Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/04/14
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]On Thu, 13 April 2000, Luc.Stockman@ond.vlaanderen.be wrote: > > Dear luggers, > > This is my first attempt sending something to the LUG. > > I live in Harelbeke, Belgium and work as employee in Brussels. My > e-mail adress is luc.stockman@ond.vlaanderen.be. > > After discovering the website of Hans Pahlen I decided -after > obviously sleeping for about 20 years- to pick up my old love for > Leica M again and now I use a M6 + 35/2 Summicron 3rd gen. > > My favourite subjects are people in the streets, children, landscapes, > available light. For me the ultimate photographer is HCB who deserves > a statue for his fine vision. > > Leica lenses are tremendously sharp, give lots of details and above > all, I like the typical "bokeh" very much. So I work most of the time > wide open. For that purpose I am looking for a nice used Summilux 50 > now. I shoot only with Tmax 400 IE 800, developed in Tmax. > > My greatest concern is how printing with the same quality of the Leica > lenses. For the moment I followed the modern way and use a Nikon > LS-2000-scanner with Epson 760 printer. Although the printouts look > fine at 8x10s, I have discovered that I get more fine details when > zooming in at my PC-screen then looking with a loupe on the printouts. > > So, even when I should use a good compact point and shoot camera I > shoud get the same results! My aim is to exhibit my framed > photographs at least 30 x 50 cm (12 x 20 inch). > > > A simple calculation lead to the conclusion that a print out with a > magnification of 10, gives a maximum resolution of 2900/10= 290 dots > per inch. > > When you know that B/W-negs are about 10,000 DPI, classical enlarged > 10 times gives 1,000 DPI I asume lots of details are lost > (1,000/290=3.5 times less quality) when printing the electronic way. > > Now my greatest concern: I intend very seriously picking up my old > pastime and realising a complete dark room with Kaiser multicontrast > enlarger and Componon lens. > > > Would this be a wise decision or am I old fashioned? In the > photography club were I go, every one had sold his dark room equipment > yet decades ago (all are males above 50, I am 39). > > Or shall I wait until the market deliveres affordable scanners 10,000 > DPI and printers 4,000 DPI? > > > Within a few weeks I intend to be ready with my humble website on > geocities.com. > > > > Luggers, help me please because I am seriously in love with the Leica > way of life. > > > Luc Stockman > father of 10 children > Luc, Others will disagree with me, but IMHO the enlarger is history. Rather than purchasing a high-quality scanner I suggest using a custom lab's PhotoCD service, particularly the "Pro" PhotoCD scans. Using these scans, prints as large as 16" x 20" are not a problem, assuming your negatives can handle the task. For prints, the LightJet 5000 printer is hard to beat. The LightJet is found at a number of custom labs scattered across the US; I don't know how widespread they are in Europe. The LightJet 5000 reads your digital file and prints it on photographic paper, either color or B&W. When it's done right the results are mind-boggling. I've been using PhotoCD scans and printing with the LightJet 5000. I'm a 40-something, almost 50-something fart who likes his Leicas mechanical and manual, who learned to print in a real darkroom, and given a choice I'll never use an enlarger again. The LightJet prints are phenomenal. Post a message when you've got your website up! Doug (if it ain't Kodachrome it ain't film) Herr Sacramento http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/telyt Doug Herr Sacramento http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/telyt ___________________________________________________ The ALL NEW CS2000 from CompuServe Better! Faster! More Powerful! 250 FREE hours! Sign-on Now! http://www.compuserve.com/trycsrv/cs2000/webmail/