That's a bit of an oversimplification. For the best results, you'd need not only three in-camera separations, but at least two color correction masks, and generally
three highlight masks. That at total of at least eight exposures. I've heard of people doing as many as fifteen exposures for dye transfer. But generally, it's been done off chrome film. TMX100 is an excellent separation as well as masking film. You don't need the old Super-XX or Pan Masking film. You do need a sizable film budget.
The one essential item that you need, (and which hasn't been mentioned), is a densitometer. (See Drew Wiley's comments above for the reason why.)
Wilhelm (Sarasota)
The real problem with dye transfer at this point is an existential question. To wit: Do I have color images worth the struggle to reproduce them? Our Mr. Carnie (more strength to his arm) doesn't have that issue to deal with, as his customers make that decision for him. But the rest of us? Eliot Porter, for one, had the talent and work ethic to produce great photographs and master this most difficult of color processes. But he had a private income so could devote the time and money to follow his muse. Who among us has the energy to shoot great color photographs and the endurance to master the craft?
It's all relative. You can still run across old Kodak marketing sheets touting how easy the dye transfer process is for home hobbyists. Compared to color carbro, it
was easy. Then Cibachrome came along, and made things easier. But you still had to make masks. Then bit by bit, chromogenic prints have improved. But people still squirm, and just want everything instantly, with no effort. But some people like a challenge.
Artists! And retired cranks.Originally Posted by Mark Sampson
What exactly do you see to back up your claims?
Some nice DT images and reminiscence from DT practitioners
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/fo...?topic=67972.0
I did not know that as late as the 80s's DT was still very much alive… at least in NYC.
An excellent archive of DT material including Kodak original brochure and manuals on DT.
http://www.daviddoubley.com/DyeTransfer.htm
Check out this ad video from he same archive...
http://www.daviddoubley.com/Videos/L...hotoStudio.WMV
My friend John Bentley was a very good Dye Transfer Printer, He switched to four colour carbon prints, I think he cherishes both medias but prefers carbon for its archival properties.
In todays world we can mimic with inkjet any process to a point. But a good eye can pick out the processes and appreciate them for their subtle quality's.
Well, I'm not a retired crank just yet. ... But there were a lot of practical shortcuts to learning dye transfer, and not everyone needed the kind of R&D knowledge of the process that one finds in some of the old literature. It was always a process that invited a lot of new experimentation with different dye, mordants, etc. In this
day and age, it invites hybrid technique. In Germany, they scan the chromes then directly expose the three printing matrices with blue laser, thus eliminating physical
separation negs. Labor intensive, no matter what.
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