Digital negatives for Lodima!

[wiggywag]

Hi!

I'm looking for the option to make digital negatives for printing on Lodima #3 paper. I have heard this paper reveals every artifacts and "noise" from a digital negative since the paper has such a great resolution. I have understood that Piezography somehow removes dithering effect, and is less noisy.

I'm wondering if the best setup would be:
Epson Stylus Pro3880
PDN
Piezography Ink (I don't mind using the printer only for monochrome negatives.)
Pictorico OHP transparency film

Is there a better setup for Lodima/Azo? Any confirmation or input is welcome. Thanks

[Gem Singer]

I have an Epson 3990 and use it with the standard Epson K-3 inks.

Very satisfied with the quality of my 16X20 B&W prints. No need for special Piezography inks.

K-3 inks should work fine for printing B&W negatives on Pictorico.

If I were printing color with K-3 inks, I would probably add QTRip.

[sanking]

Wiggywag,

There are in fact three viable methods for making digital negatives with the 3880.

1. PDN, used with the Epson driver and the Epson K3 ink set.
2. Modified K7 Piezography ink set, used with QTR.
3. Epson K3 ink set, used with QTR where you create your own profile.

As you known, or will soon learn if you get involved with making digital negatives, there are pros and cons involved with all three choices in terms of cost, learning curve, control and image quality. I can not say which method would work best for you in printing Lodima.


Sandy

[wiggywag]

Im working mainly with 8x10" and 7x17" cameras so the negatives are already large and need only small enlargements. Im planning on making 14x17" and 10x24" digital negatives. With these small enlargments would an analog negative enlargement (with an interpositive) give a better result? I do not know much of either methods, so all input is welcome. Thanks!

[sanking]

Im working mainly with 8x10" and 7x17" cameras so the negatives are already large and need only small enlargements. Im planning on making 14x17" and 10x24" digital negatives. With these small enlargments would an analog negative enlargement (with an interpositive) give a better result? I do not know much of either methods, so all input is welcome. Thanks!

Scanning your negatives and taking them into the digital environment will add a lot of potential to your creative process so I recommend the digital negative approach over making analog enlarged negatives.

Here are some sites for farther reading.

http://www.clayharmon.com/blog/

http://www.ronreeder.com/

http://www.piezography.com/PiezoPress/blog/piezography-digital-negative-update/

http://www.precisiondigitalnegatives.com/

My recommendation would be to try Clay Harmon's (or Ron Reeder's) methods for using QTR and the Epson K3 ink sets to make digital negatives since this will cost you nothing but time and can give very good results with the right profile. Then pursue the other options if you can not get acceptable results with QTR and the K3 ink set.

Sandy

[wiggywag]

Thanks Sandy! That was the answer I hoped for :)

[Michael Rosenberg]

Sandy,

Would he need to use Pictorico transparency film for exposure withUV light?

Mike

[sanking]

Sandy,

Would he need to use Pictorico transparency film for exposure withUV light?

Mike

Mike,

I have not actually used Lodima, but I assume it has similar spectral sensitivity to AZO and can be exposed with Visual light.

The problem with many transparency materials on the market is that the inks do not dry as fast as on paper, which can cause problems with inkjet printers. Some of these materials, including Pictorico and Inkpress, have a special coating that allows the inks to dry faster. The coating is a real problem with alternative printing because it blocks a lot of UV light, which makes very long exposures (in the minutes) even longer. The exposure increase would be a minor problem with a silver paper like Lodima.


Sandy