Hi everyone. I'm Rich, from Wellington, NZ.
Have been shooting digital since the humble Kodak DC20, obtained 12 years ago. I have now a bookcase of digital cameras, but I have stopped the race short of moving to a MFDB. Like many others here, the novelty of looking at jpgs on computer monitors has well and truely worn off.
I have been experimenting with prints, and different print processes. I have developed a fondness for high quality large prints, both B&W and colour. I have been stitching and doing HDRs in an attempt to improve the quality of my large prints, and have had some success. I have tested just about all the commercial large format printers in the area. However I am far from satisfied.
I recently picked up Tom Mackie's Landscape Photography Secrets, fully expecting it to reveal the latest high end digital landscape techniques only to find out that all 150 of the wonderful photos discussed in the book were shot on film, a mix of MF and LF. This inspired me to find out more about the use of film for landscape and other forms of photography. I was surprised to find out there is a still fringe community of die-hard film users. I spoke at length with a LF wet plate photographer as well as a few other film photographers. I found this forum.
I am very interested view cameras now. Tilt and shift. Time exposures and massive depth of field. But I find the prospect of entering this arena quite daunting.
I made enquiries about high rez scans of MF film. Ouch!! $90/frame. While I could see doing 4x5 and 5x7 contact printing of B&W's, I'm after larger prints, 11x14's being the smallest, 16x20's and maybe larger. For me this seems to rule out contact printing, other than for maybe proofing. I appreciate that I don't need infinite resolution for large prints. All my prints are expected to be viewed at a distance of at least the diagonal dimension of the print, not with a loupe. An 11x14@300dpi is merely 14Mpx, but having some reserve for cropping and larger prints would be useful.
So here's where I am at. I think that 4x5 will have all the resolution I will need in the near to medium term. I can see getting a 4x5 view camera with T/S and a couple of really good lenses. T/S is a must have. Now what? I know I can process 4x5 sheet B&W film myself. I don't know if I can process small quanities of 4x5 colour film. Years ago I used to work in a film lab and know the E6/C41 processes. I'd rather use a lab for colour film, even if I have to send them away.
For large prints I can use either continuous silver/wet or digital ink/dye processes. I haven't managed to find a lab which does large silver prints locally, and there maybe none in the country. So for silver I expect I would have to do it myself with enlarger and some kind of developing tank or large trays. Not sure how to dry them yet. Definitely easier for B&W's. Can probably find the second-hand gear.
For large digital ink/dye prints I would have to use a print service, probably a little easier for colour. I have been there, familar with the print process. But I am not familiar with getting to digital from a 4x5. Reading through the forums here, many suggest using a good flat bed scanner (with calibration targets etc). But again I have not yet found an affordable service to do the scanning; it sounds like something I'd have to do myself.
Each approach has its strengths and weaknesses. I definitely like silver prints though. The idea of large contact prints sounds even better, but ...
This is/will be a hobby for me. Budget severely capped. Maybe I'd be happy with doing one good large print a month, at maybe NZ$100 a pop. Some used equipment is available here, prices typically double what you'd find in the US (except wages are pretty much same $ for $). I can't really borrow equipment or bludge facilities.
So this is where I am at, trying to work out the most practical way forward, without splashing out large on equipment. How should I get into this game? I'd love to hear how members have achieved large fomat printing on a shoestring budget. Almost every member must have been here at some stage
Thanks at least for listening.
All the best, Rich
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