The Digital Negative - Part One - Introduction

Part One in this series on Digital Negatives gives the basics of creating a negative and printing it.
Sample Print/Negative Offer! - bit.ly/3qvVxXf
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Purchase the QuadToneProfiler directly here! a.paddle.com/v2/click/32162/1...
In this video we create a negative from an iPhone photograph on our computer and print it out on clear film for printing in the palladium process using a curve specially created for Quad Tone Rip. ***Please be aware that QTR is designed only for Epson printers.
Later episodes will get into curve creation using the Quickcurve DN application.
Please Subscribe to my Patreon and help support this video series and more!
/ nlpw
* Be aware that we will be using a MacBook Pro for our instruction series although all programming is available for the PC as well*
***Please be aware that QTR is designed only for Epson printers.
Get the Book! I'm part of this fantastic book on the subject from Christina Z. Anderson and the late Ron Reeder, "Digital Negatives with Quad Tone Rip..." - amzn.to/2IwfImM
Pictorico OHP Film - bhpho.to/37ybq6Y
Fixxons OHP Film - bit.ly/36MOOk5
Very important to all photographic processes is a properly calibrated monitor. Xrite makes a great tool for this:
Xrite Monitor Calibration - bhpho.to/3mH1yOy
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[@stevewaterfall3565]

Thanks Bill for taking the time to go through this important and sometimes confusing topic. Cheers.

[@BillSchwab]

I hope it helps, Steve. I’m working on the next installment as we speak. Should have it up in a couple of days.

[@gerryyaum]

So great to have these videos. Thank you so much!

[@fingerprinz]

Wonderful and timely series, Bill. Thanks for sharing!

[@cweeks5211]

Thank you so much for this and every other video you've posted. I feel so fortunate to have found them!

[@shawnhollbach395]

Another fantastic video. Many thanks, Bill!

[@RDWestAK]

Thanks for making these videos. Much appreciated.

[@reynaldocastaneda4712]

Thanks Bill. Looking forward to your next video on this process.

[@johnhigginson5079]

This is so welcome, just completed my darkroom build and starting the printing journey. Thank you so much.

[@JanKratochvilcom]

Thats amazing Bill, so well explained!!! Thank you so much. Greetings from the Czech Republic, Jan.

[@analogdigitalphotomusic6098]

Awesome video. I thought about this process 15 years ago but didn’t have the capability or the know how to do it. Thank you for posting this!

[@JMC0704]

Just what the doctor ordered. Thank you very much.

[@BillSchwab]

Glad it’s helping!

[@andrefelixstudio2833]

Great video I understood everything you were talking about including the tone range thanks for Ansel Adams “The zone system” something I think everybody should look up my conclusion is you’re a great photographer nicely done!

[@six4two1]

I’m really glad you decided to make this series. Digital negative printing has been on my back burner for a long time. You’ve brought it to the front. Thank you.

[@BillSchwab]

Glad to hear, Bill! Thanks for writing!

[@sassegranny4700]

This is fabulous for what I need for my college presentation, and for showing just what to do in Photoshop.

[@wior423]

Dzięki za podzielenie się wiedzą, masz dar tłumaczenia świetnie ci to wychodzi. Subskrybuję i zostaje na stałe. Pozdrawiam Serdecznie .

[@RichardBoutwellPhotography]

You’re making some really good videos these days! And I’m super happy someone who knows what they !%#l they are doing is making a video series on digital negatives. And thanks as well for mentioning my software as well. You’re making some great prints; I wish mine looked that good.

[@BillSchwab]

Wow. Thank you. That really means a lot coming from you. We’ll talk more. This is going to be fun.

[@mikecastles]

Really nice video, look forward to more from this series my friend. Digital negatives are pretty much the one area I really struggle with. Still using an old Epson R2000 which is not that good for digital negatives even with QTR. Very interested in your next few on the subject, maybe I will get off my butt and start printing some digital negatives and enjoy it instead of fighting with it.

[@jungleperry]

thank you for making this series. very educational!

[@BillSchwab]

Thank you for watching, and commenting!

