Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "TFielder" <tfielder@...> wrote:
>
> I'm heading out to Utah this weekend and to the Sierra's next month. 
> I understand that film scans may likely result in better data files
> for printing.  I have a Canon 20D; Nikon 35 mm film and a medium
> format film camera.  My question is, should I shoot the 35 mm and get
> high resolution scans or shoot with the median format?  After
> scanning, will the medium format platform out-perform the data I can
> get from the 35 mm sufficient to offset the additional effort?  My
> second question pertains to choice of film.  Should I shoot with
> Velvia, Tri-X or maybe just color film and convert to B & W in
> Photoshop?  Finally, does anyone have a recommendation for a reliable
> film-scanning service?
> 
> Thanks to all.  I appreciate your thoughts.
> 
> Tom
>
The advantage of the medium format size film is you get much more detail than the 35 
mm.  Calypso imaging in Santa Cruz CA can do the scans for you.  I shoot with a 
Hasselblad using Fuji Acros and scan it in with my own film scanner, a Minolta Dimage 
Mjltipro.  The newer Nikon 9000 will do excellent job scanning.  I scan at 3200 dpi but 
the newer Nikon will scan medium format uninterpolated at 4000 dpi.  When I scan I scan 
the image as an rgb positive and then invert it in photoshop. Make sure you are working 
at 48 bits also.

The medium format has just that much more data which you can take advantage of in 
photoshop.

I have yet to find a way to convert color to b&w that meets the detail and subtlety of the 
film that I use.  As I said, I shoot Fuji Acros and develop in Pyro.  

Good luck.

Mike