With the demise of the Kodak R3 process I have, for the past few months, found myself without an easy way of getting good quality colour enlargements printed from my 4x5 transparencies. I live in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia and I have been very happy with the work previously done by my local pro-lab however demand here is such that they are now only catering for 35mm and 120 slide film users by scanning and printing digitally. Ironically these formats are the ones I'm able to do myself with Ilfochrome. To print from 4x5 I need to have a scan done by an interstate lab and if I want a custom print done locally from this scan I'm limited to prints of 10"x15" as this is the maximum size their machine is capable of printing. They are able to make 35mm internegatives from 4x5 film which would allow them to be enlarged and printed using the RA4 process on-site however my preference is for minimally 16x20 prints which is pushing 35mm film beyond what I consider good quality and mostly defeats the purpose of using the view camera in the first place. Unfortunately they are only able to duplicate 4x5 transparencies onto 35mm or 4x5 film, the latter by contact printing. The ultimate solution is for me to buy a 4x5 colour enlarger and do the prints myself (I'm keeping my eyes open) however for the moment due to space and finances (photography is only a hobby says I) my enlarger is at best only capable of printing from 120 film which is the path I am currently investigating. My initial question is has anybody duplicated 4x5 transparencies onto 120 film (6x7 format or thereabouts), secondly if they did what equipment and film did they use and thirdly is it worth the bother? Alternatively can anyone in Australia recommend a good lab who'll listen to my instructions when necessary (going mail-order makes this more difficult) and makes decent quality 16x20 (and larger) prints from 4x5 transparencies?
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