Diane, I have this information from my Scala developing lab. I have asked Agfa to confirm this, but I have not (yet?) received an answer.
I have found the dr5 lab on the internet. I understand this is a lab in L.A. specialised in reversal processing of conventional bw films. I have no experience with their service, nor have I ever seen results of their process. It might just be an alternative, I do not know and since I am living in Europe I doubt I ever will.
There are samples of the results with the two (proprietary) dr5 processes (gold-tone and neutral) with various films on the dr5 Web site (http://www.dr5.com). I've used it a couple of times, and have been quite impressed - more so, actually, than I was with Scala.
But, I can see where dr5 would not be practical for you, Jan. If you do a lot of this type of work, and don't like the results with other reversal kits available in Europe, you might think about contacting David Wood about the possibility of him licensing his technology to an EU lab.
in fact I have asked them about the possibility of experimenting with other film in the Scala processor. They would like to do that, but the sad fact is that when Agfa pulls the plug on Scala in a year or so they will get rid of the processor.
. That's bad. But perhaps you can build up a stock pile of the film and chemistry and buy the processer from the lab? How stable is the chemistry?
Jan,
The information from you lab may be premature. It doesn't take much to start a concatenation of catastrophisation and I'm afraid your thread adds to it.
The proprietary Agfa Scala process has been 'under review' from 18 months ago prior to Agfa changing hands (making it about 12 months now I guess). The review process is still continuing. The issue about your own lab terminating their franchise with the patented Agfa Scala process may reflect the lab's own directions rather than a global trend with Agfa Scala.
The self-promoted hype of Dr5 lab sounds really great - I'd love to try it. Diane - log onto APUG.com and check out the sponsored link perhaps if you want to know more about this process. As it is, I concur with Dan Smith; the ilfochrome process, in the hands of a skilled printer, who can correct tri-refringence of CYM and render a neutral print is absolutely gorgeous.
I can't agree with Guy's assessment of simplistic colour conversion to black and white; the failure to previsualise affects artistic vision; the process also does not capture what is intrinsically favoured by Agfa Scala users over traditional monochrome emulsions, which themselves excel over and above colour conversion to black and white channels. But that's not the issue here.
Tim - most labs don't offer digital laser writing onto Ilfochrome.
I've visited the dr5 lab when it was in New York, and the results really were impressive. He used to have a free brochure with a sample transparency. You might e-mail to see if he still has that, or just send a few sheets of Tri-X or FP-4+ to see what it looks like. It's a beautiful process. Be sure to read the instructions regarding exposure for dr5 with the film you are using before you shoot.
ISO2, the info I got from my lab is that that they are not discontinuing their franchise, but that Agfa will stop production. As I said I have asked Agfa if they can confirm, but have received no reply. I have no inside information from Agfa about this. I hope I have made this clear now.
Even if it turns out you are right and my lab is stopping and not Agfa, I still have the same problem I suppose. I agree wholeheartedly about Scala+Ilfochrome.
Buying the processor, yes, the thought has come to my mind. Not so sure it is practical though.
David, I will see if I can get an example from dr5. I am actuallygetting curious what these slides look like. It's probably best to investigate, before ruling something out. You are right about that.
Jan,
One advantage of living in Europe is that if your lab terminates their franchise with the proprietary Scala process and Scala does continue, then Agfa will hopefully make arrangements to forward local Scala film to a Scala lab in another country to develop.
I'd hate to think what the costs (and losses) of shipping film to the States for a process would be.
Have you considered using Maco Ort25 and a straightfoward home DIY reversal+bleach kit, such as the type marketed by Foma or Kodak? The Maco Ort25 is finer grained, and tonally rich with a clear base - obviously a good candidate for reversal processing. It does depend on whether you prefer working with the flexibility of a negative, or whether 'straight' slides are your preference.
I have used a process from Darkroom Techniques of several years ago and it works very well with Kodak TMax 100 and 400, at full emultion speed. The chemicals are available and the process is controlable to a fine degree, The cost is a lot less than the Kodak kit too. Email me off line and I can send the details.
Paul
pmoshay@dslextreme.com
Hi ISO2
My lab here in Toronto does indeed produce cibachrome from digital files and onto fibre paper as well, we have been doing this for the better part of two years, using a Durst Lambda exposing unit.
I was unaware of the Scala Lab situation, Toronto Image Works has one of these scala machines and I never heard that they were shutting down,
Printing onto cibachrome from scala transparancies is quite beautiful, my experience with this tells me that a trans on the dark flat side reproduces well on ciba paper. Once the chemicals are properly balanced achieving a nuetral balance is quite easy, as well fudging the colour to produce many sepia, selenium, green , blue tones with scala is quite easy.
I have not worked with the dr5 trans , but I would imagine they would be easy to work with as well.
three years ago I tried the dr5 process with a couple of different films from Kodak and Ilford and was completely unimpressed.
I have had much better results with the Kodak T-Max reversal kit and Tmax 100 films. With the right lighting on the subject the results resembeld the very silver rich prints of the 1930s and 40s. I've also had good results with shooting the Ilford black & white chromogenic (C-41 process) film and having it cross processed in E-6 chemisty but the resulting transparency was about 10 points greenish. i over exposed the film by about two stops and had it pushed one stop.
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