choice: enlarging 4x5 vs scanning 8x10

[distichum]

Hello everybody,

Excuse me my liberty, i know this is an old, complex and controversial thread. I have read a lot of post regarding 8x10 enlarging and scanning negatives. But i would be gratefull if you give your opinion (technology has changed too...)

summarizing in my case: I want to make contact prints (pt-pd, carbon printing) to 20x30. Is it really significant the difference between a 8x10 scanned negative and a 4x5 enlarged copy, both same size (20x30)?

I´m trying to set up my future workflow and i really confused. I would prefer spend the money into a 8x10 camera and a Epson V750 pro (if the quality is enough). Or should i pick a 4x5 camera and the enlarger?

Thanks in advance and forgive again

Víctor P.

[Gem Singer]

For an enlargement of 20"x30", I prefer a scanned 8x10 negative from a high end scanner and printing with a high end inkjet printer.

My Epson V750 scanner is not the best choice for scanning 8x10 negatives. Does fine with 4x5 or 5x7 negatives, however.

A 20"x30" enlargement from a 4x5 negative requires a perfectly aligned enlarger with a high quality enlarging lens.

The photographic materials required for that size are expensive, not to mention the difficulty handling large sheets of wet film or paper in a darkroom.

[Lenny Eiger]

Use the 4x5 and scan with a drum scanner. It will give you the quality you need.

Lenny

[Ken Lee]

One advantage of scanning is the ability to fix blemishes. On 20x30 prints, that can become a chore.

If you need to make many identical prints, then scanning has a certain advantage.

Your question allows for only 2 options. There are more: If you are limited to an Epson scanner, then 5x7 may be your solution of choice. It's only a 4x enlargement from 5x7.

[Doug Fisher]

If you aren't going to have access to a drum scanner, how about 5x7 on a v750? You can get that off the glass of the V750 and still be able to use the second higher quality lens.

Doug

[bob carnie]

I would scan and digitally make enlarged negatives over trying to make them via an enlarger.
The only issue would be that I would want a drum scan of the negative over a flat bed scan like a epson scanner. This may be limiting since high quality drum
scans can get pricey.

[Lenny Eiger]

Someone just announced (last Sunday) they were selling their Howtek 4500 with mounting station and two drums and a computer for $1600, on the Scan High-End list... apparently its in San Francisco...

That would work very nicely for 4x5.... and be less than the cost of an 8x10 camera...

Lenny

[distichum]

For an enlargement of 20"x30", I prefer a scanned 8x10 negative from a high end scanner and printing with a high end inkjet printer.

My Epson V750 scanner is not the best choice for scanning 8x10 negatives. Does fine with 4x5 or 5x7 negatives, however.

A 20"x30" enlargement from a 4x5 negative requires a perfectly aligned enlarger with a high quality enlarging lens....

...I want to thank everybody for the answers. I know that a drum scan would be right, and expensive, but GEM, why do you say "Epson V750 scanner is not the best choice for 8x10? what do you exactly perceive in this case and not in a 5x7 neg?

[Drew Wiley]

It is perfectly feasible to make high-quality enlarged negs using only film. But it's the cost
and availability of those big film sizes which would concern me. But scanners can be a headache in their own right. Unless you're planning to work with a lot of different images, it might make sense to farm out the drum scan to someone already experienced with this. Shouldn't be too bad an expense, because it will take awhile to learn the printing protocol itself anyway; and then you can see if this warrants the investment and maint issues of operating a personal scanner.

[Gem Singer]

In order to scan an 8x10 negative with the Epson V750, you need to place the negative directly on the scanner glass.

Sharpest focus distance for the V750 is a few mm. above the glass. The aux. wet mount tray that comes with the V750 places the negative at the ideal focusing distance above the glass.

However, it is too small for an 8x10 negative. It will fit a 4x5 or 5x7 negative. Although 4x5 can be used for making 20"x30" prints, the 5x7 format would be a better choice.

Instead of investing in an 8x10 camera outfit, get a 5x7 camera with a 4x5 reducing back.