POP Contact Sheets?

[RayPA]

These days I'm a firm believer in the hybrid approach/workflow to photography (i.e., film, film processing, scanning and image manipulation softtware, digital printing), but I miss one thing about the old completely analog/chemical days: contact sheets. Yes, I know I can make contact sheets in PS, but I still have to scan everything to do it—and then what's the point.

I do not want a full-size wet darkroom, especially for making contact sheets, and I know I can probably use a light bulb in place of an enlarger and make them the old fashion way. But I'm curious if anyone has tried making contact sheets using POP.

Does it work? Can you get enough detail out of the print?

Anyone up on this stuff?



p.s. I thought we discussed this once in a thread, but I can't find it
p.p.s. I'm googling

 

[T_om]

Just go ahead and bite the bullet and scan first, contact sheet (thumbnails) later. I use this same workflow and there is little point in squinting through a loupe at 35mm size negatives any longer. Been there, done that, got the T-Shirt.

Automated scans run on their own, so there is little time wasted... just do something else while the scanner crunches away.

IMHO, you would just be getting the worst of both worlds trying to go wet for contact sheets and digital for the rest. By the way, sometimes a scan will surprise you. It might not look like much on the negative/chrome and then turn out to be a winner with a bit of digital darkroom magic applied.

Tom

 

[Seele]

Ray,


Technically you can certainly use POP for contact proofing, but you might not like the results:

Due to its very nature, POP results in very low contrast prints when printing from negatives meant for DOP: the areas under the lower density area get printed out first, and form a density which needs to be printed though. This self-masking effect also means negatives made for POP have to be processed to such a high contrast that they have to be masked for printing on DOP.

 

[RayPA]

Thanks Tom,

What you describe is my current workflow, so I'm already biting the bullet on that end. I see little point in creating contact sheets after the fact (post-scan—except to stick in a binder with the negatives, or to use as a CD cover). It seemed that POP *might* be a quickand easy way to get there, but upon further research, maybe not.

Maybe I'm just feeling nostalgic. I've several 20+ yr old binders full of negatives and contact sheets, and the contact sheets are such a blast to review. I should be careful, though, nostalgia & romanticism have a way of distorting the facts. As I reflect back now, I remember that making contact sheets was that annoyingly necessary step that got in the way of printing.




Ray

 

[RayPA]

Ray,


Technically you can certainly use POP for contact proofing, but you might not like the results:

Due to its very nature, POP results in very low contrast prints when printing from negatives meant for DOP: the areas under the lower density area get printed out first, and form a density which needs to be printed though. This self-masking effect also means negatives made for POP have to be processed to such a high contrast that they have to be masked for printing on DOP.

Thanks, Seele.

I read (somewhere, late last night) that POP can actually damage negatives by staining them, and that one should use a protective mylar-type sheet, which in turn softens the result.

 

[taffer]

Yep the way I use is also that, a batch scan and building the sheet after that. That said, I'm still thinking on finding a way to do a roll at once in flatbed mode, using transparent film neg holder sheets.

 

[oftheherd]

Ray,


Technically you can certainly use POP for contact proofing, but you might not like the results:

Due to its very nature, POP results in very low contrast prints when printing from negatives meant for DOP: the areas under the lower density area get printed out first, and form a density which needs to be printed though. This self-masking effect also means negatives made for POP have to be processed to such a high contrast that they have to be masked for printing on DOP.

I guess it's too early in the morning. What are POP and DOP?

 

[Nick R.]

Since I found this webpage, I've been using the method described there to make contact sheets with ease. It's incredibly fast and easy, all you need is a light table and a cheap digicam. Every film shooter should have a light table anyway. Of course, the quality of the contact sheet is poor but it's a good way to check composition and relative exposure. It saves a lot of time which I would have spent scanning.

 

[Seele]

I guess it's too early in the morning. What are POP and DOP?

POP: Print-Out Paper: the image comes out during exposure so no development needed; only good for contact printing.


DOP: Develop-Out Paper: after exposure the image is still latent and requires development to bring it out. Much faster so can be used for enlarging.

 

[RayPA]

Since I found this webpage, I've been using the method described there to make contact sheets with ease. It's incredibly fast and easy, all you need is a light table and a cheap digicam. Every film shooter should have a light table anyway. Of course, the quality of the contact sheet is poor but it's a good way to check composition and relative exposure. It saves a lot of time which I would have spent scanning.

Now that's a good idea! Thank, Nick!

 

[photodog]

That webpage is from Kyle's Leica Slacker site! I gotta give it a try.