Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 30

Thread: How is Large Digital C-prints made?

  1. #11

    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Northern Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada
    Posts
    62

    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)

  2. #12

    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Melbourne Australia
    Posts
    410

    Re: How is Large Digital C-prints made?

    Quote Originally Posted by BKP View Post
    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.

  3. #13
    norly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    89

    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!
    -----------------
    4x5 and 6x6 stuff

  4. #14

    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Posts
    2,084

    Re: How is Large Digital C-prints made?

    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.

  5. #15
    norly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    89

    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...
    -----------------
    4x5 and 6x6 stuff

  6. #16

    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Posts
    2,084

    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.

  7. #17
    norly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    89

    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.

    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/
    -----------------
    4x5 and 6x6 stuff

  8. #18

    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Posts
    2,084

    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.

  9. #19

    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    College Park MD
    Posts
    71

    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 View Post
    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.

  10. #20
    Drew Wiley
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    SF Bay area, CA
    Posts
    18,337

    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.

Similar Threads

  1. Lab for large digital (lightjet/lamda) C-Prints
    By Mexipike in forum Resources
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 24-Nov-2019, 20:10
  2. Are big prints just little prints made bigger?
    By Ed Richards in forum Darkroom: Film, Processing & Printing
    Replies: 28
    Last Post: 29-Sep-2005, 08:57
  3. LARGE digital prints???
    By Gary Albertson in forum Darkroom: Film, Processing & Printing
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 15-Oct-2001, 19:43

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •