enlarging / printing - am I missing out?

[LotusEsp]

my process is currently digital after developing; I process my 120 & 4x5 film (C41 and B&W) with a CPP2 system and then wet scan with a V800
From then on it's Capture One and Photoshop and then output to a photo printer.

I really enjoy the darkroom portion (if only loading/unloading film is actually done in the dark) but wonder if I am missing a trick by not doing my own printing of the negs rather than scanning?
The reason I never bothered in the past, was mainly down to space, with an enlarger seeming to take up a lot of counter space. but that restriction has gone now I have a large dedicated darkroom and I'm wondering if I should pickup a cheap enlarger and give the thing a shot.

What are the major benefits to printing from negs over my current digital process? Obviously there is the extra chemicals and paper developing to take into account, and I'm going to be limited to the size of prints I can process in my JOBO tanks

any words of wisdom on the subject? or some helpful pointers to information regarding the printing process I should read up on?

thanks

[Jim Jones]

I printed B&W in a wet darkroom for 50 years before moving to digital editing and printing, and am glad for the move. Digital editing can be faster and certainly more extensive. Once a file is edited, printing takes only a few minutes anytime without setting up the darkroom. The digital file can be resized and distributed all over the World. On the other hand, for collectors a traditional print may have much more value.

[BetterSense]

I pretty ​much only use cameras in order to generate negatives for printing in the darkroom​. there is no way I would bother with film cameras if I wanted digital output. that's just silly to me; digital cameras are so good nowadays.

[LotusEsp]

until I sell one of the kids so I can afford a Phase One 100mp digital back, I'm stuck with my trusty 4x5

[Peter Collins]

My observation/opinion: A silver print glows; it is so beautiful. Inkjet prints do not. A silver print can be processed to archival standards and become nearly permanent. Can the same be said of the inkjet printing process?

[Huub]

For me it is the tactility of working with sheets of FB-paper, watching the image coming up in the glow of the red lights. I can't imagine sitting behind a computer screen ever replacing that.

[Ironage]

I'm with Huub. I like the process. It feels more real.


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

[Ted R]

There is something special for me about the process of making a black and white print from a negative by hand in the darkroom, I like the craft involved.

On the other hand my color images are made with digital cameras and printed commercially, I think digital and color are a great combination.

[locutus]

I just started doing contact prints and i'm having a big case of 'oh my what have i been missing out on' :-D

The process is a lot fun and the results are beautiful as real physical objects.

[adelorenzo]

I do it for the feeling of creating the print by hand in the darkroom. Every single time the image comes up in the developer it's magical to me.