Hi!
My two cents:
1) The Epson is probably a good proposal
2) Silverfast is known to be a good program, I had an early version on PC and I positively hated it. Newer versions on Mac may work better. I used Vuescan and MF film.
3) In my experience Windows sucks and MacOS X rocks, but your mileage may wary.
- Photoshop CS4 is 64 bit on 64 bit Windows but 32-bits on MacOS X
- Mac OS X has been 64 bit enabled long time
- 64 bit OS means that you can utilize more than three GByte memory. There is a 64 bit version of Windows but your mileage on that platform may vary
- If you choose Mac, Mac Pro is the way to go
4) I use Autopano Pro for stitching using Smart Blend option
5) You may consider Photokit Sharpener toolkit, it may be helpful
6) Get a decent monitor but most important a decent calibrator
- Good monitors don't use TN panels, good screens use IPS, MVA etc. Sorry, this is important)
- If panel type is not given it is usually TN
- LED illuminated displays are probably to be preferred
- High quality displays whith hardware calibration are around 2000 USD (and up)
- Myself using an iMac 24" and a ColorMunki Photo spectro. The iMac is to bright, which can cause yo to make your prints to dark.
Regarding the "From Camera To Print" video I think it is excellent, like everything coming from the gentlemen Reichmann and Schewe.
Best regards
Erik Kaffehr
Hello, fellow artists.
Because of established success with the 4x5 film format, I desire to continue to use a large format 4X5 view camera and transparency film, sometimes making up to 3 horizontal overlapping exposures for panoramic prints. But I have NO knowledge or experience in scanning, editing, or digitally printing. This is going to be ALL uncharted territory for me. I beg your indulgences to spare a few minutes of your time to help this fledgling digital darkroom novice.
From what reading I have been doing, it appears that the Epson V750 scanner, with its wet mounting capabilities will be the scanner I will want to use. I don’t want the hassle or expense of sending chromes out across the miles for drum scanning. I see Epson makes a couple of printers which can print from 24 inch roll paper, so that will more than suffice for my needs, enabling me to make an occasional 24 X 30 rectangular print. The real questions I have concern the computer, monitor and software. Scanning and stitching three 4x5 transparencies, I imagine, will take up an enormous amount of memory. My Dell is almost 5 years old now and I guess it’s not a computer I will want to use for this purpose.
So, do you folks have some ideas for me about 1) A PC or Mac. 2) an affordable wide-screen monitor 3) The best software programs and 4) any additional hardware or software components to make this process more complete --- such high speed cables and media to archive and store finished, edited image files. Also, would B&H still be the best place to purchase these tools? On the site Luminous Landscape, I also saw a 6-hour video entitled “From Camera to Print.” Is this good material/ presentation, helpful to what I am about to do? Oh, and also, I will be mounting and framing pieces. What is a good source for these products? I also don’t want to use glass. Is there an acrylic now that has similar characteristics to “Image Perfect” glass?
Lots of questions, I know. Yet, I know where I want to go and achieve. Thanks in advance for your time and help. I hope my post was clear enough for any and all to share your most anticipated replies. I look forward to hearing back from you!
Cheers,
Walt Puciata