> I've never tried it myself but I think a little random noise would
> simulate grain and make it look a bit more like film.
This is just what my lab-owning friend (also a photographer with several
Fortune 500 clients) does when some dodo brings in something that was shot
with their 2 megapixel p&s for a 30x40. It somehow covers for the excess
pixelation and the plastic sky look.
On the subject of prints, I'm also sure that the specified printer
resolution is only a part of the picture. When he was first evaluating
digital printers, the options were limited only by money. After laser
machines (exceptionally expensive to operate, requires at least 80 hours per
week of operation to be profitable), there are led machines, machines that
somehow use crt's, and one that used a screen like used with an overhead
projector for slide shows. Really. The difference between prints from the
manufacturer's files were almost none. The differences between prints from
his test files were very, very slight. The difference between anything that
printed on photo paper and an inkjet printer of any kind was easily visible.
I looked at all of these with an 8x loupe, and it sure burst my bubble!
For those that wonder, his small machine (up to 8") is a Konica, and
produces superbe results, as long as the Konica man doesn't set it up. The
large prints (up t0 30") is a Durst. It does very well, too.
A sidelight: Before the fall, Ilford was working on a silver B&W paper for
the Durst machine. The problem is reprocity failure at short exposures. That
project has vanished. Another option was Agfa, but that too seems to be
gone. Aside from some problems with machine setup and banding, it was easy
to see that this would produce B&W prints of the highest caliber, with just
a little more R&D.
Oh, andd Winsor, the Durst scanner from your lab in San Diego arrives here
next week. I'm anxious for prints from my Xpan!
Bill Pearce
==============================================
List usage info: http://www.zuikoholic.com
List nannies: olympusadmin@xxxxxxxxxx
==============================================
|