[@jungleperry]

@@BillSchwab I like how thorough you are with instructions, and the mindset too. that's really helpful. I am researching printers now, and have a budget I have to follow until April (no more spending). so in the mean time what alt process would you say would be best to fool around with my 4x5 negatives? cyanotype or salt? which would provide better results from an in camera 4x5 negative so I can get my feet wet with some alt processes? I have a 16x20 contact printing frame in the mail. little chemistry kit and some fine paper and I'll be able to get started for less than $100 which is perfect, then keep researching. I want the epson p900 but might be only able to justify the p700. we'll see.

[@michaelLogue65]

Hi Bill - excellent breakdown thank you.

[@BillSchwab]

Glad it’s helping! Thanks for commenting!

[@18eleanor]

I have to say again, awesome video!!!

[@danielbombero8045]

Bill: what a great series this is going to be. I took the plunge into alt process this year and I think these videos will help me climb the learning curve. I am especially interested in the upcoming videos on Boutwell's program. I have looked at it but it seems complicated and I know you will make sense of it. Dan

[@BillSchwab]

Hi Dan! Thanks for watching! Yes, Richard’s program is awesome, but there’s a few little things that might hold people up in the instructions that hopefully I’ll be able to smooth over. Coming soon! I’m working on the next installment now which is loading QTR, print tool and data tool.

[@jmoyetlife]

me doing cyanotype i dont have any special software or do anything fancy. I just convert the image to black and white and invert it and print it in color setting. Now the trick I do is I print 2 sheets of the same negative and then i layer them one on top of the other and create higher density and higher contrast on the final cyanotype print. Also, I use Mike Wares "New cyanotype" formula with a drop of citric acid on the emulsion before applying on the paper medium. The citric acid cleans up any yellow staining and also gives it a contrast punch.

[@BillSchwab]

That’s great, for cyanotype. For more widescale processes, this method wouldn’t give the best print. Simply turning your image into a black-and-white image and then inverting it is not a good enough method to reproduce all tones where they are supposed to be.

[@harrietharrington5657]

Thank-you so much Bill!

[@BillSchwab]

Thank YOU, Harriet!

[@Puresniper1000]

Thanks for this Bill, just bought Richard's Quadtone profiler and print tool as well. So looking forward to the next videos

[@BillSchwab]

Excellent. Richard’s instructions can be a little confusing, but go ahead and give it a try and you’ll be ahead of the game. Next video will be on installing QTR and then I will be getting into Richard’s program after that.

[@Puresniper1000]

@@BillSchwab Thanks I'll probably wait and follow your instructions

[@TonyCearns]

Thanks Bill, that was a very good introduction. I look forward to watching the others in this series as I'm currently torn between getting a large format enlarger vs going down the digital negative route. I tried printing monochrome work from an epson photoprinter quite a few years ago and got very frustrated by the metamerism and the difficulty of calibrating the monitor with the printer. I guess the software has improved a lot in the last 15 years.

[@BillSchwab]

Hi Tony... Yes. A lot has improved, especially on the metamerism front. Quad tone Rip helps a lot with printing B&W on inkjet and even Epson's Advanced Black and White settings on the newer printers are very good. I think that even if you go with an enlarger for silver printing, you'll want to give some of these processes a try. Good to try lots of things and this one is very simple and all you need as a light source is the sun! Thanks for watching!

[@BillSchwab]

Hi Myron. I understand your point and I appreciate the suggestion. I’ve been interested in making digital negatives for contact printing on silver papers, but have not yet done that. If I can get around to it and become proficient enough to teach others, I might tackle a series at that time. For this series, I am assuming that the people coming for instruction already have a grasp of the various alternative processes they might be using. Again, I appreciate the suggestion and might look into it. I have lots of other things to get to as well and I hope you’ll stay tuned! Thank you!

[@ellenstreger6440]

I think this appeals to all types of photgraphers. Personally, I feel you have to have the basics down. Because I work with women.....I pose them...check out their garment.....and they know i want "pensive", distracted.....i am so particular......looking back at my photos, I would reshoot them with more angst and drama.....I realize that I control everything because i am exposing a part of me, pensive and somehow distracted. When I am not shooting, and not under pandemic i love to laugh, and banter.....there is so much that is ironically funny.....i would rather have people underestimate me....and feel that people who post ten images a day, are amateurs....they started with digital and can't curate their work......I am very hard on myself which has protected me from posting second-rate work..... I liked your black luggage with stickers on it...I have" guy kinda luggage like you, and i have my favorite stickers on it and enjoy how they become alive to me........I can't seem to get part 2...see you later..... best, ellen streger photography

[@lucadegrandis]

I'm amazed.. 😮

[@scootermlm]

Incredibly well done, Bill. ... and who the hell actually disliked this.??? Weird world.

