Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/04/14

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Subject: Re: [Leica] enlarger or scanner?
From: Doug Herr <telyt560@cswebmail.com>
Date: 14 Apr 2000 19:49:03 -0700

On Fri, 14 April 2000, FIGLIO4CAP@aol.com wrote:

> 
> Am I crazy? Is this really a serious discussion? Have you people ever looked 
> at a truly fine print? Is there even a serious issue here? Silver paper is 
> dead and digital is the answer? Not yet in my estimate! Or maybe it's a joke 
> and I missed something?
> If not, buy a P&S pixel camera. plug it into your computer and printer or 
> scan your images and have a good time. But do not think that your scanned 
> images can match a well-done print. (I am being had, right?)
> Bob Figlio

Bob,

Crazy or not, a high-resolution scan of a good chrome or neg can be used to make outstanding prints.

A comparison of my own B&W prints from ages ago with the demo B&W LightJet prints on display at Palmer's (2313 C street, Sacramento) would leave one to believe digital printing is the only way to make prints.  Obviously this comparison leave much to be desired.

I have been able to compare Cibachromes and type-C prints (via internegs) of my chromes with LightJet prints made from the same original slides.  There are always compromises made with either system (digital/LightJet or analog/enlarger) but IMHO the degree of control, not to mention the range of control over the digital image is far greater than is possible with the analog/enlarger route and (again IMHO) makes up for theoretical compromises in converting film grains to pixels.  Many of my own photos were unprintable before high-resolution digital technology; now they can be printed to match the color, tonal range and detail of the original.

Give it a try, not with a digital P&S, but with a high-resolution scan of a Leica neg or chrome.

Doug Herr
Sacramento
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/telyt
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