View Full Version : Current methods of printing from color negs
If I want to have color negatives printed commercially, what is the current state of the art in printer/paper combos?
Lazybones
10-Jun-2007, 11:05
Tango and Chromira? LOLZ. Sorry.
Ted Harris
10-Jun-2007, 12:28
Rider, not sure what sort of answer you are searching for but I scan and print color negs all the time scanning on a high end scanner (either a Kodak Creo IQSmart3 or a Screen Cezanne) and print on a Canon iPF 5000 printer. Previously I used an Epson 4800 printer. In both cases my output is almost always better than what I was used to getting in the wet darkroom. I use a number of different paper types depending on the subject matter and the effect I am seeking. My most used papers are Hahnemuhle Photo Rag, Crane Museo II and Red River Aurora Natural. I know, you said printed commercially, and I was just giving you some of the choices if you choose to go the inkjet route. You can also have a scan output to Chromira as noted above. Finally, there are still several fine printers who can and do produce very fine prints of all the classic, traditional types.
Thanks Ted. Have laser printers like the Lightjet been surpassed by the inkjets?
I am sort of familiar with inkjets (I use an Epson 4000); my question was for a friend who wanted to have her negatives printed commercially by a lab. They're part of an art project she is working on; she is quite handy with many art materials and techniques, but doesn't know much about photography.
Bruce Watson
11-Jun-2007, 06:10
Thanks Ted. Have laser printers like the Lightjet been surpassed by the inkjets?
I am sort of familiar with inkjets (I use an Epson 4000); my question was for a friend who wanted to have her negatives printed commercially by a lab. They're part of an art project she is working on; she is quite handy with many art materials and techniques, but doesn't know much about photography.
From what I can tell, inkjet surpassed the LightJets and Chromiras in sharpness several years ago. The Epson x6xx series.
I'm in the processes of comparing a LightJet print and a print from an Epson 9800 for gamut. Not much of a test as the inkjet print has considerably wider gamut than the LightJet print (which is printed on Kodak Endura semi-gloss paper, using the lab's current ICC profile for that paper).
OTOH, the LightJet output still looks like what it is -- a photopaper. It's still got the surface properties which make darkroom prints so enduringly popular.
The inkjet prints are on matte fine art paper which has a considerably different heft and feel. The surfaces are much more fragile (scratch and scuff easily). But I personally find this aesthetic more pleasing.
As the man said: "You pays your money and makes your choice."
roteague
11-Jun-2007, 08:54
I did one of my images on both a Chromira and an Epson. The Chromira just blows away the Epson for sharpness and color depth.
Brian Ellis
11-Jun-2007, 23:47
I did one of my images on both a Chromira and an Epson. The Chromira just blows away the Epson for sharpness and color depth.
Which Epson?
Ted Harris
12-Jun-2007, 05:29
Bruce, I agree on th aesthetic of the matte fine art papers. Two additional points: 1) If you compare some of the newer glossy papers (e.g. Innova's) and even some of the semit gloss/pearl surfaces I'm not sure you have as much of a difference, if any .... and 2) the differences shrink dramatically when you view the print under glass.
Lazybones
12-Jun-2007, 09:53
Which Epson?
Any Epson.:D :D :D :D
I have an R1800. It is neat, but it doesn't do it to it like lazzzers on Crystal Archive.
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