Slide film

[nlochner]

i use regular 35 mm negative film and do diachroic enlargments with it. My question is, can you use slide transparency film such as fujichrome velvia to make diachroic enlargments? This mite be a stupid question, but i know nothing about slide/transparency films, but ive heard they have very saturated colours, wich is what i have been looking for. Thanks.

 

[Markok765]

I dont understand what you mean. do you want to make enlarger color corrections when printing an ilfocromE?

 

[gnashings]

Its not a stupid question. I assume that you print colour negs on colour paper in RA4, right?
Well, you can make positive prints from slides - but you need a totally different type of paper and chems (the Ilfochrome Marko mentioned), as well as learn the process. I know that the paper itself is very pricy - I am not sure about the chems. I personally don't know much about it, but what little I know seems like its a fairly involved and complicated one to get right. The results I have seen, however, are absolutely mind-blowing, well worth the price and effort.
I still have so much to learna bout B&W that I won't even go there

Peter.

 

[Earl Dunbar]

Yes, direct printing from a chrome is possible but an entirely different workflow with different materials, as Peter and Marko have stated.

I worked with the original Cibachrome (now Ilfochrome) when it was first released. It was fussy to work with at home, and I was never able to get consistently streak-free results using a Beseler drum or stain-free results using Ilford's basket system. Yes, I could get perfect results, but for me there were too many failures using those methods. So, I ended up doing tray processing, which was a pain, but less prone to marking/staining.

The other fussy parts were just dialing in the right filtration for colour balance, and contrast control. The original Cibachrome was pretty contrasty, but lower contrast versions were released later, and I assume the current emulsion is not a problem, though I don't know. Getting consistent colour balance was influenced by light source, so good voltage regulation is important, in my opinion.

All that said, the resulting prints are, as Peter says, stunning. I think it's fair to say that the quality and longevity of the prints from Ciba/Ilfochrome went a very long way to other materials for direct printing from transparencies to disappear from the market.

 

[Lopaka]

Shooting transparency film is a bit more demanding than shooting negative film as it has a much narrower exposure latitude. Learning how to shoot for printing takes a little experimentation as well - often slides that project beautifully on a wall print like crap and those that don't look as good on the light table print the best.

Ilfochrome printing, like any process has its own issues and learning curve. The current chemistry available (P3.5 5 litre kits) require rather precise temperature control. The material is quite contrasty which presents its own challenges. The biggest learning issue, I think, is because you are printing postive to positive, everything is backward from what you are used to from printing RA-4. Color adjustment is opposite. See print viewing filters - one side is for viewing prints from negs, the other side for prints from transparencies and gives different filter corrections. What looks like it needs to be burned in needs to be dodged and vice versa. More exposure makes the print lighter not darker. But like any color printing - nail the exposure first, then the color balance. Ilfochrome has a wide exposure latitude.

When you get a good print, though, the results will blow you away. Great for landscape - not so great for people since the high saturation is tough on skin tones.

Good luck if you decide to give it a go.

Bob