[Leica] FILM VS DIGITAL! ??? - R2400 question

[matthew at hunt.tc (Matthew Hunt)]

Dear Mark,

How long did your R2400 last?  Mine is in trouble after 18 months of hard
work, I was pleased with it and the Permajet ink & paper I was using with
it, but now the Light Magenta keeps fading away after printing about thirty
4x6 prints.  Syringing through clears it but not for very long, and Permajet
think one of the air pumps in it may be giving up.

Best wishes, Matthew 
=============================================
Matthew Hunt
3 The Spinney, Cottenham, Cambridge, CB24 8RN


-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+matthew=hunt.tc@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+matthew=hunt.tc@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of Mark Pope
Sent: 15 January 2009 08:19
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: Re: [Leica] FILM VS DIGITAL! ???

Interesting observations Ted.  Recently, I have found myself making 5x4 
negatives, but rather than print them in the darkroom, I scan them and 
print them digitally.  It's a lot less hassle and the results are 
certainly as good, if not better than from the darkroom.

I do like to be able to retouch/spot negatives electronically.  It's so 
much easier than spotting wet prints, which is a technique that I never 
mastered.

Others have mentioned the Epson 3800. I can only agree with their 
sentiments. One of these would knock your socks off.  We bought one late 
last year as a 'special' Christmas present.  It's wonderful.
When our 2400 'died', I looked at replacing it with another A3 printer. 
  Having looked at options from HP, Canon and Epson, I found that the 
3800 was a better option on cost grounds.  Higher initial outlay will be 
offset by the ink costs (and a ?150 rebate).  The 3800 has 80ml ink 
tanks rather than the paltry amounts in the Epson (16ml IIRC).
  I reckon with the volume of prints that we make, that we will break 
even in a year.

Now we have the 3800, I do seriously wonder whether I will feel the need 
to make wet prints again.

I haven't looked at RIPs - do they really make much of a difference and 
are they worth the cost?



Mark Pope,
Swindon, Wilts
UK

Homepage               http://www.monomagic.co.uk
Blog                   http://www.monomagic.co.uk/blog
Picture a week (2009)  http://www.monomagic.co.uk/index.php?gallery=paw/2009
                (2008) 
http://www.monomagic.co.uk/index.php?gallery=paw/2008


Ted Grant wrote:
> Hi Crew,
> 
> I've just taken a break from scanning roughly 250 35mm TMY negatives rated
> at ASA 800 from one of my medical books. And making 13 X 19 size prints
for
> an exhibition.
> 
>  
> 
> A very interesting project even though I've scanned lots of slides and B&W
> negs in the past this episode is an eye opener to say the least.
> 
>  
> 
> If I were to say ."shooting digital is an idiots way of photography" it
> would be ridiculous. It isn't! It's just a different fashion of recording
> our images. Is it better? NOPE!!! Certainly not when you look at these
> prints from film! Actually never thought I'd say or admit something like
> this.
> 
>  
> 
> But they are different, basically it comes down to this, "To each his
own!"
> There's no point knocking ones brains out comparing and trying to say one
is
> better than the other. Because quite frankly right now I'd have no problem
> saying, "digital just doesn't cut it like film!" But that would be
> ridiculous, as I have 13 X 19 prints from digital images that would knock
> yer socks off.
> 
>  
> 
> But there surely is a difference when you see these prints because they
look
> better than wet tray prints and I always prided myself at being a pretty
> good printer when the situation called for it! I'm using an EPSON 2200
> printer with EPSON "Ultra Smooth Fine Art Paper" and they have the look
and
> feel of  well made wet tray prints.. only better! But it's got to be the
> film that's making them look so cool! The Scanner is a "Polaroid
Sprintscan"
> film scanner. At 4000 dpi.
> 
>  
> 
> So for what it's worth if any are interested a kind of new discovery on my
> part.
> 
>  
> 
> The plan is.. "Never shoot film and digital" on the same assignment and
> expect to have identical looking print images! FWIW!!!!!!!!!!
> 
>  
> 
> Ol' doc ted :-) 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
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