Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/04/23

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Subject: Lens Contrast & Ciba printing
From: Michael Reichmann <michael.reichmann@alphanet.net>
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 15:50:18 -0400

>Does anyone who prints Ilfochrome have an opinion on the lens contrast
>issue as regarding the end product- the Ilfochrome print?

Joe,

I've been printing Ciba (Ilfochrome) for 20 years and you're right,
contrast is the biggest problem.  I wouldn't say though that lens
contrast is a significant issue.  I've owned and used orver the years M
Leica, Contax, Nikon and Canon lenses (as well as various medium and
large formats) and while there are certainly contrast differences
between lenses and makes, this isn't a serious part of the contrast
issue when printing Ciba.

I've tried many ways of fighting contrast -- altered and alternate
developers, contrast masks -- you name it, I've tried it.  Most of these
are extreemly tedious and time consuming, and usually don't work out the
way you thought they would.

THE solution is one that I've just started using, and it works like a
charm.  I do a high res scan of the image and then modify the contrast
in Photoshop.  Then I bring it to a service bureau and have them turn it
back into a transparency.  All the contrast control in the world along
with low cost.  In fact, given the high cost of Ilfochrome materials
it's a net saving!

A Photo CD scan costs about $2, and output back to a slide under $10. 
There are a number of competent alternatives to the expensive Photoshop
program, most in the $100 range.  If you use a Photo CD's highest res
mode, (about 3,000 X 4000 dpi), or as I do a Nikon LS-1000 or similar
scanner with similar resolution, you'll be working with about a 25MB
file, but the quality when you go back to color film is superb -- if
you've done some good work with color balance as well as other available
controls, even better than the original.

Let me know if you want to know more.

______________________________________
Michael H. Reichmann
E-mail:	michael.reichmann@alphanet.net
______________________________________