Re: EIR Processing & Printing

[Ben Kreunen <ben@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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Isn't this one of the very few applications where digital offers a
perfect solution, better than all-chemical? Not without a
drumscanner of course (very high Dmax is the key element here), but
more and more printers can print straight from digital input to
chemical paper (thereby avoiding the argument of less durable
prints)....and nothing is better manageable in digital manipulation
than contrast....definately much less time consuming than
additional contrast-masks with Ilfochrome.
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My experience so far with Kodak's Pegasus printer is that the prints are 
not as sharp and if you have fine highlight detail you're going to struggle 
to retain it. A test step wedge made up in Photoshop showed no real 
difference between pixel values 255 - 245 which is a considerable range. I 
had to make up a custom curve to apply to images before sending them off 
for printing. HOWEVER, on an economic basis it is actually cheaper for me 
to get an 80Mb RGB scan ($45AUD) from anything up to 4x5 and a 20x30" 
colour print ($65AUD) than it is to get the same image professionally 
printed ($120AUD). Add to that the benefit that I am in complete control of 
the colour and I then have a master file which can provide repeatable results.

I'm looking around at some of the other systems available at labs now. Now 
if someone were to go digital to Ilfochrome.....

And before people start spouting on about long life inks for inkjets, put 
an inkjet print next to an Ilfochrome and weep  ;-) Yes inkjet prints are 
impressive, but they still lack the punch of a good photograph.

 From an imaging point of view I still prefer to start with film as it has 
a far greater exposure latitude than any digital camera. I have recently 
started shooting spherical panoramas and the result I have been getting 
with negative film far exceeds the quality of anything produced on a 
digital camera.  (I have some infrared panoramas to process, should be 
interesting)
Cheers

Ben

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http://www.bigbenpublishing.com.au/
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