[@BillSchwab]

Thank you for saying so, Matt!

[@4CardsMan]

The lighting in your video produces an interesting effect: if I look at your face, the background on the right sometimes shifts to green. BTW, thanks for this wonderful information.

[@vassilisskopelitis7938]

That is fantastic and a great way of explaining it too , what is the largest size possible to print this way in your opinion if I may ask . Again brilliant Bill

[@MLGochnauer]

Would it be feasible at some point to create a 'low impact' introduction to digital negatives, with the outcome being darkroom prints on graded commercial (silver) papers? I think that would be less intimidating than pressing on to 'alternative' prints on your first go. Contact printing onto silver papers is easy to learn, and requires a minimum of equipment. Once someone becomes somewhat comfortable making digital negatives for that purpose, they could then undertake learning an alternate printing process. It's sort of like having a lab develop and print your film until you understand f-stops, film speed, and shutter speeds, then learning to print negatives, and finally, to develop film and calibrate your entire 'work flow', as they say these days. I find it a good idea to reduce the number of ways I can go wrong when I'm learning a new system or technique.

[@barriewatts127]

Thanks for this Bill. I found it very interesting to see your initial process. A couple of questions, 1) do you profile your monitor/screen ? 2) how long do you keep your B&S Ferric Oxalate for? I use a Canon printer and it took me weeks of testing to get to the stage where I can print out a perfect negative. I wished I could get Quadtone for the printer but obviously I couldn't. Another thought about your channel, maybe you could put more detailed lessons through your Patreon channel, I would willingly subscribe to that. Keep up the great, work stay safe and all the best from the UK.

[@BillSchwab]

Hi Barrie. I’m glad you found it helpful so far. I do profile my monitor and that will be part of the series as well. It’s necessary if you want to approximate what you’re seeing on your screen in your negatives and in your final prints. Unfortunately, it’s a hard target to hit, but you get very close. It should get to the point where you work your image on your screen in Photoshop, then make your negative and your print should look almost identical. Are use a colormunki by Xrite . I don’t think they make that one anymore, but they have something very similar. www.xrite.com/categories/calibration-profiling/i1display-pro

[@BillSchwab]

I have not worked with the Canon printers, but I have heard that people have been successful with them. I keep worrying that Epson is going to change something and that QTR won’t work with it anymore, but so far so good. Unfortunately, I’m kind of a one-trick pony and once I find something that works, I just stick with that. I wish I could be more help with other printers. And thanks for the suggestion amor detailed lessons through Patreon. I’ve been formulating different ways to go about this and it’s good to hear you bring up the subject. Thank you! Please stay tuned.

[@18eleanor]

Great video. Thank you. I found it while looking for how to make color negatives. I would like to print color negs from my digital files so I have a tangible negative to store away, like film negs, for future use, in case my HDs die or become obsolete. Electronic files can just disappear. Tangible negatives I can store forever. But I can only find B&W negative conversion. Thanks for your help. Can I simply invert the colors and flip it?

[@myoung48281]

I've been making digi negs from the p800 using the film I use for screen printing, works pretty well, use the BW feature in the epson software. Using the negs. for silver gelatin standard darkroom prints.

[@BillSchwab]

Are you building a correction curve are just going straight inversion for your negs? If not, it makes a big difference.

[@myoung48281]

@@BillSchwab Straight from negs, seems to be working out, I'm refining it by increasing neg. density and contrast adjustments plus paper filtration when contact printing.

[@BillSchwab]

@@myoung48281 Good that it’s working. You might want to refine it more in the future or not. What QTR and curves allow you to do is make adjustments in certain values rather than just overall density, etc. Whatever works for you is what’s best! It’s just fun to be able to do it.

[@mjgreeneaudio]

Thank you Bill. This is going to be amazing. As someone just getting started what are your recommendations for a printer? You said your using the 800 which looks to be discontinued.

[@BillSchwab]

Yes. They did discontinue the 600 and the 800, but they’ve been replaced by a 700 and 900. Although I have not used them, I’ve not heard of any problems yet. Glad you’re getting interested! More to come!

