RIPs, BO) has
its own unique look.  The resolution in the print comes from the
printer technology, not the ink system.  All of these systems, used on
a 2200 at 2880dpi, will have equal resolution.  They may look a bit
different because of how the driver lays down and/or blends the the
droplets, but on a 2200 you can't get the droplets any smaller than
4pl or any closer than 2880dpi.  

Since it requires no special investment, I recommend printing a
variety of images with BO and see if you like the results.  I really
don't think the size or quality of the source image or the print size
makes any more difference with BO than with any other system.  It's
really a matter of whether you like the look in general.  

Regards,
Clayton


Info on black and white digital printing at    
http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm