Gregory Fraser <Gregory.Fraser@pwgsc.gc.ca> wrote/replied to: >> Do you really want to print half tones? If so, why? > >No I don't really want to print halftones but I do want to know what the printer is doing. I don't like devices that have drivers etc. written for amateurs. I would rather struggle with a 4x5 than fire away merrily with a Polaroid. > >Most of my prints so far have not shown smooth patches of color so I suspected I was doing something wrong while printing. Holding an 8x10 at 4", I can see the dots that make up the colors. Held at arm's length they look fine to me. I am now wondering if perhaps I should not be examining an 8x10 that closely. > >Last night I figured something out. When I view the image at 100% in Photoshop, I see the same dots. Originally I thought that was normal but I think the printer is doing a great job recreating the dots that are in the original scan and perhaps the film was just a tad too grainy. > >Oh well. Keep testing. It's amazing how small flaws that are difficult to see on screen will show up in a print. Especially in the darker areas. Many people will crank up the brightness of their monitor high to see how dark areas look before printing. Oh, and an 8 by 10 should be viewed at arm's length at minimum. Jim Davis Nature Photography http://www.kjsl.com/~jbdavis/
