Re: Digital negatives and scans

From: Nick Makris (nick@mcn.org)
Date: Mon Dec 06 1999 - 14:18:25 /etc/localtime


Dean,

The questions you ask are universal to everyone in your position, and they
are not simply answered.

You don't say what printer you are using - many use an Epson 1000+ dpi
printer, various models. I believe that they (Epsons) want to see an image
at 360dpi or approximately 1/4 or the max dpi for your printer.

If you are able to scan, view and print an image and have the screen and
printed images look similar to the original in quality in terms of color and
quality, you are halfway there.

As far as I can tell, at this stage in the technology, inkjet printers won't
produce a true continuous tone image - although it can be close. Other
printers, which are more expensive and more expensive to operate, get
closer.

If you want true continuous tone from a digital neg, check out the Lightjet
5000. I have included the text on this subject from a previous post below:

>As you may recall, in one of my previous posts on digital negs, I provided
a
>reference to Carl Volk's web site regarding the optimum image resolution
for
>Epson inkjet printers. One of Carl's offerings on his site is a two day
>(weekend) workshop. This 1 on 3 personalized training seemed to much to
>pass up, especially when you consider that Carl has been a PhotoShop beta
>tester/user since before Adobe released the initial version.

>I took the workshop this weekend (Las Vegas) and was extremely pleased with
>the results. Carl works on a Mac and does a very nice job of comparing the
>commands to those of the PC version - I use the PC. If you have a need to
>scan photos and then to retouch/manipulate them for output to any medium,
>you will benefit by taking this workshop.

>Carl is also a production manager for a company called Colour Concepts
> http://www.colourconcepts.com which uses the Lightjet 5000 system for
outputing
>digital images to various kinds of photographic media in sizes measured in
>feet - how about 4X8 feet. The examples I saw of this process are
>indistinguishable from optically produced continuous tone (traditional)
>images. The output media determines the cost, $12-20 sqft. - $20 being the
>cost of clear film for digital negs. Carl says that what you can produce
on
>an inkjet (ie, fulfilling your process's requirements) can be duplicated on
>the Lightjet at 4000-6000 lpi and he will work with you to make that
happen.

>Contact Carl via carlvolk@intermind.net and check out his web site;
>http://www.photoshoptips.i-us.com

Nick

-----Original Message-----
From: dean kansky <dkansky@hotmail.com>
To: alt-photo-process-l@skyway.usask.ca
<alt-photo-process-l@skyway.usask.ca>
Date: Sunday, December 05, 1999 10:58 AM
Subject: Digital negatives and scans

>I am new to all of this.
>
>
>I can scan and then print them. Question? How good is the final product of
a
>scan? In the ball park of a regular photo?
>
>If so, at what res do I need to have the image scanned at?
>
>Using digital, can I turn a photogram (or even a photograph) into a
>negative?
>
>One having a printed the digital negative, I will (by contact printing)
>produce a positive.
>
>Is the resulting image, printed from a digital neg, something which has the
>same (or close to the same) quality as an image printed from traditional
>negative?
>
>are there any good books on this?
>
>______________________________________________________
>Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
>



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