Large Format chemical Printing

[NickyTaylorphoto]

Ok so up until now I have been shooting with a canon 5D mark 2 and printing up to 4ft x6ft and been happy with the results.

I normally print through a durst lambda, which has a maximum print size of 50 Inch wide by infinity. I have however now gone forth and purchased my medium format 645D (some of you might remember me posting about it in the past)   

Now my question is this. After visiting art shows both in Europe and America I see that somewhere it is possible to get photographic prints as wide as 70 inches maybe even wider. But I can’t find out where or who offers this service.

Im not interested in INK JET prints or Giclee print. I prefer the paper to go through a chemical process to deliver the best results.

Does anyone else here know of what other print options there are for me if I want to push my new format to larger sized prints?

Hope someone can make sense of this.

Your advice please.

[sgilbert]

I don't know of labs offering large print services, but there's a video of Clyde Butcher making large prints that you might enjoy on YouTube here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCN_WQeEKnc

[DanielStone]

You'll need to locate a lab that operates an exposure unit(lightjet, chromira, etc) that will 'write' to material in the width you are requiring. IIRC, Kodak and Fuji only make RA-4 material up to ~70" width wise, so that might be your maximum width unless you want to match up two separately exposed pieces of material together.

Not many labs run these machines, since a 30" machine alone(just exposure unit, not including the processor req'd to process the material exposed) can run upwards of $75k or so, maybe more. I haven't researched it in-depth, but these prices are some mild browsing online guesstimates ;-)

http://www.zbe.com/products/chromira/chromira_5x.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/375450-REG/Fujifilm_7065167_Fujicolor_Crystal_Archive_Super.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/870167-REG/Kodak_1401272_Professional_Endura_Premier_Metallic.html

Etc...

Dan

[TMARK]

Contact Lamount or Duggal in NYC. .

[NickyTaylorphoto]

Thank you for the comments so far. If I had the space and was based in one location I would have loved to have a dark room set up like Clyde Butcher on a smaller scale maybe.

Also I really should have looked at pricing of the roll paper to give me a base starting point for when im getting lab prices.

But TMARK I think you hit the hit the nail on the head with Duggal as they have a 72” wide Lightjet 500XL unit.

So I thank you all. Now i just need to go out and research the main differences between Durst Lambda and the Lightjet prints.

Also I hope they do metallic paper in 72" wide rolls.

[NickyTaylorphoto]

seems that Duggal and the other company cant print up past 48" on the metallic paper.


but can go upto 72" wide on the gloss which is at least a step in the right direction

Am i doomed not to find a place that can print wider than 48" on metallic paper. Maybe they dont even make that type of paper that wide. Hummmm......

[TMARK]

seems that Duggal and the other company cant print up past 48" on the metallic paper.


but can go upto 72" wide on the gloss which is at least a step in the right direction

Am i doomed not to find a place that can print wider than 48" on metallic paper. Maybe they dont even make that type of paper that wide. Hummmm......

That may be the case regarding max paper size.  If you get to NYC you should make an appointment. Thy will give you every option that is feasible. You may also contact The Icon in LA.

[bcooter]

For years I've worked with Dupon in Paris on processing and lately gallery prints.
http://www.dupon.com/

They are excellent and upfront and it's not out of the ordinary to ship back and forth to a great lab.

I've also worked with Lamont in NY for 10 years which is excellent, though also send a guide print.
http://laumont.com/

Atelier Lumiere in Paris  has a great reputation worldwide, (though I favor Dupon because I know the owner and he's truly wonderful), but a lot of heavyweights like Paolo Roversi and Peter Lindberg print there.
http://www.atelierlumiere.fr/

Good luck

IMO

BC

[Wayne Fox]

Am i doomed not to find a place that can print wider than 48" on metallic paper. Maybe they dont even make that type of paper that wide. Hummmm......

I don't think Kodak makes metallic wider than 40", at least in the U.S.  I know it's not in my dealer catalog.  I use order quite a bit of metallic from Kodak in the 30" size.

wayne

[DanielStone]

I don't think Kodak makes metallic wider than 40", at least in the U.S.  I know it's not in my dealer catalog.  I use order quite a bit of metallic from Kodak in the 30" size.

wayne

B&H shows a "Premier Metallic" in a 50"x166ft roll size

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/870167-REG/Kodak_1401272_Professional_Endura_Premier_Metallic.html