I am new to the digital world. I really don't understand film recorders. I want to drum scan a 4x5 negative or a 8x10 print. This should give me a digital file. I should then be able to correct the flaws on the computer using photoshop. Can I then put the corrected file into a film recorder to make a new corrected 4x5 negative? Am I totally screwed up? Any help would be appreciated.
Jerry Cunningham
Yes, that's what a film recorder does. It makes negatives or transparancies out of digital files.
If I may add a question to a question, how big do these get? How expensive is it to obtain a negative? What's the resolution?
Although I have no personal experience trying to use the process, I've seen mention of both 35mm and 4x5 output, with 35mm seeming to be the majority - presumably for projection purposes. I've also read complaints about the quality of the output. Whether that's a universal issue with the technology, or simply a YMMV situation based on the service provider, is unclear. Thus, I'm not sure if the process produces a full-scale negative that would be usable as a substitute for a conventional negative for making enlargements.
My suggestion would be to check with digital service labs in your area, or a nearby major metro area, to see what they provide. Checking samples in advance might be a good idea, as well.
The lab I go to uses a lightjet filmrecorder. Output 35mm up to 8x10 (1:1), maximum resolution 2032 dpi. Quality is as good as the weakest link in the chain I suppose. I've never used this system to make big enlargements, so I can not give you user info on that. I would follow Ralph Barkers advice regarding checking in advance.
Polaroid marketed a lot of film-recorders in the past as Polaroid Palette and Pro-Palette film recordes for formats up to 4"x5". Hideously expensive when new, they now pop up on e bay now & then for small $$$. All are table-top units but I have no personal experience with them. They are no longer very interesting as the big prosessor companies as Noritsu & Fuji have made the connection between digital media and convenstional processors, so you no longer need a chrome or neg to be able to have digital image outputted on a conventional/wet-process RA4 printer. For the very few doing Ilfochrome and RA4 fine-art (and not having a Lambda themselves..) and wanting to be able to retouche and adjust digitally, they will need a film recorder to produce the finished print neg/chrome. I guess there are enough surplus pro-pallettes around to fullfil their needs.
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