For those wet printing...

[Horatio]

What is the largest print size you typically make? Anyone making really big prints (16x20+) on a regular basis?

 

[Don_ih]

I generally stop at 11x14 but occasionally make a 16x20. I'm limited by my darkroom being too small and without a sink. I have a 4x5 enlarger so getting the projection up to 20x24 is no problem. Yet I have no place to put large prints. I wouldn't bother going to 16x20 with a 35mm negative, for the most part.

 

[logan2z]

I generally stop at 11x14

Same here. I print 8x10 most of the time.

 

[eddie]

I regularly make prints 12x16, 16x20, and 20x24. I also, occasionally, print up to 32x40, but it's a PITA.

 

[ChristopherCoy]

What is the largest print size you typically make? Anyone making really big prints (16x20+) on a regular basis?

Why are you asking? Not that it's wrong to ask or anything, I'm just curious as to why you're curious.

 

[Horatio]

Why are you asking? Not that it's wrong to ask or anything, I'm just curious as to why you're curious.

Just curious.

 

[ChristopherCoy]

Just curious.

 

[Alan9940]

I typically print 8x10 or smaller. If it's a really compelling landscape or some other reason why I think the image should be presented larger, I'll go to 10x13. I've made exactly one 16x20 over my 40 years in the darkroom; and that was from an 8x10 negative.

 

[DWThomas]

Most of my work goes on 11x14 paper. Since I shoot several square format cameras, those get printed on 11x14 and I slice off 3 inches or so and use the offcuts for test strips. For actual exhibition I also made a masking setup to contact print 8x10 negatives from my pinhole camera centered on 11x14 paper.

 

[MattKing]

11 x 14.
But I do really like 12 x 16, and have the rest of a shared 100 foot, 30 inch roll that I need to cut some more 12 x 15 sheets from.
I can print 16 x 20 at home, but it is a challenge.
Our Darkroom Group has everything for 20 x 24 prints, plus the space for it, but only some of us use it for that purpose.
We had been thinking about doing a 30" x 40" print as a group project, but that was put on hold due to Covid.

 

[grain elevator]

I've only gone up to 12x16 so far, but most frequently I print smaller. 12x16 is barely large enough to appreciate the beauty of 35 mm grain IMHO. Have cheaply come into possession of 16x20 trays which I do want to use at some point. Would also love to be able to do 20x24 or larger but that definitely gets too unwieldy for my bath-/darkroom.

 

[Paul Howell]

Work prints are generally 8X10 while presentation prints are 11X14, I have printed 20X24 for a custom order, largest I've printed in a home darkroom was 40 X 42, from roll paper, at the time I had very large darkroom in a basement, used wall paper canoe trays. I was renting a house on the bank of the Sacrament River, washed the print in the river.

 

[Horatio]

I've only gone up to 12x16 so far, but most frequently I print smaller. 12x16 is barely large enough to appreciate the beauty of 35 mm grain IMHO. Have cheaply come into possession of 16x20 trays which I do want to use at some point. Would also love to be able to do 20x24 or larger but that definitely gets too unwieldy for my bath-/darkroom.

I'm intrigued by your comment on the "beauty" of 35mm grain. Which film do you prefer to render this way?

 

[Pieter12]

All my work prints are 8x10" and finals 11x14". I can print up to 16x20" but I have yet to determine an image that I want that size.

 

[grain elevator]

I'm intrigued by your comment on the "beauty" of 35mm grain. Which film do you prefer to render this way?

Tmax 400, so not the grainiest of films - other ISO 400 films might show similar grain at smaller sizes. I have switched over to mostly Delta 400 recently and not printed 12x16 yet, hope it will turn out as beautiful. I can also appreciate a grain-free, high fidelity image, but it's not what I want most of the time (but what I get at smaller print sizes).

 

[Horatio]

Tmax 400, so not the grainiest of films - other ISO 400 films might show similar grain at smaller sizes. I have switched over to mostly Delta 400 recently and not printed 12x16 yet, hope it will turn out as beautiful. I can also appreciate a grain-free, high fidelity image, but it's not what I want most of the time (but what I get at smaller print sizes).

Thanks. Have you posted any print scans in the gallery?

 

[grain elevator]

Thanks. Have you posted any print scans in the gallery?

No, sorry. I don't have a scanner.
I'd like to add I simply like a photo that is closer to being film-limited than lens-resolution-limited in most cases. In 35 mm, for me with my relatively modest lenses, Tmax 400, or something with similar graininess, such as FP4+ (but I like more speed for flexibility in lower light), seems to be a sweet spot.

 

[Buzz-01]

I was renting a house on the bank of the Sacrament River, washed the print in the river.

If it works....


My biggest print until now was about 11x15" on 12x16" paper, from 35mm. Just bought a better enlarging lens and now I'm looking into slightly modifying my enlarger height so I can print full face on 12x16".
Will need to align my enlarger a bit better as well though!

But usually I print 8x10" or 7x9.5". To me that's the optimum size for hand viewing and sharing my work with others.

 

[Danner]

I have 16x20 and 11x14 tray sets, and an 8x10 slot processor. Most work is with 8x10, but when I want a big one, the trays come out.

 

[Michael Firstlight]

11x14 for production prints as it's the largest size my Fujimoto CP-32 will process automatically in volume, but I also do 16x20 and 20x24 using a Jobo CPP2 for larger framed / gallery color or B&W prints. I can go larger (B&W only) but then I have to use the makeshift processing trays I've constructed from washer drain pans to which I've added custom built-in drains with shut-offs It's tough because on my digital side I do up to 24x36 easily in color or B&W an Epson 7880, so after 20x24 I'll usually punt to scanning my 6x7 or 4x5 negs and print digital or farm it out.

Regards,
Mike