[@daniadejonghe4980]

Thank you .... this is a very clear description of how to use this.... I have one question (at this point) .... you said the QTR will only work with Epson .... is there something similar that works on Canon printers? ... Thanks - Dania De Jonghe

[@khetz9403]

Thank you for your informative videos Bill. I have just come back to Alt Photography and am excited to learn the new chemistry and print tools. Wow, what a lot to absorb! I did have one question. Do you desaturate your image, then Grayscale, Invert, Flip? Why wouldn't one just do desaturate or go to Black+White?

[@okyeabuddyguy]

Great instruction! Just discovered this series. Can I ask, do the prints come out with a warmer tone to them or is it truly monochromatic? I'm not sure if I have the space for the UV box and I don't know if I can flush those chemicals down the drain?

[@brianagervat4385]

Hi, thanks for the video. I am just making the leap into alt process photography and just began sloping (and sliding) up the learning curve. As I am new, and on a budget, what is the best epson printer that I can begin with to print my digital negatives that will not break the bank? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks, Bill!

[@BillSchwab]

Hi Briana!. Try to find an Epson P600 or P800 on eBay. You could even go earlier. A 2880, etc. The new ones are hard to get right now and there is some question whether they will work with the program. If you can find one of these older models, it should be fairly reasonable and will work great. I hope you have fun!

[@carmelofiorilla868]

Excellent! I’m asking myself if is it possible to print a 35mm or mf form factor digital negative and to use it as an actual negative in conjunction with an enlarger. What do you think about it?

[@variations3]

Thank you so much for this video :) I wanted to ask, I am doing screen printing, and I usually print my film onto laser vellum (vellum specifically for making screen printing positives), Do I need Quad Tone Rip if I am using an HP COLOR LASERJET printer? or does Quad Tone Rip only works if you have an epson ink jet printer?

[@BillSchwab]

Hi Gus. No. You would not use the Quad Tone Rip. The program is designed only for the Epson printers.

[@tambranswitch]

Happy Holidays Bill! Thanks for all of these videos, i find them to be a significant resource in these topics and they're very well done. The question I have regarding making a digital negative is in order to get a neg with dimensions of 8.5 inches x 11, does the Epson P900 print edge to edge? on Pictorico of the same size? Or do you have to print on a bigger substrate in order to get that size? Thanks again.

[@BillSchwab]

So glad you’re finding them helpful! I’m not sure how the 900 works yet, but on my 800 if I am trying to print that large sometimes it starts to fade out near the end. What I do is use the front feed and fake it into thinking it’s on an 11 x 14 sheet. I use an 11 x 14 sheet of board or heavier paper to tape the smaller sheet of OHP to. I then tell the printer it is printing on an 11 x 14 sheet, but I make sure my negative is placed in the center so that it will go onto the smaller sheet I am taping on the larger carrier sheet. I hope this makes sense!

[@tambranswitch]

@@BillSchwab Understood ! Yes, I meant the P800 that you use. Thanks so much for the speedy response as well!

[@jason_goh]

Thanks Bill, this series of videos is fantastic. I've watched them numerous times. It helps a lot for setting QTR. However, I've encountered an issue. When I need a higher blocking density, the pizza wheel effect emerges on my p800. I referred to the book "Digital Negatives with QuadToneRIP" and set the resolution to 2880 super & uni-directional, but the issue still happens. I'm wondering if you've encountered a similar problem?

[@BillSchwab]

I have run into the problem especially with less expensive films. The solution is to go to your front end loader on the printer. Use a carrier sheet that’s heavier and tape your film to that. This eliminates the need for it to go through the wheels.

[@dorothykloss5303]

I'm lovin' the videos Bill, but wondering - I picked up an I1Studio for calibrating my monitor etc, do i need to calibrate my scanner too before I get in to the step wedge part of digital negs?

[@BillSchwab]

Hi Dorothy. Just calibrate the monitor. When scanning, don’t do any adjustments to the skin at all. Do you want just a good flat scan without any levels adjustments. Make sure you turn that file into a grayscale before printing out.

[@anders5783]

😊 Thank you for your educational and informative videos. Do you know how archival resistant your digital negatives are compared to real (analog) negatives?

[@BillSchwab]

Good question. The digital negatives aren’t terribly archival. In fact, unless you store them correctly, they can absorb moisture and become unusable. The beauty of them is once you have that file saved, you can print it out as many times as you want, so if the negative gets destroyed or lost, it’s easy enough to make another. Hope this helps!

