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In Reply to: Your expectations? posted by Ding on May 03, 2004 at 11:57:05:
it depends on what you can live with in the final print. If most of your own printing ends up as small 4x6 or 5x7's you can stand to be more or less critical.It's only when you dive into the pool of major enlargements, that more of everything starts to come into play.
More Megs, more pixels more $$$. Bigger Printers,cameras, space for all this.Basically you'll get out , what you're willing to put forth.
But hey, it's all good.
Follow Ups:
I never said things were bleak. I just read so many posts on photo websites with people complaining about results - and blaming the equipment. Mostly, it's operator error, or perhaps more accurately, operator misconception. I'm merely trying to point out, that if 12x18 inch prints are the goal, then there are some basic system considerations that must be taken into account prior to making photos, or one can easily become discouraged or overwhelmed with the workflow.In fact, if you take your time, and setup a profiled system, color fidelity and reproduction issues are the last thing on your mind as you work on an image because you have confidence that your system WILL absolutely reproduce what you see on your screen.
But even with that there are subtlties. For example, with a certain paper it might take up to 24 hours after printing before the image has "stabilized" (quit changing). Profile a test target on the paper immediately after printing it, and final images will only look 90% as good as a print from a profile where you've waited the full 24 hours before reading the test target image.
Then there is contrast gain. Some papers gain contrast slightly from what is seen on the raster image. One might think of this as the difference between viewing a transparency on a light box and seeing a print. The difference being the CRT image is transmitted light and the print is reflected light. Or, another example is in making a wet darkroom B&W print, where one must use experience with image making to account for "dry down."
Likewise, with digital ink jet printing, one must expirement a bit, and gain some experience in how a print changes between the CRT image and the final print. Not huge changes, not color shifts, but those little "extra tweaks" that give the image an added dimension in aesthetic appeal.
The point being that just like standard wet darkroom based photography - you must match your technical choices and technique with your aesthetic intent.
Indeed, the end result, in my case, are 12 X 18 (or larger) display prints, hung on the rec-room wall. I have (literally) drawers full of 4 X 6's, which were viewed once as "proofs", if you will.
The information posted here, although depressing, is invaluable. I would much sooner learn of digital's shortcomings this way, rather than after a substantial monetary investment.
For the time being, I think I'll continue to use film, search for yet another printing lab, and experiment with a borrowed digi-cam, and feeeeel my way into digital, rather than jumping in with both feet.
Once again, sincere thanks to all who responded so quickly and eloquently.
Impoverished Audiophile
It's strange that you ask the very questions about large prints that I and a friend were wondering. I've done some developing and 35mm work, nothing like yourself though. Well I bought into digital right away with a really cheap Polaroid with flash. It was fun. Then bought my mother a lot nicer point and shoot.But my friend and I needed a good digital camera for photos that might be needed for Court presentations. We descided on the Fuji SLR 7000. Not as pricey as the Canon, but nice enough for around $500-$700. Know for court, we often need 10X12's to show detail of damages without a magnifying glass. Judges can't see well after reading all day, and it helps.
My mother has Photoshop for her Mac. I am not that impressed with the need for all the tiny and slow changes it allows over the standard software bundled with the camera's. You could easily be satisfied with the results after getting used to your printer's "style". But get a nice printer now, and an excellant camera later. You'll be glad for it all later as you grow into the technique.
You'll want a SLR to put filters on the lense.Some lighting conditions {Both inside and out} will tint photos rather oddly. Polarizing filters are a great idea. A good bundled package will have all the different kind of filters you'll ever want.
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