From digital to traditional?

Well, I'm standing on the brink of setting up a traditional darkroom
and need a little gentle persuasion. My days of working in the digital
darkroom may soon be at an end.

For a little background, I shoot 35mm E6 and 4x5 in E6 and B&W. I do
my own film processing (Jobo CPP-2) but for the last few years, have
been printing using digital techniques. While I do enjoy the control I
am able to get when making prints, the computer is the beast that is
provoking this urge to switch. I desire to get away from the tyranny
of Microsoft and the endless parade of upgrades, patches, downloads,
crashes, drivers, formatting, backups, service packs, and virus scans.
It seems that for every hour spent making a print, at least twice that
is spent maintaining the hardware and software. Between the Epson and
it's clogs and Windows and its bugs, I'm beginning to think I'm am IT
specialist and not a photographer. My most recent episode involved the
purchase of a nice Minolta Dimage Scan Elite 5400. Very nice upgrade
to my aging scanner, but my "old" PC does not have firewire or USB 2.0
ports. No problem I thought to myself, "I'll just purchase a USB board
and all will be well." Of course, nothing is that simple in PC land.
Suffice it to say that after 15 hours of mucking around, no scanner;
the Minolta remains comfortably in its box. 15 hours and not one new
print!

So, now that I've gotten that off my chest, I need to know the ins and
outs of printing color (from trannys) under an enlarger. B&W I'm
familiar with, but color has me a little concerned. With Ilford's
troubles, what will become of Ilfochrome? I don't want to invest the
time to master that medium only to find out it will be extinct.
Barring that, how do the chemicals store? What about paper? Can paper
be refrigerated or frozen? How hard is it to get the colors correct
with Ilfo? I know that contrast masking is pretty much a given for
Ilfochrome, but is it possible to do with 35mm? What do I need to
consider and would others who print color in the darkroom advise such
a switch?

Thanks,
Rob

Rob: why stop now? do what I did - go to plain old chemical B&W - it's
simple, requires a minimum investment in equiement and materials and will
take me at least one lifetime to come close to understanding (not even going
to use the term "mastery").

I have spent 40 years in a digital world, and I will only do digital
photography when I can no longer find film, paper and chemicals.


"Rob Landry" wrote in message
om...
Well, I'm standing on the brink of setting up a traditional darkroom
and need a little gentle persuasion. My days of working in the digital
darkroom may soon be at an end.

For a little background, I shoot 35mm E6 and 4x5 in E6 and B&W. I do
my own film processing (Jobo CPP-2) but for the last few years, have
been printing using digital techniques. While I do enjoy the control I
am able to get when making prints, the computer is the beast that is
provoking this urge to switch. I desire to get away from the tyranny
of Microsoft and the endless parade of upgrades, patches, downloads,
crashes, drivers, formatting, backups, service packs, and virus scans.
It seems that for every hour spent making a print, at least twice that
is spent maintaining the hardware and software. Between the Epson and
it's clogs and Windows and its bugs, I'm beginning to think I'm am IT
specialist and not a photographer. My most recent episode involved the
purchase of a nice Minolta Dimage Scan Elite 5400. Very nice upgrade
to my aging scanner, but my "old" PC does not have firewire or USB 2.0
ports. No problem I thought to myself, "I'll just purchase a USB board
and all will be well." Of course, nothing is that simple in PC land.
Suffice it to say that after 15 hours of mucking around, no scanner;
the Minolta remains comfortably in its box. 15 hours and not one new
print!

So, now that I've gotten that off my chest, I need to know the ins and
outs of printing color (from trannys) under an enlarger. B&W I'm
familiar with, but color has me a little concerned. With Ilford's
troubles, what will become of Ilfochrome? I don't want to invest the
time to master that medium only to find out it will be extinct.
Barring that, how do the chemicals store? What about paper? Can paper
be refrigerated or frozen? How hard is it to get the colors correct
with Ilfo? I know that contrast masking is pretty much a given for
Ilfochrome, but is it possible to do with 35mm? What do I need to
consider and would others who print color in the darkroom advise such
a switch?

