TECHNOLOGY
CAMERAS
Most of my image capture is done on digital, currently the Pentax 645D digital medium format camera. The 3:4 aspect ratio or format and 40 megapixel (Mp) image quality will produce a print size of 30 x 40 inches and approaches the image quality of 4x5 large format film. This is a very convenient and capable camera which has many more features than I typically use. One often used feature is exposure bracketing. One seldom used feature is auto focus. The current selection of lenses for this camera are the smc Pentax-A 645 35mm f/3.5, the smc Pentax-FA 645 45-85mm f/4.5, the smc Pentax-FA 645 80-160mm f/4.5, and the smc Pentax-FA 645 150-300mm f/5.6 ED(IF).
My backup digital camera is the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II, which has 16.7 Mp and affords image quality of 20x30 inches in a 2:3 aspect ratio and even larger sized prints if multiple panorama photos are stitched together in a 1:3 or 1:6 aspect ratio. The current selection of lenses for this camera include the EF 17-40mm f/4L, the EF 24-105mm f/4L, and the EF 100-400mm f/4.5L.
My film camera is the Linhof Master Technika 4x5 large format camera. Heavy, bulky, and difficult to carry for any but short distances, it offers superb image quality and the ability to produce prints of 32 x 40 inches or even larger in its 4:5 aspect ratio. Current Schneider lenses for this camera include the 90mm Super Angulon MC, the 120mm Super-Symmar HM, 150mm APO Symmar, the 210mm APO Symmar, the 300mm Symmar-S, and the 400mm APO Tele-Xenar.
FILM SCANNER
When starting the digital workflow from film, I use a Howtek Scanmaster 7500 Pro drum scanner and typically scan the film at the highest available optical resolution (5000 ppi) and bit depth (12 bits/channel). Drum scanners represented the optimum technology in the early 1990's and cost upwards of $50,000 to $100,000. The photo multiplier tubes used in this (and other) drum scanners affords production of the highest quality master files. As part of the workflow, the film is wet mounted to the drum with scanner mounting fluid, and then a mylar overlay is placed (and stretched tightly) over the film with scanner mounting fluid between the film and the mylar overlay. After carefully removing any air bubbles, the film is scanned, which requires 90 minutes for a 4x5 sheet of film. Once the scan is complete, the fle is brought into Photoshop and the image is straightened, cropped, and noise reduced as a first step. Additional steps involve digitally removing the dust particles from the image and creating adjustment layers to allow optimization of one or more tonal curves, a color balance or correction curve, and localized adjustment layers with corresponding layer masks to create the master file. Print files are produced from these master files, optimized (sharpened) for the print size and printer, and then saved for additional print production. Although this scanning process is time consuming, drum scanners afford the highest quality image capture and production, and are superior to flat bed scanners. Photo courtesy of Carlo Colombo, all rights reserved. (http://www.pbase.com/carlocolombo)
PRINTING
My current printing process utilizes the Epson Stylus Pro 9880 wide format inkjet printer. This priinter has eight ink cartridges and uses sheet or roll paper up to 44 inches in width. Preferred printing papers are Ilford Galerie Smooth Pearl Paper or Epson Permium Glossy Photo Paper (250). Printer Profiles are courtesy of Bill Atkinson (www.billatkinson.com/Homepage.pl ).
