JohnSaves
This might be a silly question for an analogue forum, but it’s actually quite relevant here:
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I’m looking for recommendations for providers of prints from digital black-and-white images.
I shoot on film and develop my own photos. Exclusively black and white. I then scan the negatives; at the moment I don’t have the space or time for an enlarger.
I then order prints of the scans online. However, I’ve had really bad experiences with black-and-white photos from the big providers (Pixum etc.) – artefacts, washed-out colours...
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Can anyone recommend a provider? Many thanks!
Urnes
With Fuji, you can produce quite professional results
http://www.fujifilm-fotoservicepro.eu – you’ll get exactly the result you want, provided you haven’t made any mistakes. Whitewall and saal-digital are also options, though I haven’t tried them myself yet.
If you’re looking for a cheaper option, you could try Photodose. That’s where I get my 40x50 prints developed for home use.
It’s always important that the file is large enough – ideally at least 250 dpi, or better still 300 dpi, at the final size – and, if possible, configured as greyscale and saved as a JPG at the highest quality setting. Always switch off automatic enhancement in the ordering software.
Regards, Sven.
klausentreiben
[quote="Urnes"] ...
It’s always important that the file is large enough – ideally at least 250 dpi, or better still 300 dpi, at the final size – and, if possible, configured as greyscale and saved as a JPG at the highest quality setting. Always disable automatic enhancement in the ordering software.
Regards, Sven.[/quote]
Dpi is always per inch, so what is meant by ‘final format’?
Configured as greyscale – does that mean a black-and-white scan rather than a colour scan?
Is there anything to bear in mind when saving a direct digital image for later analogue enlargement?
Urnes
If the print is to be 20×25 cm (8×10") and the printer requires 300 dpi, the file must be at least 2400×3000 pixels.
You can also save the black-and-white file with RGB information. This is useful if you want to digitally colour-grade the images. For pure black-and-white, you should provide the service provider with greyscale data to avoid accidental colour casts.
As a print or as an internegative? It doesn’t really matter, just always use the highest possible quality. So, for example, a 16-bit TIFF in RGB mode.
Regards, Sven.
JohnSaves
Thanks in advance for the tips!
My scans are 6000x4000 or 10000x4000 (Xpan) at 48-bit, which is plenty. I’m actually just looking for small prints, the classic sort for a photo album. All those high-end print services (Whitewall etc.) are too expensive for that...
grommi
Until recently, Rossmann used to print on Kodak Royal paper – including the matt finish – to a very high standard and at wholesale prices. It was always brilliant, whether colour or black and white. Since they switched to Fuji paper, I’ve been less than satisfied. DM only does high-gloss in smaller formats, which I don’t like at all.
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Now I’m looking again for a service provider who can do this on Kodak Royal matt at ‘normal’ prices.
Wolf_XL
Then I’ll scan the negatives; at the moment I don’t have the space or the time for an enlarger.
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...yeah, right – but there are providers who have space for analogue enlargers and offer that service too... I don’t really see the point of your workflow – if I take analogue photos but then process them digitally afterwards, I might as well just take digital photos in the first place... Why don’t you send your negatives to a lab that can develop them for you in analogue form???
Urnes
One reason might be: "I don't have room in my living room for an 8x10 enlarger, and I can't afford the 70 euros for a print?"
That would just be one explanation. There are plenty of other reasons to opt for hybrid processing. And there are certainly visible differences between purely digital prints and those based on analogue material.
In principle, one could also ask why anyone should use a CMS 20 if the prints are just as ‘smooth’ as digital images.
Regards, Sven.
ultra8
For black-and-white prints, try this provider – a small lab specialising in analogue developments at a good price:
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https://www.meinfilmlab.de/prints/
PeterVolkmar
Incidentally, the operator of this forum also offers analogue enlargements of negatives....
Gast
I’ve got another tip for you: Flash Foto München. They offer a first-class service and are very professional, all at very reasonable prices.
http://flash-fotolabor-muenchen.de/fotolabor-muenchen/?page_id=30
mattes
I’ve had a go at trying out various providers and their services.
They all received the same file; I chose the smallest print size.
The options ranged from prints on baryta photo paper, through standard photo paper, to high-quality prints on baryta-coated paper. I sent the files to Saal and WhiteWall. I had scanned a 6x6 Fujiarco negative and ordered prints in 18x18cm format.
First of all: all the prints were flawless, i.e. without any distracting colour casts.
WhiteWall offers everything, meaning prints on ‘premium paper’ and prints on black-and-white PE, colour paper and baryta paper.
Saal limits itself to prints and standard prints on photographic paper.
As far as I can recall, both providers use Fuji Crystal for colour prints.
The results from WhiteWall on baryta photo paper and black-and-white photo paper were a little too soft for my liking, verging on being flat.
The prints and the prints on colour paper were fairly identical, although the results from Saal seemed slightly more vibrant to me. The prints on baryta paper were very good from both providers, although here too I preferred the Saal version.
Conclusion: I can produce a print on black-and-white photo paper myself in much better quality. The exposure on photo paper is not the be-all and end-all.
To achieve the quality of the Saal print, I really have to make an effort.
Printing or exposure: here, everything stands or falls with the file. In other words, the print is only as good as the scan and the final processing.
This is also where the limitations of this system lie. You need a very good scanner. Scanners like the Epson 4990 are the bare minimum. With it, you can produce fairly decent scans from medium format upwards, but these need to be checked carefully and usually require time-consuming spot removal.
The advantage of this approach is, of course, the ease of reproduction. This is particularly useful for smaller print runs. You can have the prints produced individually in various sizes as required.
I presented these prints in an exhibition alongside conventionally produced baryta prints. None of the viewers could tell the digital print apart from the photographic print. Most viewers found the digital print slightly better.
Matthias
RalfMichael
Hi John,
It’s an old post, I know, but I’ve only just read it. I’d also recommend Photo Studio 13 in Leinfelden-Echterdingen (www.photostudio13.de); they do developing too, and you can send them your negatives. For convenience, I sometimes hand in 120 roll films at the DM store; they’re then enlarged at Cewe. It’s not bad, but with the same negative, the enlargements at Photo Studio 13 are significantly better and have higher levels of sharpness.
Regards, Ralf