Thanks,
Rob

In article ,
(Rob Landry) wrote:

Well, I'm standing on the brink of setting up a traditional darkroom
and need a little gentle persuasion. My days of working in the digital
darkroom may soon be at an end.

For a little background, I shoot 35mm E6 and 4x5 in E6 and B&W. I do
my own film processing (Jobo CPP-2) but for the last few years, have
been printing using digital techniques. While I do enjoy the control I
am able to get when making prints, the computer is the beast that is
provoking this urge to switch. I desire to get away from the tyranny
of Microsoft and the endless parade of upgrades, patches, downloads,
crashes, drivers, formatting, backups, service packs, and virus scans.
It seems that for every hour spent making a print, at least twice that
is spent maintaining the hardware and software. Between the Epson and
it's clogs and Windows and its bugs, I'm beginning to think I'm am IT
specialist and not a photographer. My most recent episode involved the
purchase of a nice Minolta Dimage Scan Elite 5400. Very nice upgrade
to my aging scanner, but my "old" PC does not have firewire or USB 2.0
ports. No problem I thought to myself, "I'll just purchase a USB board
and all will be well." Of course, nothing is that simple in PC land.
Suffice it to say that after 15 hours of mucking around, no scanner;
the Minolta remains comfortably in its box. 15 hours and not one new
print!

Think Macintosh "Like in Apple" None of those issues.


So, now that I've gotten that off my chest, I need to know the ins and
outs of printing color (from trannys)

I hate that description for Transparencies, conjures all sort of
"negative" sexual thoughts :-)

under an enlarger. B&W I'm
familiar with, but color has me a little concerned. With Ilford's
troubles, what will become of Ilfochrome? I don't want to invest the
time to master that medium only to find out it will be extinct.

Well buy all the Ilfochrome you can if thats what you intend.

Barring that, how do the chemicals store? What about paper? Can paper
be refrigerated or frozen? How hard is it to get the colors correct
with Ilfo? I know that contrast masking is pretty much a given for
Ilfochrome, but is it possible to do with 35mm? What do I need to
consider and would others who print color in the darkroom advise such
a switch?

If your doing Ilfochrome from 35mm you probably want make enlarged
dupes so you can mask, Your better off using a bigger enlarger as well because
Ilfochrome is painfully slow and a little 35mm enlarger will make
the exposures for larger prints very long.

You can refrigerate any color paper (Its a good idea)
--
LF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918

In article ,
(Rob Landry) wrote:

Well, I'm standing on the brink of setting up a traditional darkroom
and need a little gentle persuasion. My days of working in the digital
darkroom may soon be at an end.

For a little background, I shoot 35mm E6 and 4x5 in E6 and B&W. I do
my own film processing (Jobo CPP-2) but for the last few years, have
been printing using digital techniques. While I do enjoy the control I
am able to get when making prints, the computer is the beast that is
provoking this urge to switch. I desire to get away from the tyranny
of Microsoft and the endless parade of upgrades, patches, downloads,
crashes, drivers, formatting, backups, service packs, and virus scans.
It seems that for every hour spent making a print, at least twice that
is spent maintaining the hardware and software. Between the Epson and
it's clogs and Windows and its bugs, I'm beginning to think I'm am IT
specialist and not a photographer. My most recent episode involved the
purchase of a nice Minolta Dimage Scan Elite 5400. Very nice upgrade
to my aging scanner, but my "old" PC does not have firewire or USB 2.0
ports. No problem I thought to myself, "I'll just purchase a USB board
and all will be well." Of course, nothing is that simple in PC land.
Suffice it to say that after 15 hours of mucking around, no scanner;
the Minolta remains comfortably in its box. 15 hours and not one new
print!

Think Macintosh "Like in Apple" None of those issues.


So, now that I've gotten that off my chest, I need to know the ins and
outs of printing color (from trannys)

I hate that description for Transparencies, conjures all sort of
"negative" sexual thoughts :-)

under an enlarger. B&W I'm
familiar with, but color has me a little concerned. With Ilford's
troubles, what will become of Ilfochrome? I don't want to invest the
time to master that medium only to find out it will be extinct.

