[Leica] enlarger or scanner?

[Luc.Stockman@ond.vlaanderen.be]

     Dear luggers,
     
     This is my first attempt sending something to the LUG.
     
     I live in Harelbeke, Belgium and work as employee in Brussels.  My 
     e-mail adress is luc.stockman@ond.vlaanderen.be.
     
     After discovering the website of Hans Pahlen I decided -after 
     obviously sleeping for about 20 years- to pick up my old love for 
     Leica M again and now I use a M6 + 35/2 Summicron 3rd gen.
     
     My favourite subjects are people in the streets, children, landscapes, 
     available light.  For me the ultimate photographer is HCB who deserves 
     a statue for his fine vision.
     
     Leica lenses are tremendously sharp, give lots of details and above 
     all, I like the typical "bokeh" very much.  So I work most of the time 
     wide open.  For that purpose I am looking for a nice used Summilux 50 
     now. I shoot only with Tmax 400 IE 800, developed in Tmax.
     
     My greatest concern is how printing with the same quality of the Leica 
     lenses.  For the moment I followed the modern way and use a Nikon 
     LS-2000-scanner with Epson 760 printer.  Although the printouts look 
     fine at 8x10s, I have discovered that I get more fine details when 
     zooming in at my PC-screen then looking with a loupe on the printouts.
     
     So, even when I should use a good compact point and shoot camera I 
     shoud get the same results!  My aim is to exhibit my framed 
     photographs at least 30 x 50 cm (12 x 20 inch).
     
     
     A simple calculation lead to the conclusion that a print out with a 
     magnification of 10, gives a maximum resolution of 2900/10= 290 dots 
     per inch.
     
     When you know that B/W-negs are about 10,000 DPI, classical enlarged 
     10 times gives 1,000 DPI I asume lots of details are lost 
     (1,000/290=3.5 times less quality) when printing the electronic way.
     
     Now my greatest concern: I intend very seriously picking up my old 
     pastime and realising a complete dark room with Kaiser multicontrast 
     enlarger and Componon lens.
     
     
     Would this be a wise decision or am I old fashioned?  In the 
     photography club were I go, every one had sold his dark room equipment 
     yet decades ago (all are males above 50, I am 39).
     
     Or shall I wait until the market deliveres affordable scanners 10,000 
     DPI and printers 4,000 DPI?
     
     
     Within a few weeks I intend to be ready with my humble website on 
     geocities.com.  
     
     
     
     Luggers, help me please because I am seriously in love with the Leica 
     way of life.
     
     
     Luc Stockman
     father of 10 children