Graflex.org

Jim23 · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2002 3:21 am Post subject:

I cannot find a lab that will process and print 8 exp. (6x9) C-41 rolls. Processing is not a problem, but no one will make 4x6 or other size full-frame prints. They all want to just provide 4x5's and cut of the ends of the frame (printed as 6x7). The only other option is custom printing of the negatives which is very costly. Any one know of a lab that will dev./print 6x9 frames?

Les · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 2682 Location: Detroit, MI

That was one of the reasons I abandoned 6x9. The problem is the manufacturer of the printing equipment doesn't make a 6x9 neg holder or the lab doesn't want to shell out $299 so he can do your prints for 2.99.

This means if you ask for machine 5x7s they are going to crop both the ends and the tops and bottoms, since 6x7 doesn't fit 5x7 format.

Maybe, just maybe, the new digital lab may be the answer. The new generation labs are scanning the negatives and then printing them on RA-4 paper with an LED head. Maybe it's possible to scan a 6x9 neg.

[ This Message was edited by: Les on 2002-01-03 05:19 ]

LelandRay · Joined: 24 May 2001 Posts: 115 Location: Mississippi

Les, my lab uses a Noritsu/Kodak Digital Lab System, and it'll print any size from any neg you can load into the thing. The operator simply scrolls through his list of print size templates till the right one is highlighted, then tells the computer how many prints to make. Then he goes to the preview and does any correcting (and cropping, if necessary or desired).

The problem arises from that same old negative carrier bugaboo. I don't think this one does 6x9, though it will accept digital input, which is how I print from 4x5 slides and negs. I just hand over a CD of 400ppi scans and receive prints in return.

Henry · Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2002 5:16 pm Post subject:

I had the same problem with labs as Jim23. Even prints from 6x7 negs are cropped as 4x5s. I finally stopped getting prints and saved a bundle, which helped defray cost of the scanner and printer I now use to make images on the Mac in Photoshop.

jdman · Joined: 13 May 2001 Posts: 302 Location: Midwest

What is available in scanners that is affordable, that will do up to 4x5 negatives for non professional use. I see alot of 35mm but not much on larger sizes. Russ

Henry · Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2002 9:02 pm Post subject:

Check out the current (Feb. '02) issue of Shutterbug. There's a rave review of the new Epson Perfection 2450 Photo, est. street price $399. If I didn't already own the Epson 1600 Expression (and it cost a LOT more than $399!) this is the one I'd get.

According to the review, this is the all-in-one scanner that everybody's been waiting for. It'll do 35mm all the way up to 4x9" on the built-in transparency adapter, and outputs via USB and Firewire. All the specs look real good: resolution, dynamic range, etc.

jdman · Joined: 13 May 2001 Posts: 302 Location: Midwest

Thanks, I have a B/W darkroom, but like to play with photoshop, and it looks like going to negatives into it rather than prints will give you better resolution.

cgoff · Joined: 24 Aug 2001 Posts: 18 Location: Connecticut

jdman · Joined: 13 May 2001 Posts: 302 Location: Midwest

Well, I have a visioner 8820, and for the bucks is not to bad. Two questions would increasing the RAM from 64 to 128 speed things up, and how do you scan with out placing the negative directly on the glass? I am working with 40 year old B/W negs in 4x5 size. Russ

LelandRay · Joined: 24 May 2001 Posts: 115 Location: Mississippi

I've heard way too much good stuff about the Epson, (which is dangerous to my bank account--new toys are the best things of all). I'm using an Agfa T1200 Duoscan for 4x5 transparencies and negatives, and it works quite well, though it cost me a lot more than $399 when I got it several years ago. On the high side, it uses glassless carriers, so there are two extra surfaces I don't have to worry about getting dusty.

For medium format scanning, I use a Minolta Dimage Multi II, which costs a LOT more than either the Epson or the Agfa, but I've made enough money scanning for others that the scanner paid for itself.

[ This Message was edited by: LelandRay on 2002-01-26 17:25 ]

Henry · Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2002 5:28 pm Post subject:

To jdman:
The Epson 1600 comes with negative holders for 35 (negs and mounted slides), 120, and 4x5. These are plastic frames that hold the film about 2.5mm off the glass surface. You can also scan the negs directly on the glass (and adjust the software to allow for this) but may get some Newton's rings that way.

daleraby · Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2002 3:00 am Post subject:

jdman,

r.e.: expanding memory. It will not speed the scanning process up any.... but it might speed up the image processing part. I once tried to scan an 11x14 print with 32MB of RAM at 300 dpi. After about twenty minutes, I got an error message about not enough memory. Apparently even the swap space couldn't make up for the lack of RAM. You really notice it when you try to manipulate an image you have displayed. Some software... most notably, the Gnu Image Manipulation Program... only retains the part of the image being worked on in RAM. This helps speed things up a bit.

Hope you found some use in this.

45PSS · Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2002 7:24 am Post subject:

You all got me interested so this may be of help to you.

http://shopper.cnet.com/shopping/resellers/0-7085-311-7312866-0.html?tag=sd

Charles

_________________
The best camera ever made is the one that YOU enjoy using and produces the image quality that satifies YOU.

hartwell_a_m · Joined: 04 Jun 2001 Posts: 84 Location: Northern California

I'm using a CanoScan D 1230U that costs between $400 and $500 or so, and Photoshop 5.6. The CanoScan has cariers for 35mm, 120/220, and 4X5. The computer I'm using is a P-4 1.7Ghz w/ 1GB of ram, and two 100Gb hard drives. I dont encounter out of memory errors anny more.