Well buy all the Ilfochrome you can if thats what you intend.

Barring that, how do the chemicals store? What about paper? Can paper
be refrigerated or frozen? How hard is it to get the colors correct
with Ilfo? I know that contrast masking is pretty much a given for
Ilfochrome, but is it possible to do with 35mm? What do I need to
consider and would others who print color in the darkroom advise such
a switch?

If your doing Ilfochrome from 35mm you probably want make enlarged
dupes so you can mask, Your better off using a bigger enlarger as well because
Ilfochrome is painfully slow and a little 35mm enlarger will make
the exposures for larger prints very long.

You can refrigerate any color paper (Its a good idea)
--
LF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918

"Rob Landry" wrote in message
om...
Well, I'm standing on the brink of setting up a traditional darkroom
and need a little gentle persuasion. My days of working in the digital
darkroom may soon be at an end.

For a little background, I shoot 35mm E6 and 4x5 in E6 and B&W. I do
my own film processing (Jobo CPP-2) but for the last few years, have
been printing using digital techniques. While I do enjoy the control I
am able to get when making prints, the computer is the beast that is
provoking this urge to switch. I desire to get away from the tyranny
of Microsoft and the endless parade of upgrades, patches, downloads,
crashes, drivers, formatting, backups, service packs, and virus scans.
It seems that for every hour spent making a print, at least twice that
is spent maintaining the hardware and software. Between the Epson and
it's clogs and Windows and its bugs, I'm beginning to think I'm am IT
specialist and not a photographer. My most recent episode involved the
purchase of a nice Minolta Dimage Scan Elite 5400. Very nice upgrade
to my aging scanner, but my "old" PC does not have firewire or USB 2.0
ports. No problem I thought to myself, "I'll just purchase a USB board
and all will be well." Of course, nothing is that simple in PC land.
Suffice it to say that after 15 hours of mucking around, no scanner;
the Minolta remains comfortably in its box. 15 hours and not one new
print!

So, now that I've gotten that off my chest, I need to know the ins and
outs of printing color (from trannys) under an enlarger. B&W I'm
familiar with, but color has me a little concerned. With Ilford's
troubles, what will become of Ilfochrome? I don't want to invest the
time to master that medium only to find out it will be extinct.
Barring that, how do the chemicals store? What about paper? Can paper
be refrigerated or frozen? How hard is it to get the colors correct
with Ilfo? I know that contrast masking is pretty much a given for
Ilfochrome, but is it possible to do with 35mm? What do I need to
consider and would others who print color in the darkroom advise such
a switch?

Thanks,
Rob


Doesn't this just sum it all up.:-) Thanks for the tidy summery. With your
permission I will use this quote (paraphrased) to state the case for common
sense when ever the urge of modern madness overcomes those mortals swept up
with the urge to partake in the latest 'thing' just for the sake of being
'with it' what ever that means. I wonder how many ever realise that
marketing is not so much to forward our collective state rather to benefit
the originator of said marketing often at our expense.
--
Otzi

"Rob Landry" wrote in message
om...
Well, I'm standing on the brink of setting up a traditional darkroom
and need a little gentle persuasion. My days of working in the digital
darkroom may soon be at an end.

For a little background, I shoot 35mm E6 and 4x5 in E6 and B&W. I do
my own film processing (Jobo CPP-2) but for the last few years, have
been printing using digital techniques. While I do enjoy the control I
am able to get when making prints, the computer is the beast that is
provoking this urge to switch. I desire to get away from the tyranny
of Microsoft and the endless parade of upgrades, patches, downloads,
crashes, drivers, formatting, backups, service packs, and virus scans.
It seems that for every hour spent making a print, at least twice that
is spent maintaining the hardware and software. Between the Epson and
it's clogs and Windows and its bugs, I'm beginning to think I'm am IT
specialist and not a photographer. My most recent episode involved the
purchase of a nice Minolta Dimage Scan Elite 5400. Very nice upgrade
to my aging scanner, but my "old" PC does not have firewire or USB 2.0
ports. No problem I thought to myself, "I'll just purchase a USB board
and all will be well." Of course, nothing is that simple in PC land.
Suffice it to say that after 15 hours of mucking around, no scanner;
the Minolta remains comfortably in its box. 15 hours and not one new
print!

