Transferring digital back to negatives...

Stupot_ · 10 Dec 2010 at 11:42

Bit of an odd request, but thought it was worth posting in here to see if anyone had any good ideas!

I have some digital images that I would like to print using a traditional film method. The reason for this is that I also have some film images which I am printing, and I would like the results to look consistent. i.e. with film grain, on the same paper etc etc.

There are some transparencies that can be printed on which you can use as a negative, but these wouldn't be ideal. Firstly I would probably have to use them as a contact print, straight on to the paper as the detail wouldn't be there if I shrunk them to 35mm size and put them in the enlarger. Secondly, I wouldn't have the film-like quality.

So, short of printing out my digital photos fairly large and taking a film photo of it, does anyone have a better idea?!

ta

a1ex2001 · 10 Dec 2010 at 11:50

Not sure you will have much luck there, if you want them consistent it will be much easier to transfer the negatives to digital and match them up in photoshop than the other way round.

Stupot_ · 10 Dec 2010 at 11:52

a1ex2001 said:
Not sure you will have much luck there, if you want them consistent it will be much easier to transfer the negatives to digital and match them up in photoshop than the other way round.

Nah gotta be printed in the darkroom

They're all black and white by the way so no need to go matching colours.

Rojin · 10 Dec 2010 at 12:35

Find somewhere with one of these?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_recorder

Messiah Khan · 10 Dec 2010 at 13:06

You can get digital enlargers, but at £30,000 you may have a tough job trying to find somewhere with one. How big a negative do your enlargers take? If they take 5x4, you could print a digital copy out at that size on transparency paper and put it in the enlarger.

Stupot_ · 10 Dec 2010 at 23:12

My enlarger only takes 35mm. Also, the trasparency paper could just be contact printed for a higher res, however I'm looking to get the film grain to match the rest of the images so would want the digital images to be reproduced on ilford HP5.

Looks like i'll just have to try taking photos of some prints! I'm sure if I light it correctly I shouldn't have to do too much work afterwards.

vcl_X1 · 10 Dec 2010 at 23:44

How about you make 5x4 or 10x8 internegs (the transparencies you mention) and then pop them in an enlarger and wet print as we used to ;-)

You 'll have control over the amount of noise to add to get the grain effect you want...job done.