Digital BW, The Print

Anyone with tips, suggestions, or comments about scanning and
digitially printing 35mm b&w infrared (HEI). I last shot this film
about 25 years ago and would like to do some more. I'll be scanning
using a Minolta ScanDual II and Vuescan, Photoshop using XP, and
printing with a 1280 using FSN-E inks. 
Bob Michaels

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "bob_michaels" 
<bob@b...> wrote:
> Anyone with tips, suggestions, or comments about scanning and
> digitially printing 35mm b&w infrared (HEI). I last shot this film
> about 25 years ago and would like to do some more. I'll be scanning
> using a Minolta ScanDual II and Vuescan, Photoshop using XP, and
> printing with a 1280 using FSN-E inks. 
> Bob Michaels

Bob are you asking for advice on the digital only? I shoot a lot of 
Konica 750nm, IMO the HEI processed normaly (with those atrocious 
shadows and blown-out highlights) is probably capable of stumping 
any but the best scanners. I would suggest one of the newer (well, 
new-old)developers, PMK being choice #1. If you keep the dilution 
fairly low contrast it'll keep the highlights under control, and 
gives the finest grain I've seen on IR film. If you get the neg 
contrast under control, it shouldn't be much different from scanning 
any other B&W film. Of course, some people like the 'Pointilist' 
effect of golf-ball grain, in which case just worry about losing the 
extremes of the tonal range. 

Steve K

Hi Bob,

Some comments to add onto what Steve K. said. I've scanned some of my
HIE on an Imacon 848 and printed it out on Photo Rag with an Epson 9000
w/Warm Neutral Piezotones. As one would expect, that scanner can really get
the most out of the shadows. As I didn¹t have a lot of time I just started
with the canned Imacon Tri-X profile and did a bit of tweaking. I think the
largest I printed from 35mm was about 7x10 or so.

As Steve said, your best bet is to try to get a handle on the grain size
first. I use Wratten 25, 29, 87, and 87c filters. I like the results from
the opaque filters (87, 87c) far more than the results from the lighter reds
(25, 29), however, the darker the filter, the less detail in the shadows. It
is a trade off. I also tend to underexpose HIE a bit, and as you would
expect, that tends to give you finer grain. If you can, check out Laurie
White¹s ³Infrared Photography Handbook². On page 51 she shows the same image
exposed at four different asa¹s--that will give you an idea of where to
start.

I haven¹t varied much with my chemicals, so I haven¹t tried PMK. I¹ve always
used HC-110 dil. B, which could probably be improved on.

I have tried Dr5¹s process to make a positve, thinking that it might scan
more easily. I have not tried it with HIE yet, only the Maco. It may hold
some promise. See here:

http://www.dr5.com/hsir.html

I don¹t know if you are interested in medium format, but in order to get
greater IR enlargements, that is the way I am headed. David Romano cuts down
70mm HIE to 120. I have ten rolls in the freezer and can testify that he
does an amazing job. He rolls the film/paper tight enough that you can load
the film in subdued light. Read more here:

http://www.DavidRomano.com/

He is also modifying meters specifically for IR film. You pick the film and
he will set it to that film¹s curve.

I just talked to the importer of Maco IR film, and they are supposedly
announcing a new, faster version--but it is only going to offered in
4x5--which is what I really want--a replacement for the discontinued Kodak
HSI.

I don¹t know if you have already seen this, but the IR FAQ is very useful:

http://www.cocam.co.uk/CoCamWS/Infrared/INFRARED.HTM

Also, you may want to join the IR mailing list, here:

http://www.a1.nl/phomepag/markerink/ir_list.htm

(and it isn¹t as busy as this one...  :)  I get around two digests a week).

Feel free to email me off list if you wish,

Jon