pmu
Well-known
Do you guys do traditional colour prints in darkroom anymore or just scan...? Just today I spent 8 hours doing my first colour pictures and fell in love! The colours and grain are just in sooooo different level compared to any print from any scan I have ever made... Just superb quality -- ISO800 agfa 6x6 frames were out of this world!
This image is from 3 years old fuji reala 100 roll which was stored in my camera bag for the whole time.
This image is from 3 years old fuji reala 100 roll which was stored in my camera bag for the whole time.
pmu
Well-known
It seems that no one is doing traditional colour prints because no one responded... Wy advice to you: TRY IT!!!
sweathog
Well-known
At college I do hand print colour, using an RA4 machine. Unfortunately right now it is turning everything blue.
You are right, once you've hand printed you know that a digital print will not compare. Even at a prolab. Which is sad.
It is frustrated, it is longwinded, but the results are undeniably incredible.
What paper are you using, because I really must recommend Fuji Crystal Archive Matt. The results are jsut gorgeous, and I can pick up a box of 50 16" x 12" for just over £25 (or just over $50), which is ridiculously cheap.
You are right, once you've hand printed you know that a digital print will not compare. Even at a prolab. Which is sad.
It is frustrated, it is longwinded, but the results are undeniably incredible.
What paper are you using, because I really must recommend Fuji Crystal Archive Matt. The results are jsut gorgeous, and I can pick up a box of 50 16" x 12" for just over £25 (or just over $50), which is ridiculously cheap.
cary
Well-known
Up until two years ago I was doing my color printing at the local junior college. They had a RA-4 processor and were happy to have it used. They allowed me to print there because my company transferred over $100k of equipment and materials to the school.
EmilGil
Well-known
Yeah, the results can be gorgeous but I found it could be quite a hassle too. I used to work with a Nova slot processor (with a built-in thermostat). It took an hour to get the chemistry to 38'C and then you had to get the filter values right. After a while I made a list of starting values for different films and light conditions (outdoor, studio flash etc) and that was a great help. In the end I only enlarged 6x6 negs and I still find those prints some of the best I've ever done.
I moved far away from that darkroom 1.5 years ago and since then the photo club has quit buying chemistry due to the small usage so I guess I'll never do it again
I moved far away from that darkroom 1.5 years ago and since then the photo club has quit buying chemistry due to the small usage so I guess I'll never do it again
sepiareverb
genius and moron
Been printing with the Fotospeed Mono RA4 set-up in trays to see what I've got on all the color I've been shooting besides the lab proofsheets. Love it.
Scanning negs is a real pain for me, too much work, then an ink-jet print takes nearly as long a time as running a print through the RA4. I can get about 20 810's done in a morning, and have fun doing it.
Agfa Ultra 100 / Kodak Supra paper
scans from 810 proof prints
Scanning negs is a real pain for me, too much work, then an ink-jet print takes nearly as long a time as running a print through the RA4. I can get about 20 810's done in a morning, and have fun doing it.
Agfa Ultra 100 / Kodak Supra paper
scans from 810 proof prints
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mhv
Registered User
No, it's because I don't spend my entire days on RFF, and thus did not respond in time...
I'm doing RA4 in drums since last summer, and while it's a demanding task, I too fell in love with beautiful 11x14 printed by moi. It's just more subtle, more natural than the blazingly contrasted modern drugstore prints.
erikhaugsby
killer of threads
Just a quick question: how much paper do you often use getting the color balance of a print correct?
sweathog
Well-known
Personally, if I'm printing 16" x 12" I will cut up one sheet into, say, 8-10 test strips and on a good day that'll last me two or three prints. Ona abd day I may get through two or three sheets to get one good print.
sepiareverb
genius and moron
I have to say it is a lot easier than the reputation suggests. I usually get a decent print in one and a half sheets, sometimes two and a half, using the half for a test strip. First print of the day needs an extra couple of test strips. I stick with one kind of film for the days printing, saves a lot of confusion.
Bryce
Well-known
What do you do with spent chemicals? B+W printing is pretty straightforward that way in actual practice, but color ones, um... do the whole works have to go off to hazardous waste pickup, or what?
sepiareverb
genius and moron
I work at a college where proper chemical disposal is easy.
Bryce
Well-known
Quote: "I work at a college where proper chemical disposal is easy."
So conventional wisdom about color being impractical at home is still pretty valid I guess?
Just out of curiosity, what would you have to do with spent color chemistry from a home color lab?
So conventional wisdom about color being impractical at home is still pretty valid I guess?
Just out of curiosity, what would you have to do with spent color chemistry from a home color lab?
sepiareverb
genius and moron
Not if you have a town sewer- I'd doubt the amount of chemistry one would use at home would have much impact (I'm not a scientist). Alternatively, your local minilab might take the bleach/fix.
I'm on a septic tank, so I take most all of my chemistry from the b&w side of things to the college also. I dump acetic acid down the drain, and little bits of stuff from clean-up, but lug the rest to work 2x a week.
