8x10 contact prints compared to 4x5 enlargements?

[xkaes]

....if you handed comparison shots to 10 different people, probably not one would see any difference...

Exactly my point. To whom it makes a difference? If it does to you -- GO FOR IT.

[jnantz]

I'm still weighing the relative costs and tradeoffs between the two formats. My goal is to profitably create art for education, entertainment, and publication.

sounds like fun !
don't forget to factor in how you are going to develop the film... 4x5 can be relatively easy, but 8x10 is a bit more difficult...
unless you've developed bit sheet film before, it can either be a piece of cake using hangers and tanks or lets just say not so much of a piece of cake ...
(the devil is always in the details)

[Erik Larsen]

Today I did do a comparison between an 8x10 contact and a 1 to 1 enlargement and to my surprise it was a noticeable difference between the two. I was using a color head for the light source with identical exposure verified by an enlarger meter. The contact print was noticeably more contrasty. I didn't try to match contrast on the enlargement as my curiosity was satisfied but I think I could add a bit of magenta to the color head to match the enlargement to the contact print. It was a lesson but nothing more IMO, I think I could be happy with either. As others have mentioned only you can be the judge....

[ic-racer]

My observation is the resolution of the 4x5 enlargement is half and the grain is twice as big.

[xkaes]

Today I did do a comparison between an 8x10 contact and a 1 to 1 enlargement and to my surprise it was a noticeable difference between the two. I was using a color head for the light source with identical exposure verified by an enlarger meter. The contact print was noticeably more contrasty. I didn't try to match contrast on the enlargement as my curiosity was satisfied but I think I could add a bit of magenta to the color head to match the enlargement to the contact print. It was a lesson but nothing more IMO, I think I could be happy with either. As others have mentioned only you can be the judge....

That's exactly the same as making a print from a condenser vs a diffusion enlarger. If you adjust whatever (exposure, development, filter, etc.) for either, you end up with the same result.

[xkaes]

My observation is the resolution of the 4x5 enlargement is half and the grain is twice as big.

And it should be -- if you are using a loupe. But the human eye at a normal distance can not detect that difference.

If I'm at five feet from an 8x10" print, there is no way I can tell if it is from an 8x10 contact print or a 4x5" enlargement.

[Neal Chaves]

That's exactly the same as making a print from a condenser vs a diffusion enlarger. If you adjust whatever (exposure, development, filter, etc.) for either, you end up with the same result.

The tint of the glass in the contact print frame probably affects the contrast of VC papers. Try the test with a graded paper.

[Drew Wiley]

There is no single generic answer. Depends on how well you do one or the other. A poorly fitted contact frame with dirty glass can be just as "lossy" as a cheap enlarging lens and untamed bellows flare. Lots of variables. But if you optimize both styles, yes, there will be an evident difference between an 8x10 contact and a 4x5 enlarged to 8x10. But which you prefer is up to you.

Glass tint is so minor that it has almost no effect with respect to VC versus old graded papers in a contact frame, Neal. My contact frame has thick Anti-Newton glass in it, and I use that for even contact color separation work. The offset is only about 4cc of color correction - nil by black and white standards. I have no problem contact printing with VC papers.

[Tin Can]

Good to know!

I will convert one of my contact printers to AN

and test

Thanks Drew

There is no single generic answer. Depends on how well you do one or the other. A poorly fitted contact frame with dirty glass can be just as "lossy" as a cheap enlarging lens and untamed bellows flare. Lots of variables. But if you optimize both styles, yes, there will be an evident difference between an 8x10 contact and a 4x5 enlarged to 8x10. But which you prefer is up to you.

Glass tint is so minor that it has almost no effect with respect to VC versus old graded papers in a contact frame, Neal. My contact frame has thick Anti-Newton glass in it, and I use that for even contact color separation work. The offset is only about 4cc of color correction - nil by black and white standards. I have no problem contact printing with VC papers.

[xkaes]

... yes, there will be an evident difference between an 8x10 contact and a 4x5 enlarged to 8x10. But which you prefer is up to you.

There won't be any difference at a five foot viewing distance. Get rid of your microscope and enjoy the real world of photography.