Digital BW, The Print

On 28/12/03 10:18 am, "DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com"
<DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

> As I do a lot of B&W landscapes I have not made the switch to
> digital capture. I have been scanning 6x7 negatives to maximize
> print quality for 8x10 and 11x14 and use the 1280 w/PT Sellenium
> inks. I've been happy with the output. Needless to say, I would
> love ditch the film processing step, but assume that I would notice
> a significant difference in the output if I went to 35mm digital
> capture for this type of work.
> 
> However, for my smaller B&W 35mm work, like street work, that I
> would produce as 5x7 (or possibly 8X10), I have been thinking about
> a Nikon D100 (as I have Nikon lenses).
> 
> I would like some input before droping the money on a D100 body!
> 
> Questions:
> 
> 1.) Has anyone on this forum compared the piezo "small print"
> quality from 35mm/6+ mp digital versus 100 and 400 ASA film scanned
> at 4000 dpi? At 5x7, is there noticable/significant quality
> differences in the resulting print?

Val

My experiences for what they are worth - I find I am very dissatisfied with
400ISO B&W film scanned from the grain point of view. Tri-X, TMax and HP5
are what I've used and disliked - Delta 400 scans better but I don't like
the overall tonality.

100ISO films are better. I've had some good results with FP4 but I've landed
on using Fuji Velvia as my source for some B&W landscapes. It is effectively
grain free - scans very well and can be digitally enlarged to Super A3 B&W
(I use Permajet/MIS septone inks in an Epson 1200) with great results. Need
a tripod and a good lens to start with (by good I mean distortion free in
this context)

Overall I find at 5x7 there is noticeably less granularity from digital (I
use a D100) with everything except the Velvia (Provia 100, Ektachrome 100
too at this size). I'm very cautious of the higher sensitivities on the D100
unless I want film size chroma noise in my digital images.
 
> 2.) Assuming there are folks on this list that are using the
> 35mm/6+ mp cameras...what is your overall satisfaction level with
> this tool matched with the piezo system?

I have been very happy with the D100 for colour capture but I just cannot
take the camera out and think B&W. I find this one of the biggest drawbacks
to digital as it stands! My own way of working may give you a good idea of
my opinions:

B&W landscape work either 1) 35mm Fuji Velvia - 4000dpi scan - Photokit or
similar layered conversion to B&W with some micro dodge/burn on adjustment
layers and always some spotting (I do my own E6 in clinically clean
conditions and even then you need some spotting) or 2) 6x6cm Ilford SFX (no
filter) scanned on Epson 2450 flatbed - I prefer this route to the above as
I still cannot think B&W with Velvia in my cameras

Colour landscape either 1) colour from Velvia/Provia/Ektachrome original
above 2) D100  both to A3 Ilford Smooth Gloss or Pearl on profiled Epson
2100.

The D100 images will stretch to 13x19 inch Super A3 with care over workflow,
and sharpening. I've found Nikon Capture essential (haven't tried the Abobe
Raw plug-in though)

If you want to take this further contact me off list
--
Regards
David Prakel

Centre of Britain PhotoWorkshops Partnership
www.photopartners.co.uk

David...Thanks for sharing so much.  You have given me a lot to 
think about...Val

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, PhotoWorkshops 
Partnership <info@p...> wrote:
> On 28/12/03 10:18 
am, "DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com"
> <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
> 
> > As I do a lot of B&W landscapes I have not made the switch to
> > digital capture. I have been scanning 6x7 negatives to maximize
> > print quality for 8x10 and 11x14 and use the 1280 w/PT Sellenium
> > inks. I've been happy with the output. Needless to say, I would
> > love ditch the film processing step, but assume that I would 
notice
> > a significant difference in the output if I went to 35mm digital
> > capture for this type of work.
> > 
> > However, for my smaller B&W 35mm work, like street work, that I
> > would produce as 5x7 (or possibly 8X10), I have been thinking 
about
> > a Nikon D100 (as I have Nikon lenses).
> > 
> > I would like some input before droping the money on a D100 body!
> > 
> > Questions:
> > 
> > 1.) Has anyone on this forum compared the piezo "small print"
> > quality from 35mm/6+ mp digital versus 100 and 400 ASA film 
scanned
> > at 4000 dpi? At 5x7, is there noticable/significant quality
> > differences in the resulting print?
> 
> Val
> 
> My experiences for what they are worth - I find I am very 
dissatisfied with
> 400ISO B&W film scanned from the grain point of view. Tri-X, TMax 
and HP5
> are what I've used and disliked - Delta 400 scans better but I 
don't like
> the overall tonality.
> 
> 100ISO films are better. I've had some good results with FP4 but 
I've landed
> on using Fuji Velvia as my source for some B&W landscapes. It is 
effectively
> grain free - scans very well and can be digitally enlarged to 
Super A3 B&W
> (I use Permajet/MIS septone inks in an Epson 1200) with great 
results. Need
> a tripod and a good lens to start with (by good I mean distortion 
free in
> this context)
> 
> Overall I find at 5x7 there is noticeably less granularity from 
digital (I
> use a D100) with everything except the Velvia (Provia 100, 
Ektachrome 100
> too at this size). I'm very cautious of the higher sensitivities 
on the D100
> unless I want film size chroma noise in my digital images.
>  
> > 2.) Assuming there are folks on this list that are using the
> > 35mm/6+ mp cameras...what is your overall satisfaction level with
> > this tool matched with the piezo system?
> 
> I have been very happy with the D100 for colour capture but I just 
cannot
> take the camera out and think B&W. I find this one of the biggest 
drawbacks
> to digital as it stands! My own way of working may give you a good 
idea of
> my opinions:
> 
> B&W landscape work either 1) 35mm Fuji Velvia - 4000dpi scan - 
Photokit or
> similar layered conversion to B&W with some micro dodge/burn on 
adjustment
> layers and always some spotting (I do my own E6 in clinically clean
> conditions and even then you need some spotting) or 2) 6x6cm 
Ilford SFX (no
> filter) scanned on Epson 2450 flatbed - I prefer this route to the 
above as
> I still cannot think B&W with Velvia in my cameras
> 
> Colour landscape either 1) colour from Velvia/Provia/Ektachrome 
original
> above 2) D100  both to A3 Ilford Smooth Gloss or Pearl on profiled 
Epson
> 2100.
> 
> The D100 images will stretch to 13x19 inch Super A3 with care over 
workflow,
> and sharpening. I've found Nikon Capture essential (haven't tried 
the Abobe

> Raw plug-in though)
> 
> If you want to take this further contact me off list
> --
> Regards
> David Prakel
> 
> Centre of Britain PhotoWorkshops Partnership
> www.photopartners.co.uk