[@brunomartelli8163]

did you ever use the adjustment curves that Bostick and Sulivan provide with their chemicals ? Did you compare this curves with the RIP Tone technique ?

[@BillSchwab]

Hi Bruno, I have not done this yet. I would trust anything coming from B&S, but I have not talked with Dana about these. Good point and I will try therm out. In my experience, you definitely need a curve built specifically for your system and workflow to get really precise, but something like this could be a great help to get you in the zone and make acceptable prints. Where you really need precision is in the finer points of the print, for instance in skies. Subtle changes in tones without the correct curve can result in "rainbowing" or tonal steps in what should be a smooth transition. I'll get into this more as the series progresses. Thank you!

[@TPToE]

Did you make your contact printing frame or is it available to buy? Finding one of a decent size is proving to be much harder than I'd expected.

[@BillSchwab]

Hi Max. Yes, I did and I have somebody making them right now. I’ll try to contact you later.

[@NickVenture1]

Hello, I subscribed. 1) Which (Epson) printer do you recommend today? Same question you answered already 2 years ago. 2) which transparent foils are most suitable for making contact negatives today? I hope you can answer soon. I wish to buy asap. Thank you!

[@BillSchwab]

I would recommend the P 700 or the P 900.

[@NickVenture1]

@@BillSchwab Thank you Dear Master. I will check those out now.

[@BillSchwab]

I forgot to mention the printing material. Pictorico is probably the best, but most expensive. Fixxons makes a good screen printing film that I like to use as well. That is much cheaper.

[@NickVenture1]

@@BillSchwab Thank you for this most valuable additional reply. Helpful for me to build up my (Vintage) Photo Art Workshop.

[@NickVenture1]

@@BillSchwab Hello Sir, I am back with a question. About Fixxon. Can you please tell me the exact name of the Fixxon Film you recommend? I got confused while checking online. The Fixxon Film I saw online is called "Non Silver Print Processes Film". I have no experience yet. My plan is to use an Epson 900 with the two black ink and maybe the additional gray ink catridges to print negatives suitable for Albumen Photo Paper exposures. Where Silver Nitrate solution is used to sensitise the paper. Excuse my lack of knowledge. As a beginner I will just read your reply and order exactly the film you think is best. Thank you.

[@jacekkowalski8862]

Could you please tell me whether the printer you use to produce the digital negative uses dye -based inks or pigment-based inks? My Epson "all-in-one" XP-950 prints up to 11"x17" but only takes dye-based inks. Would I be able to produce digital negatives for alternative processes using this printer? Would the Quad-tone program work with my printer? Thank you.

[@BillSchwab]

Hi there. Unfortunately, we are using pigment inks for this process and I do not have any experience using dye. The thing about the pigment inks is that they have UV blocking capabilities and I am not sure that the dye inks have that same thing.

[@lisabakke9280]

Wonderful tutorial. Just wondering if this also applies for cyanotype? Is this tutorial also for Digital negatives for cyanotype too?

[@BillSchwab]

Thank you. And yes... This will work for all UV processes.

[@shawnhollbach395]

Hi Bill, Further to my previous comment, thought I'd let you (and others interested in contact printing) know Epson Australia has advised me that the new P range inkjet printers do not support printing on transparency media. Extremely disappointing given how much they cost! I'll try to source an older model on the used market. Regards Shawn

[@user-sr6lp2kh2e]

Perhaps this work around will work on the newer models as well...kzbin.info/www/bejne/l3qrpH5plJt3jZo

[@onegreenev]

Will QuadtoneRip work with MacBook Pro with the M1 or M2 processors?

[@BillSchwab]

I have heard nothing that would suggest there are any problems.

[@DrStan]

What type of the epson printer do you use? Do you think I can use Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 which is a dye based printer to print digital negatives?

[@BillSchwab]

I use an Epson P800, but the new ones are compatible as well. As for dye based, I do not have any experience and don't know anyone using dye-based inks. I do not think they have the same UV blocking quality. Great question!

[@norbertprosniak1370]

Hi, your films are really good thanks for sharing your knowledge. I have question about that, Is there any way to print my digital photo on, for example kodak porta, then develop this film?

