Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/08/11
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Yes this has been my experience size matters. I want to print as big as possible. A digital work flow which will match my expectations includes drum scanning ($200/day rental) and printing 16x20, $80 first print then $70 there after, discount for bulk runs. Under the best circumstances I would pay $200 for a day of scanning, say in 8 hours I can scan 40 negs at 12 minutes per scan (I have no idea how long a 40 meg drum scan takes). I then go home do post production and return to print my 40 negs 16x20 without mistakes. Total cost $3,400 or $85 per print. Not bad really. What if I bought the equipment myself? $4,000 cheapest simulated drum scanner $2,000 large printer and ink set $500 for software Good paper? $70 for box of 50 16x20 and I make no mistakes when printing. $1.40 per print. Assuming I have the computer equipment. Total $6,600 In the darkroom the cost is lower. 50 sheets 16x 20 runs about $90. I waste about 20 8x10 figuring out a print ($12.00) and a couple 16x20's getting the new base exposure, so I can get say 40 prints from a box on a good day. $90 +$12 = $102 or $2.55 per print. And it probably has better blacks. Cost for my equipment: Beseler enlarger - Free Cold light head - $400 new Multi-functional proportional timer with light senser- $250 Filter $15 Large trays - I got 6 for $40 process timer - wall clock I found Amber light - $5 bulbs in a regular socket Large Easel - $200 Chemistry - $100 Large Washer - $300 Total $1310 Wet printing is about 30% cheaper due to the equipment costs. Not too bad all in all. Chris At 04:18 PM 8/11/2005, you wrote: >I've been printing B&W digitally for about a year, while a buddy of >mine has been running back and forth to a pro lab looking at contact >sheets and getting wet prints. I have to admit that most of his prints >are nicer. Not so much at 5x7, but beyond 8x10, my subjective >experience is that the wet printing process is better at pushing that >little 135 negative to larger prints. Same goes for the really grainy >films like P3200. > >OTOH, he can't or isn't willing to pay for custom dodge/burn work, >while I can mask the shadows of a scanned image and bring them up >15% in PictureWindow Pro in about 2 minutes. So, I'm a pretty happy >camper (usually) with the tools currently at my disposal. > >Scott > >B. D. Colen wrote: > >>God I never thought I'd end up defending wet prints...but Walt, the >>suggestion that " Adobe Photoshop, Nikon Coolscan and a good Epson printer( >>in the right hands) can blow away most wet prints" is complete and utter >>nonsense, assuming you're referring to wet printing "in the right hands." >> >>Digital printing is digital printing, whether using the OEM inks, or >>systems >>such as the Cone quadtones, or MIS inks. And silver printing is silver >>printing. Both will, in the hands of a competent printer, produce gorgeous >>results. But neither will be 'better' than the other. >> >>Now, if you want to say that a competent digital printer can more quickly >>produce, and infinitely more quickly reproduce a print than even the best >>wet printer, you're absolutely correct. :-) >>B. D. >> >> >> >>On 8/11/05 1:58 PM, "Walt Johnson" <walt@waltjohnson.com> wrote: >> >> >> >>>Bill: >>> >>>You can certainly scan you b&w negative and print on an inkjet with good >>>results. As a matter of fact, a few simple tools can insure better results >>>than a Focomat V35. >>> >>>Adobe Photoshop, Nikon Coolscan and a good Epson printer( in the right >>>hands) >>>can blow away most wet prints. Most importantly, the results are >>>repeatable. >>> >>>There are some very good links on the subject and one of the best is >>>Clayton >>>Jones. http://www.cjcom.net/articles/digiprn1.htm >>> >>> >>>Walt J. >>>walt@waltjohnson.com >>> >>>_______________________________________________ >>>Leica Users Group. >>>See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>> >> >> >> >>_______________________________________________ >>Leica Users Group. >>See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> > > >_______________________________________________ >Leica Users Group. >See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information Chris Saganich, Sr. Physicist Weill Medical College of Cornell University New York Presbyterian Hospital Ph. 212.746.6964 Fax. 212.746.4800 A0049