Digital BW, The Print

Hi Stephen,

Hope you don't mind my jumping in on this thread with a couple of 
comments...

First, everyone understand that I have no interest in starting a film vs 
digital war...again! But, Stephen, I suggest that you not toss out your film 
cameras, yet. I've been, primarily, an avid B&W large format photographer --  
mostly 8x10 and some 4x5 -- for about 20 years. I've been shooting digital 
for about 4.5 years starting with a Nikon Coolpix 950, progressing rapidly 
through the Canon D30 to my current Canon 10D. Try as I may, and I've tried 
and tried again over the years, I cannot create a B&W print from a digital 
camera that really sings for me. Most likely it's just me because Greg 
Gorman, Ron Harris, and others create beautiful B&W that originated from 
digital cameras. I believe both use the Canon 1Ds. Maybe, my 10D is the 
limiting factor; not enough pixels. Maybe it's just that I've been looking 
at large format work for too many years...I don't know.

To be honest, I really don't think it's a film/digital thing. I have not 
been satisfied with scans from my medium format B&W work, either. But, I 
don't have a first-rate medium format scanner or, drool...drool, an Imacon 
so that my be the weak link in this chain. I can tell you this...just 
yesterday I framed an 11x14 B&W image printed with IP 6.0 onto Moab Entrada 
Natural which was scanned from an 8x10 Tri-X neg, and, IMHO, it's absolutely 
BEAUTIFUL. As a matter of fact, it's really the first print I've produced in 
4 years of playing around in the digital lightroom that I'd be proud to hang 
with ANY silver print. IMO it's better than any silver print that I was ever 
able to pull off in the analog darkroom from this neg. I have several of my 
digital B&W prints hanging in gallery style in my living room and I was 
astonished to see how far my digital B&W printing has come over the years. I 
called my wife over to see and she commented that she noticed the difference 
from across the room. Damn, makes me want to go back and re-do the others, 
now! <g>

My suggesstion would be to play around with digital B&W with whatever 
digital camera you currently own. Hang on to the "old" stuff. You may be 
back! As for me, I'm seriously considering breaking out the old 8x10, buying 
some Tri-X and hitting the countryside to see what new images await me.

Have fun! I'd be interested in hearing your comments regarding B&W from 
digital once you get going with it.

Regards,
Alan Huntley

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Stephen Kobrin" <kobrins@...>
To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, November 26, 2004 7:20 PM
Subject: Re: [Digital BW] ditigal cameras for B&W (OT)




Thanks Ken and Paul,

I have been printing using MIS inks for a number of years and now use
a 1280 with the UT2 inkset and am pleased with the results.  However,
to this point I have been scanning film.  My question really revolved
around trying digital capture rather than film.  However, I think
that you both provided enought information about cameras and the G2
to get me going.

Steve