[@BillSchwab]

Great question, Norbert. The only way I know of doing this would be through a digital printer made by Durst called the lambda. The only person I know that has one is Bob Carnie in Toronto. Basically you could take a digital file and record it to film of different types, or even to photographic paper. You might also try Toronto photo works. They may also have one of these machines. Hope this helps! If anyone else out, there knows of another way, please chime in.

[@norbertprosniak1370]

​@@BillSchwab thanks for answer. I am inspired by Grieg Fraser and Denis Villeneuve how they make Diuna. They create digital pictures, print it on film, develop it and scan to digital what connected best from digital and film. It is hard to find some information how and where it is possible for simple person like me 😅 Unfortunately I am from Europe so I will not reach Toronto place but this lambda printer open my reaserch for something new, I hope I will find some information.

[@wabashamj]

Thank you for the informative videos. Do you hold workshops?

[@wabashamj]

I guess this is sort of a workshop actually

[@BillSchwab]

Thank you for watching! Yes, I do have work shops here in my facility and sometimes on the road. Please sign in to my website and subscribe to my newsletter to get on my mailing list. Thank you again!

[@ricbattaglia6976]

Hi, with p700 and a curve for 4880 i have an ocra digital negative, why? Thanks!

[@BillSchwab]

Hi Ric... Inkset is different on the p700 with 2 extra colors and I would think it has something to do with this fact. You'll have to download the latest QTR and build a curve for the p700. Good luck!

[@slotown1978]

Hi Bill, I’m looking at epson 900 printer. Will the epson 900 work for digital negative printing?

[@BillSchwab]

Where does out that the P 700 and the P 900 will work with QTR for making digital negatives. I’m sure there will be an updated version soon. There is also an updated version of Richard Boutwell’s quick curve DN program as well. The problem is in the fact there is an extra ink and I’m not sure how they are dealing with this. Probably just turning that nozzle off.

[@slotown1978]

What printer would you recommend for QTR?

[@keysersmoze]

There are deep blue LEDs. Think BlueRay. I am trying to think up an enlarger process for low sensitivity hand made papers. I thought my process would go from film negative to digital. The problem is that digital isn't reality. It's story telling. With tinted there are two photons and one electron spanning space and time between subject and observer. With negative and print, there are three photons and two silver electrons.

[@BillSchwab]

Sounds great. Many UV LEDs available now for exposure units, but haven't tried enlarging.

[@thanhtamnguyen-xg5pl]

hi sir can you held ? can you give the name of the film or where we can buy this

[@fstopPhotography]

I'm looking for an EPSON printer for digital negatives and found there are many models available, which one would do you use for digital negative printing?

[@BillSchwab]

The surecolor P 700 and P 900 are the only ones they’re making right now that are supported by the programming that I use. If you couldn’t get a hold of an older P 600 or P 800, Those are my favorite.

[@fstopPhotography]

@North Light Photographic Workshops - Bill Schwab Thank you, I really appreciate it. Great videos btw.

[@BillSchwab]

@@fstopPhotography Thank you, Greg !

[@jamesurzykowski4918]

Can you provide instructions on how to build the light box you use? I enjoyed the video very much! I was wondering how to make a print from a 35mm negative digitally.

[@BillSchwab]

If you do a search on Google, you’ll probably find instructions online. That is how I figured it out. Hope this helps!

[@BillSchwab]

As a search term, use “UV light box for printing”. There are commercially available units as well, but they are quite pricey.

[@grajoazul]

¿Cuál es el medio en el que se imprime el negativo digital?

[@fotolookconde]

Hi Bill, any hope to use this process for someone that owns a Canon and works with Affinity Photo instead of Photoshop (unaffordable)?

[@BillSchwab]

I don’t have any experience with using the Canon printers, but the people that I do know that use them aren’t terribly satisfied. Their inks don’t have the density necessary. I also cannot comment on affinity as I do not use it. Hope this helps!

[@fotolookconde]

@@BillSchwab thank you for your answer!

[@Cheers22283]

@@fotolookconde As I happen to have a Canon iX8650 printer I am tempted to give it a try-won't be next week or month though. Might be important to evaluate brands of transparencies for compatibility with Canon inks but what works with Epson is a good starting point. Affinity Photo should be fine for basic image manipulation (cropping-resizing-inverting-flipping-contrast-levels-etc) as the maths used is exactly the same as in Photoshop. Epson printer driver may be critical though-if that involves behind the scenes optimisation of the contrast curve for Pd/Pt printing. My only comment would be regarding iPhone image JPG to TIFF conversion. Even in TIFF format with its 65536 gray levels available, the image from JPG will still only have 256 gray levels used at most-the conversion can't create the information that isn't there to start with. This would be appropriate when starting from RAW, even from a mobile, if available, where it adds another couple of bits to around 1024 gray levels, but for most of the time 256 levels from 8 bits is just fine-except perhaps when there are slow gradients in image density where the eye could spot the slight banding.

