Scan and process then print v's print from negative

[1stormcat]

New to LG photography and I am wondering if there is a loss of quality if negatives are scanned (assuming a high quality scanner) and then printed (assuming a high quality printer). Any thoughts would be welcome...

[mdarnton]

I assume all peoples' experience will not be the same, but for me, I "scan" with a camera, and I am surprised that film's extra tonality and a film-like tonal curve comes through to the final print. Not on the web, though---that's the great equalizer. On the wall, however, I can easily pick out the LF stuff. My personal goal now is to up things from my 12Mp Nikon D300 to something better than that.

[Michael Rosenberg]

There are a lot of qualifications to answering your question. For a well skilled person who knows how to get the most out of their scanner, software, RIP or printer settings, and has a good printer, there is no loss of information. As to quality, well - that is an opinion, and depends on the viewer.

I have an Epson V750 and an Imacon 860, and I can get as good a scan or better with the former as the latter.

Mike

[Fred L]

hahaha

[mdarnton]

My guess is that this thread will eventually get shut down as a religious discussion.

[richardman]

Yes, a BIG can of worms :-) Basically, people who do analog prints will say it's the best thing since sliced bread and the people who post process digitally will say that's the best thing.

Then you have people who scan and post process and then print analog from that, and say THAT is the best of both worlds.

Note this: there are people selling expensive prints from any of the above processes. So just do whatever looks good to you and whatever is more convenient for you.

[AuditorOne]

I think whatever you can make work. At this point I don't have the capability to scan my large format work without printing it analog first. Of course, if you contact print it isn't too difficult to do. I am happy enough with it I have never found it important to buy a bigger scanner.

[Preston]

So just do whatever looks good to you and whatever is more convenient for you.

That's the ticket, to my mind. You are the final arbiter.

--P

[1stormcat]

I just purchased a v850 and I'll be printing on a Epson 4900...

[Will Frostmill]

I can offer nothing but encouragement. Out of curiosity, what's your final print size?