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10/21/2006 11:59:35 AM · #1 |
Hello everyone!
First of all I want to apologize for posting a obviuosly off-topic thread, as my question is not about digital photography, but this site is really amazing and I didn't find any better place to ask... (BTW: can anyone suggest a good analogical photography forum?)
My father (who uses an analogical camera) wants to print very big pictures to hang them at home, and he asked me what film to use to get bigger prints. I was not able to help him, and that's why I'm asking you :)
The question is about using negative films or slides (hope these are the correct English names for what I mean).
If anyone can help I would appreciate it a lot! |
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10/21/2006 12:15:40 PM · #2 |
I'm no expert on films; I'm hoping that others will chme in to give you some more information, but here's my view:
He will want to use a very fine-grained film, which usually means a professional film with a low ISO number (100 ISO or less). Negative films capture more dynamic range than positive films, which may be important (or notso important) depending on what he shoots. The selection of film for color rendition also may or may not be that important, depending on whether he intends to scan and edit. If not, then the color rendition of the film becomes a very important consideration; if he's going to scan/edit then it is a minor consideration.
Scanning of high-resolution 35mm transparencies should be done either with a drum scanner (expensive) or a high-performance dedicated film scanner. The latter option works particularly well with negative films, since the density of negatives is typically less than for positives. The drawback is that noise will be most prevalent in highlights instead of shadows. Multiple scans at high resolution can reduce the impact of scanner noise, and yield files that will produce very large prints well, without resorting to the expense of drum scans. |
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10/21/2006 12:48:42 PM · #3 |
There is an other way to get it! If you like to use film, then use chrome, or transparency (positive) film, that is the best proffessional option. Somethink liket Fuji Velvia 100 is a good choice, it has the finest grain in the film world, the issue with that is the hight saturation that makes you need to pay a lot of attention to the exposure.
The best option to print, huge sizes, is not to print! Unless you what to do a master job in digital darkroom, simply enlage your picute at some proffessional lab to pretended size via tradicional enlargment thecnique. In any case never use the drugstore minilab.
To capture a great larger size, saying about 100cm or more at one side (lower than this is not so big to film) you need excellent sharp lens a good tripod and a great photographic technique. Finally a great camera, well revised, that holds the film very steady. Compared to these things the film option is the less relevant!
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10/21/2006 01:02:01 PM · #4 |
Definitely have him use pro film, and the slowest speed he can get. If it's color, either Provia or Velvia would probably be a good choice (velvia isn't so good for photos of people, the skin tones are not accurate and the saturation is really high.)
It if's black and white, most of the ISO 100 or slower films should be good for enlargements. Bluefire Police is an ISO 80 film that's meant for great enlargements without too much grain, but it's not available everywhere.
Another thing to think about is the lens that he's using - big enlargements will show any flaws that the lens has, so if he's using a cheap point and shoot camera or an SLR with a low-end zoom, he'll be out of luck.
A forum that discusses film a lot is rangefinderforum.com. |
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10/22/2006 11:40:51 AM · #5 |
Thank you everyone! You have been very helpful, my father loves transparencies but was afraid he couldn't get good prints from them...
In a shop they advised him to buy velvia or provia films but he refused because he had never heard of them; now he will go back there and buy them, and then ask for a drum scanner in a professional lab.
Special thanks to MadMan2k for the link, my father will want to discuss a lot of issues there!
If anyone is interested, I heard that Velvia 50 were discontinued, so one should search for job lots, but then I found on rangefinderforum.com the following message:
"Saw this in the "I Shoot Fuji Film" group on Flickr:
Fujifilm (Tokyo) announced a new product Ć¢€¯Velvia50 II" on the following Web sites on October 20.
fujifilm.jp/information/20061020/index.html
Summary;
"We received demands of the Velvia50 continuation from many photograph fan. We examined a new resumption of production by missions of companies of us of defending and raising the photograph culture. It came to be able almost to make the same product with the alternative manufacturing development of a part of material and Velvia today. Sale schedule of Velvia II (tentative name) in spring of 2007." |
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