Ralph, Kitch, Sorry guys but I am going to have to speak up and call this what it is: "bull". There is no reason to come up with a rule like "you have to go all the way, one or the other". It's just plain silly, and it isn't based on evidence. It belies the fact that you are messing about in the hybrid process and you don't know what you're doing. You are using mediocre materials, mediocre devices and you have mediocre technical ability, that's why you are getting mediocre results.
Every one of the materials mentioned is low-quality, from the minuscule, 35mm, which is ridiculous for this process, to FP4 and Tri-x, both not the best for this, to the developers used (yes, not the best for this), the scanner is a toy. When I suggested better materials, you told me to buzz off. You apparently just want what you want. You aren't getting the results you want, but you don't want any feedback.
Sorry, but I think you need to get to a top level of the medium before you can make conclusions about things, like you have to go all in, one way or the other, or it just doesn't work.
The Hybrid process actually works excellently. It may not be obvious, you may have to learn how to use a scanner, or how to manipulate scanner settings properly, but the results are excellent.
I scan with a pro-level drum scanner and I produce scans that are professional level. People send me film from all over the world to scan, and I make a little money to pay for the scanner. The scans make prints that are exquisite, whether in color or b&w. I use b&w inks in my b&w printer, my own mix of Cone inks, and I make prints that look like platinum prints. If you can match a platinum print, with all its detail, spread of tones in every zone, then you can make a print do anything. If you can't do this, then you have no right to try and define the medium.
If you like darkroom prints, by all means stay in the darkroom and enjoy yourself. They have their own beauty. I made lots of them in my time, some for people like Avedon. However, I prefer the surface of papers used for alt process or inkjet. In many ways I would prefer to work in the darkroom, but it can't produce the results I am after, mostly with surface quality of the paper. i don't want to see an emulsion, or any shine/gloss on my prints. That's a personal value... and not meant to be a rule for anyone else.
The hybrid process is very real. Film captures more info than digital when it comes to tonality, at least, and the printing is at least as good, depending on what you are after in your print. For me its better. There is excellent work being done every day, excellent prints being made, all over the place. You can't tell me that William Clift doesn't know how to print, or Ken Lee, Sandy King. Jon Cone is pretty terrific, and so is his wife, Cathy, each in their own styles. There is Cramer, and Joe Holmes, Tillman Crane (who works in platinum from digital negs) and plenty of others. There are a lot of good printers, and plenty of great ones as well. People who can make prints with as much delicacy and atmosphere as with any other process.
If you can't get it to work for yourself, then you need to look to your materials and your techniques. There are a lot of people who do get it to work.... and work beautifully.
WorldsFair0007 by David Fincher, on Flickr
WorldsFair0009 by David Fincher, on Flickr
WorldsFair0003 by David Fincher, on Flickr
WorldsFair0004 by David Fincher, on Flickr
. You could develop your own film in the PX in Hanau where I was stationed for a year and a half but I knew nothing about dark room work but just watched as many would spend time there developing their Tri-X.
