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Thread: Digital file to B&W negative

  1. #11
    Pieter's Avatar
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    Re: Digital file to B&W negative

    I have had LTV negatives made from digital files. You need to experiment, because the film used (in my case, TRI X 320) will most probably add contrast to the image. I made a range of contrasts and had them run 4-up on 4x5 film that I cut down and enlarged. It works out well--I actually prefer the more contrasty silver print to the inkjet of the same image, although I could probably adjust the digital to print the same.

    Digital file:

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    Scan of silver print from LVT negative:

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  2. #12
    おせわに なります! Andrew O'Neill's Avatar
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    Re: Digital file to B&W negative

    Inkjet digital negatives cannot be enlarged... well actually they can, but look like crap. They are meant to be contact printed. I've been making them for over 10 years and quite like working with them. I use a refurbished Epson P400, which only cost me $400 Cdn. It can handle up to 13 inch wide. It works nicely for alt processes that I use such as carbon transfer, kallitype, gum... I've never tried it for silver printing, but I bet it would suffice. You must calibrate your negatives, though to get the most out of them. Download Chartthrob. It's free. Use it to make a curve in photoshop. Buy OHP from your local silkscreen supplier. I don't bother with Pictorico. The stuff they have at silkscreen supplier is exactly the same, for much less. I get third party ink from a place here in Vancouver. Recently, I've replaced the cartridges to refillable. All seven cartridges are black, except one which is yellow (good UV blocker which is essential for alt processes). You'll be working with silver gelatin so it's not worth it to go to all that trouble. And yes, I have made digital negs from a dslr, when I want to make a tri-colour gum print.

  3. #13

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    Re: Digital file to B&W negative

    Quote Originally Posted by Andrew O'Neill View Post
    Inkjet digital negatives cannot be enlarged... well actually they can, but look like crap.
    Do you mean you can't run a digital negative through an enlarger, or you can't upsize the digital file before printing? If the latter, I would think some of the newer "AI" driven resizing algorithms might work OK, although you'd need a very clean original to avoid anti-aliasing artifacts.

    I admit an almost total ignorance on the topic of digital negatives, but it's something I'm interested in.

  4. #14

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    Re: Digital file to B&W negative

    Take a look at my monograph for making digital negatives for silver gelatin prints. I have been doing this for >10 years.
    http://www.mprosenberg.com/digital-negatives
    Mike

  5. #15
    おせわに なります! Andrew O'Neill's Avatar
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    Re: Digital file to B&W negative

    Quote Originally Posted by grat View Post
    Do you mean you can't run a digital negative through an enlarger, or you can't upsize the digital file before printing? If the latter, I would think some of the newer "AI" driven resizing algorithms might work OK, although you'd need a very clean original to avoid anti-aliasing artifacts.

    I admit an almost total ignorance on the topic of digital negatives, but it's something I'm interested in.
    I can only speak for inkjet negatives. They are meant for contact printing. I think I'll make a digital inkjet negative and enlarge it just for fun...

  6. #16
    おせわに なります! Andrew O'Neill's Avatar
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    Re: Digital file to B&W negative

    I just printed this inkjet negative. Stuck it in an enlarger at school darkroom. Printed on Ilford MG RC. 5x7. Scanned in the print. No adjustments made other than black and white points to match the actual print.



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  7. #17

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    Re: Digital file to B&W negative

    Andrew, I think you answered my question here, but I want to clarify. My application is large digital negatives for albumen prints.

    Epson offers rolls of inkjet transparency film for about 3x the cost of the generic silkscreen transparency film:
    https://www.amazon.com/Epson-Crystal.../dp/B002EBKW7Y
    https://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-In.../dp/B01HSMRO7O

    Your experience is there's no reason to shell out for the name brand?

    Thanks,
    Sam

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