So, now that I've gotten that off my chest, I need to know the ins and
outs of printing color (from trannys) under an enlarger. B&W I'm
familiar with, but color has me a little concerned. With Ilford's
troubles, what will become of Ilfochrome? I don't want to invest the
time to master that medium only to find out it will be extinct.
Barring that, how do the chemicals store? What about paper? Can paper
be refrigerated or frozen? How hard is it to get the colors correct
with Ilfo? I know that contrast masking is pretty much a given for
Ilfochrome, but is it possible to do with 35mm? What do I need to
consider and would others who print color in the darkroom advise such
a switch?

Thanks,
Rob


Doesn't this just sum it all up.:-) Thanks for the tidy summery. With your
permission I will use this quote (paraphrased) to state the case for common
sense when ever the urge of modern madness overcomes those mortals swept up
with the urge to partake in the latest 'thing' just for the sake of being
'with it' what ever that means. I wonder how many ever realise that
marketing is not so much to forward our collective state rather to benefit
the originator of said marketing often at our expense.
--
Otzi

(Rob Landry) wrote in message . com...

Transparencies are not designed for printing. If you want prints, take
negative film too.


Well, I'm standing on the brink of setting up a traditional darkroom
and need a little gentle persuasion. My days of working in the digital
darkroom may soon be at an end.

For a little background, I shoot 35mm E6 and 4x5 in E6 and B&W. I do
my own film processing (Jobo CPP-2) but for the last few years, have
been printing using digital techniques. While I do enjoy the control I
am able to get when making prints, the computer is the beast that is
provoking this urge to switch. I desire to get away from the tyranny
of Microsoft and the endless parade of upgrades, patches, downloads,
crashes, drivers, formatting, backups, service packs, and virus scans.
It seems that for every hour spent making a print, at least twice that
is spent maintaining the hardware and software. Between the Epson and
it's clogs and Windows and its bugs, I'm beginning to think I'm am IT
specialist and not a photographer. My most recent episode involved the
purchase of a nice Minolta Dimage Scan Elite 5400. Very nice upgrade
to my aging scanner, but my "old" PC does not have firewire or USB 2.0
ports. No problem I thought to myself, "I'll just purchase a USB board
and all will be well." Of course, nothing is that simple in PC land.
Suffice it to say that after 15 hours of mucking around, no scanner;
the Minolta remains comfortably in its box. 15 hours and not one new
print!

So, now that I've gotten that off my chest, I need to know the ins and
outs of printing color (from trannys) under an enlarger. B&W I'm
familiar with, but color has me a little concerned. With Ilford's
troubles, what will become of Ilfochrome? I don't want to invest the
time to master that medium only to find out it will be extinct.
Barring that, how do the chemicals store? What about paper? Can paper
be refrigerated or frozen? How hard is it to get the colors correct
with Ilfo? I know that contrast masking is pretty much a given for
Ilfochrome, but is it possible to do with 35mm? What do I need to
consider and would others who print color in the darkroom advise such

a switch?

Thanks,
Rob

In article ,
(Uranium Committee) wrote:

(Rob Landry) wrote in message . com...

Transparencies are not designed for printing. If you want prints, take
negative film too.

Using conventional printing techniques thats quite good advice!
& The method I have been following.
--
LF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918

In article ,
(Uranium Committee) wrote:

(Rob Landry) wrote in message . com...

Transparencies are not designed for printing. If you want prints, take
negative film too.

Using conventional printing techniques thats quite good advice!
& The method I have been following.
--
LF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918

Stick at digital.
Much simpler and more control

I printed darkroom stuff, mostly B&W but also some colour for about 20
years.
Colour is really tedious to get right and you more or less cannot control
contrast, which is no problem digitally.

My advice.

If you DO want to do darkroom stuff, stick at B&W