Large format copy negative from print

[spgreene]

My negatives (4x5 & 8x10) and prints were destroyed in a fire. Need to make high quality copy negatives from existing 24x36 and larger prints.
Suggestions?

Thank you!

[Drew Wiley]

FP4 works nicely, or TMax if you can afford it. But there will be some inevitable tonality nuance loss compared to the potential of the original negs themselves. Are you familiar with copy and copystand lighting setups?

[rjmeyer314]

Years ago I made 4x5 negatives for all of my old family pictures using Kodak Professional Copy Film. You might find some come up on Ebay. It worked very well.

[Doremus Scudder]

Choose one of the recommended films (I'd likely go with TMX) and then make a few negatives of a print with a full range of tones. Rate the film 2/3-stop slower than box speed. Develop one for "normal" and try to make a print that matches your original. Adjust development times for the other negatives if needed to find a development time that gives you the contrast range that prints as the best match for your original print. I'll bet you can get really close.

Best,

Doremus