Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/03/16
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Printing slides on C print material from enlarged internegs seems to be a good way to get around the problems of Ilfochrome (ciba) contrast. I read on the list that Harvey's negs were enlarged onto interneg 8X10 and printed. Galen Rowell, the outdoor photographer uses 35mm Velvia for all his work with Nikons. His gallery is near my home and I have seen excellent prints 16X20 and up made by the enlarged interneg process for sale there. However, when a digital print is viewed side by side with the C print, the digital has it all over the traditional method. (I am loath to admit this!) Rowell has now gone entirely over to digital prints produced by the laserscan method on Fujicolor paper. This method skips the optical enlarger, altogether. I won't be able to get a laserscan printer until they show up at the local camera swap. For now, I print C prints from negs and process them in roller drums up to 16X20. I tried ciba in the 1970's and again a few years ago, but, it is too hard and expensive to get the results I want. The cibas can be superb, but not mine. I find the results I want are best realized using Fuji Reala 100 film and Fujicolor C paper. This combination preserves saturated colors and still allows detail in highlights and shadows. Contrast is lower than in a typical consumer film/paper machine print. The grain of Rreala is very fine, Konica Impressa 50 is even finer, and big 35mm prints can be made if the camera optics are up to the task. In adition to Leica negs, I've had good results from the sharp lenses on Rollei 35S and original German Voigtlander cameras and the Ricoh GR1. There is an all plastic RA-4 Fujiflex print material that is said to be even better than Fujicolor C. Fujicolor is now called Crystal Archive and, according to Wilhelm, has a better image life than ciba. Bill Lawlor