Re: How is Large Digital C-prints made?
Large C prints or Mural Prints were limited by the throat of the processor. 50 inch was the accepted largest size because the racks that transported the paper were supported on the two ends and would sag towards the center giving all sorts of problems.
As brought up earlier, the paper is in rolls, which hopefully is Roll Paper Dispenser, It is in a different room than the mural enlarger. At the last lab that I worked at in NYC, our enlarger was a 10x10 Fotar on tracks bolted into the floor. One would roll out a lot of paper, re roll it, put in a bag then a box many times, focus sheet, then a few test prints (strips) then the real sheet, loaded carefully into the processor. (thinking about it is going to give me nightmares tonight)
The digital prints are not projected as in the past. The technology has evolved many times. I had the service manual for a writer for a while. They have film writers and paper writers. As the drum spins a light pen almost touches and based on what color is to appear a combination of chemical compounds and varying current emit the wavelength desired. This happens many times until it is processed. That was early nineties. (I like the old days)
I had a twenty inch Colenta EP-2 processor( 12 min.) When RA-4 came out it was converted (4 min) RA Rapid Access.
My Ilford Cap 40s which was made for Cibachrome and processed many has been processing RA-4 (the 2 min per bath not a concern if the temperature is adjustable)
Re: How is Large Digital C-prints made?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BKP
Large C prints or Mural Prints were limited by the throat of the processor. 50 inch was the accepted largest size because the racks that transported the paper were supported on the two ends and would sag towards the center giving all sorts of problems.
As brought up earlier, the paper is in rolls, which hopefully is Roll Paper Dispenser, It is in a different room than the mural enlarger. At the last lab that I worked at in NYC, our enlarger was a 10x10 Fotar on tracks bolted into the floor. One would roll out a lot of paper, re roll it, put in a bag then a box many times, focus sheet, then a few test prints (strips) then the real sheet, loaded carefully into the processor. (thinking about it is going to give me nightmares tonight)
The digital prints are not projected as in the past. The technology has evolved many times. I had the service manual for a writer for a while. They have film writers and paper writers. As the drum spins a light pen almost touches and based on what color is to appear a combination of chemical compounds and varying current emit the wavelength desired. This happens many times until it is processed. That was early nineties. (I like the old days)
I had a twenty inch Colenta EP-2 processor( 12 min.) When RA-4 came out it was converted (4 min) RA Rapid Access.
My Ilford Cap 40s which was made for Cibachrome and processed many has been processing RA-4 (the 2 min per bath not a concern if the temperature is adjustable)
We had 72" wide paper that we processed through (I think) 76" wide rollers. Our largest single prints were 1.8m x 6m and you really needed to get the paper going into the processor dead straight, otherwise............................
Mick.
Re: How is Large Digital C-prints made?
Went to a pro lab today, and they get me a long tour of the Durst Lambda laser they are using. He explained about a lot of other things, like the lack of papers, the slow delivery times of Kodak and some new super fantastic printing machine from switzerland thats to expensive for anyone to buy... but he still preferred the full analog way :)
thank you all for all the great responsen. I feel Ive got a better concept of the printing process now. Thanks!
Re: How is Large Digital C-prints made?
Quote:
the slow delivery times of Kodak
They shouldn't be complaining about this; here in Europe it seems like Kodak Endura papers have become unobtainium.
Re: How is Large Digital C-prints made?
Well, Kodak papers and chemicals are partly owned by a British kemi company now. So I guess the whole Brexit mess probably won't help the EU...
Re: How is Large Digital C-prints made?
Yeah, maybe that's it. Although agphotographic still mention on their website that all Kodak paper is manufactured in the US and they import it to Europe (from where they now would need to import it to the UK in turn since Brexit...) But maybe their website is outdated. Tetenal in the UK seems to have none in stock (or only a couple of finishes/sizes), which as been like this for well over a year now.
Re: How is Large Digital C-prints made?
I dont know... Was just told that parts of the paper business is now in British hands. But I'm sure other people here knows a lot more about this then me.
Quote:
all Kodak paper is manufactured in the US and they import it to Europe
According to this article, they also produce in China.
https://petapixel.com/2020/07/13/kod...ompany-report/
Re: How is Large Digital C-prints made?
Yeah, conflicting and unclear information all over the place. Frankly, I can't make any sense of it anymore. All I see is that Endura paper supply was interrupted somewhere around the start of the Covid crisis and that apparently in Europe it still hasn't recovered.
Re: How is Large Digital C-prints made?
Chromira Machine is long gone at Dodge-Chrome, unfortunately. Still do dip and dunk E6, C-41 and Black and white film processing though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
pdmoylan
Dodge Chrome in DC/Silver Spring and Taylor Photo in NJ both produce C Prints using Chromira machines (last that I looked). They may have changed during pandemic.
Durst Lambda prints were for me the best output from high res scans of 4x5 chromes. I used both of the above companies for Chromira prints and found I liked them less than Durst, but more than inkjet/pigment prints. Having said that, there is purportedly more detail/color differentiations with the newest inkjet technology, or at least that is the hype. For color I’m not sure how one confirms that but LF stalwarts such as Charles Cramer and Joseph Holmes are inkjet converts, at least from what I’ve read.
Re: How is Large Digital C-prints made?
I'm having a hard time finding a preferred Fuji wide roll paper. Also apparently a pandemic issue.