# Resolution Issues



## Allen (Dec 10, 2010)

I'm not getting the resolution in my VDBs that I'd like.
I haven't gotten the Ortho in yet so I've only been making Pictorico negatives.
I've started making them orange (as suggested elsewhere) but my prints are still coming out softer than the negatives by a good deal.  

My highlights are white so I don't think it's an issue with the ink not being uv opaque--though I'm not ready to rule that out.
  Any ideas?

Many thanks,

--Allen

PS, printing the Pictorico negatives on a Canon Pixma 9000 with Canon inks. I've also up the DPI (300 to 700) to no real effect.


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## ann (Dec 10, 2010)

allen

what are you using to hold the negative and paper together, how heavy I mean?

you might try  hybrid.org. There are a couple of fellows over there who are tops when it comes to alternative process, including Sandy King for one and they have some tips.

If these are from your cell phone, I just wouldn't feel the need to share that with them  as that is suppose to be a hybrid workflow. 

My first thought was buckling, even with a good contact printer it sometimes doesn't maintain a tight enough "sandwich"


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## Allen (Dec 10, 2010)

I'm using two heavy sheets of glass (2x2 feet x 1/4 inch each) as a sandwich and clamping them together with 8 large spring clamps (2 on each edge of the frame).

I really started to notice the lack of resolution when I started printing negatives off of a real camera (5D II).

My Ortho should be in tomorrow or Monday so I'll have something to compare.  Those images will be made with Zeiss and Rodenstock glass and not Apple plastic, so I know they'll be tack sharp.


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## ann (Dec 10, 2010)

Still thinking not enough even pressure. but of course a larger negative, a real one, should be sharper, i would still suggest watching the pressure with the glass.

It will be interesting to see what happens, please keep posted on the results.


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## Allen (Dec 11, 2010)

Ann, I can't thank you enough for the advice.  I'm out of town at the moment but I'll post up a few tomorrow or Sunday-ish.  
One of the things I'm going to do is scan one of my 'blad negatives and make an ortho negative out of the same print to see what I'm loosing to the ink jet.  I'll post comparisons.


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## ann (Dec 11, 2010)

I have been thinking more about the question you asked about pryo developer vs DDX.

One of the reason I went to Pryocat HD was it was "developed' for making negatives used in alternative processes. THat was it's orginal purpose. The negatives are so sharp you can't believe it.  I have used semi-stand development with the HD with all formats of negatives including doing a test session with 4x5 negatives. ONe set was developed in hc110 solution B and the other in the proycat hd and the difference are shocking. It was that test that started by use of hd with all my formats, even tho at that time some folks thought i was nuts. It was certainly working out of the box at that time, but I felt why not.  The feedback about "why" came when I was looking for a starting point for developing times.

Just some more infomation to "muddy" the waters.


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## Allen (Dec 16, 2010)

The HD shipped today.  
Time to shoot a few test rolls. 

You know when I started  working with the alternative processes I had expected to be printing platinum by Christmas.  Now I hope to be printing platinum by late winter/early spring.


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## ann (Dec 16, 2010)

haha


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## Allen (Dec 21, 2010)

Bigger clamps made the difference. 
Thanks, Ann.


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