[@fotolookconde]

@@Cheers22283 thank you for your input. I would like to know your results with the Canon printer!

[@ricbattaglia6976]

Hi, which A3 Epson is the quality/price best printer to print digital negative for platino-palladio? Thanks a lot from Milan.

[@BillSchwab]

For the best price/quality, I would go with the new P 700 Epson. As I understand it, the ink densities are a little bit less than the prior generation of printers, but I’m still hearing good things.

[@ricbattaglia6976]

@@BillSchwab Thanks a lot! And... about the p700 quadrip limited support (violet or matte black)? The second one quality/price is... p600? R3880 is the best? Thank you again!

[@BillSchwab]

@@ricbattaglia6976 In my opinion, the P 800 is the best. However, you have to get one of those pre-owned because they’ve discontinued them. I felt this was a big mistake. There is support for the P7 109 hundred with QTR. I think it just shuts off two of the nozzles. Maybe someone using one will chime in here.

[@ricbattaglia6976]

@@BillSchwab Thanks! And... something about Canon?

[@BillSchwab]

@@ricbattaglia6976 I have no experience with the Cannon printers. They are not compatible with Quad Tone Rip, but I do hear of people using them. Apparently the inks don't have quite enough UV blocking capabilities.

[@MarkSeymourPhotography]

Sorry this may be a dumb question. Why cant you make a 5 x 4 negative and then make a print via an enlarger ?

[@BillSchwab]

There are no dumb questions, Mark. In the processes that I use, you have to use ultraviolet light, and it makes more sense for exposure times, etc. to make the negative the size of the final print and make a contact print. Projecting an ultraviolet light at the distance that it would have to be in and then larger would make exposure times extremely long. I hope this helps!

[@MehriJamshidi]

is it possible to print on any transparent film? i mean the transparent paper myst be something special?

[@BillSchwab]

Good question. It has to be a transparency film that is made for inkjet printing. It has a special coating on one side that accepts the ink.

[@MehriJamshidi]

thank you 🙏

[@Oneminde]

A bit late to the party, but, what is the science behind needing ink rather than plastic as in laser printer ?

[@louphubin7667]

Why isn’t blue ? Great video

[@BillSchwab]

Thank you. There is no reason for it to be blue. Yellow is the best color for UV blocking, however, it’s a combination of the colors that make up the negative. I hope the answers your question.

[@louphubin7667]

@@BillSchwabyes ! Thank you sir. I was watching videos about cyanotype wondering if there’s a way to create other color than blue and ended up on this one. Got a bit lost I guess. Apologies. I’ll learn 🙂.

[@donjayamaha6174]

Printtool is not available for Windows do you know a alternative for printtool

[@BillSchwab]

Sorry. Not being a Windows user, I can’t help. Try searching for gang printing software. Canva is mentioned, but I have no experience with it. Good luck.

[@shawnhollbach395]

Hi Bill, What paper type do you select on your Epson printer for printing Pictorico? I have just bought the new P700 for making digital negatives but it jams when I attempt to print Pictorico UP using glossy and premium glossy photo paper settings. Any advice you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Regards Shawn

[@BillSchwab]

Hi Shawn. I use the glossy setting as well, but haven’t had that problem. Unfortunately, I don’t have any experience with the 700s yet. However, I’ve not heard of any problems. Also, the paper setting hasn’t been as much an issue because I print through quad tone rip when printing on the Pictorico. Hoping someone else sees this post and can help. Also.. if on Facebook, it might be worth posting in the digital negative group about this to see if anyone else has been having the same issue. I know Richard Boutwell has been working with a P 700 and doing the upgrade to his quick curve program. Hoping this helps and you can get this worked out! Please check back when you find a solution and let me know.

[@shawnhollbach395]

@@BillSchwab Many thanks, Bill. I've requested advice from Epson

[@rockanchor]

Not fair! looks too easy.