[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: Kodak SO-339 Direct Duplicating Film
William Linne wrote:
> Has anyone used this film? Other than the cost, are there any
> disadvantages to using this film rather than making enlarged negs via
> interpositives? Any advantages? It seems advantageous to skip a
> generation when making enlarged negs. Can anyone enlighten me?
Your best bet is to look at prints made from negatives by contact with
the original, from direct positive negs, and from inter-positive to
negative negs which include masking. I recall an exhibit by an
excellent photographer and Pt/Pd printer which included some direct
contact prints and prints from enlarged direct duplicatinging film. All
the contact prints were wonderful and the prints from enlarged negatives
were nothing better than garbage. They lacked the quality, depth,
substance, interest, and life of the contact prints. In fact, the
enlarged prints would have been enormously better if printed in gelatin
silver (enlarged from the original negatives).
If one wishes the subtle qualities of the original when printing Pt/Pd,
they should consider: enlarging to a positive and shadow mask(s),
contact printing to a negative and highlight mask(s), then contact
printing. This method provides for the transfer of subtle nuances
contained within the original which help provide presence and luminosity
of tonal values, tactile quality, and substance. With the masks, this
method can create a new negative beyond and superior to the original
that can control internal ranges, local contrasts, and edge of tone
effects. This method can produce more sharpness (not resolution),
diffuse artifacts such as grain, and provide control not possible with
camera and film alone.
However one must devote the time and effort to get results. Skipping a
step, taking a shortcut, going the quick and easy, lazy route only
provides disaster (i.e. crap). A better shortcut would be to just go to
one-hour-photo at the drug store.
Enlighten yourself by studying prints side by side. This is the key:
study the prints side by side. If the photo-mart print is what you
want, there should be no need to waste platinum or palladium. The same
should hold for any other process. Why put in the effort of any hand
crafted process if some shortcut restricts the qualities of that
process. Some processes may not be influenced by the use of direct
duplicating film, Pt/Pd is not one of them.
A method for producing enlarged negatives is contained in my Guide to
Pt/Pd Photographic Printingmaking on my web site (link below).
--
Jeffrey D. Mathias
http://home.att.net/~jeffrey.d.mathias/