Can you print from slides?

[Harrigan]

If your goal is to get both prints and slides, another option to consider is to shoot negative film and then get slides made from your negatives. Several commercial photofinishers, such as PhotoWorks and Dale Labs, offer this as an option with C-41 film processing and/or can do it on a frame-by-frame basis (similar to ordering reprints from negatives). I'm sure it's possible to do this yourself, too. It'd be similar to slide copying, but you'd need a special film to do the job, and I'm not sure offhand precisely what film you'd use.

This is an antiquated process called a print film, incredibly hard to do and vericolor slide film is not made anymore. This film was a clear base c41 process that made a slide direct from your neg. Yes it's a slide from a neg on clear base neg film. I used to do these in the lab and its bass ackwards process but once you get your head around its not that bad. Anyway I only knew of one lab that could do these properly and they are long gone.

 

[Helen B]

Well, it's a process in very common use - it's the way movies are printed. There's a bit of a mismatch between motion picture print film and still negative film, but it can be done, and as far as I know Dale still do it. Next time I send a batch of film to Dale for processing I will ask for slides out of curiosity.

Best,
Helen

 

[roteague]

Hi Reub,
Lot's of knowledgable folks have responded to this! The bottom line for you is how many years, and how much money do you have to learn Ilfochrome for yourself? The learning curve is long, but I believe it is worth it. Without using computers, optical darkroom exposure onto Ilfochrome material is the last remaining process to go directly from a slide, in a traditional color darkroom. The primary advantages of this are first generation sharpness, color, and contrast. I suggest you try some of the above mentioned alternatives and see if you like them, before building an Ilfochrome darkroom.
Good luck.
Long Live Ciba!!!

There is a certain feeling that comes from hand-enlarging a slide onto Ilfochrome, when done well. A feeling of accomplishment. I used to enjoy it, but realize it is expensive, and as you say the learning curve is long. I have a 20+ Cibachrome print hanging on the wall at home. It isn't a great image, but a favorite, because I did the entire process (develop the film, print the picture, cut the mats and framed it).

 

[reub2000]

I've decided to use negative film for the time being. I told my dad to pick up some Kodak 100UC the next time he is at Central Camera.

I don't have a darkroom, so doing prints on my own using Ilfochrome right now is not an option.

 

[Derek Lofgreen]

That is also a good way to go. The UC c-41 film is good and saturated.

D.

 

[davetravis]

Robert,
Well said!
It's always great to hear someone has tried Ciba for themselves.

 

[roy]

There is a certain feeling that comes from hand-enlarging a slide onto Ilfochrome, when done well

I agree. Whenever I have used the process, I had problems getting the filtration right. On the occasions when I did manage to get accurate colour renditions without using too much paper, I felt a great sense of satisfaction.

 

[roteague]

Robert,
Well said!
It's always great to hear someone has tried Ciba for themselves.

Thanks. I should have said I have a "20+" year old print... I've looked into getting Ciba here, but it just isn't possible.

 

[3Dfan]

2 links of interest:
http://www.mit.edu/~cai/photo/film/interneg.html
Dead Link Removed

 

[boyooso]

For Whatever it is worth,

I have a ciba lab...

www.cibachrome.com or www.ilfochrome.com or www.hiddenlightllc.com

Ilfochrome classic is the most beautiful color print material available.

It is so sad to see so many apugers talk so negatively about the posibility of optical color printing... I realize there aren't very many of us left, and I'm scared.

While it it more convenient to have digital prints made, there is nothing like an optical print....

There is something very natural, organic, about the gradiation, graduation of tone with optical prints. There are many to say digital is continuous tone, but it is NOT.

Ilfochrome is So beautiful.

Corey

 

[Bob Carnie]

Hi Corey

I have a ciba lab as well, I print both digitally and optically, I have stated in many other posts that there are considerations for both printing styles.
Sharpness is best obtained from original slide optically to ciba material. I am finding more problems in the last few years finding readily available clmk and cfk for those images of higher contrast range which creates a huge challange controlling contrast and colour saturation.* Gone are the Days of clients willing to spend 2-3hundred dollars on complicated masks for this purpose*
As well printing 30x40 murals from smaller format is a challange from the get go . *cleaning original to perfection, no glass carrier because of this problem therefore transparancy popping and soft edges, contrast control and long exposures.*
In these cases I find the digital method more convienient , to clean image, sharp from corner to corner, and as well the unlimited local contrast and colour controls available.
We look at each transparancy and or slide on an individual basis to determine which printing method will produce the best result for a final image.
I really don't think one method is better. Just another option to get good resuts.
Re: the continuous tone issue. maybe you are looking at prints produced on lower resolution or onto materials that cannot hold the detail like cibachrome.
We have printed the same images opticaly and digitally onto cibachrome at 15x mag and louped the results and like what we see as side by side comparisons. This was an issue for me before we invested into any digital devices.
For what it is worth, a scan in my opinion, no matter how well done is a second generation, much like an interneg , there will be loss .
Cibachrome from phase or high end 35 digital devices -direct to cibachrome do not suffer this generation loss and mimic a natural print.
I think this is where the new printers and materials will find their niche.
Bob

For Whatever it is worth,

I have a ciba lab...

www.cibachrome.com or www.ilfochrome.com or www.hiddenlightllc.com

Ilfochrome classic is the most beautiful color print material available.

It is so sad to see so many apugers talk so negatively about the posibility of optical color printing... I realize there aren't very many of us left, and I'm scared.

While it it more convenient to have digital prints made, there is nothing like an optical print....

There is something very natural, organic, about the gradiation, graduation of tone with optical prints. There are many to say digital is continuous tone, but it is NOT.

Ilfochrome is So beautiful.

Corey