BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: New Answers

Slides Chrome

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March 20, 2003

To start, you should at least have a loupe in the 4X to 8X range and a light box. For 35mm slides I tend to prefer loupes toward the 8X end as it allows looking at finer detail and evaluating sharpness of the image better. You can also get an inexpensive battery powered slide viewer for rough editing . . . eliminating slides you definitely do not want to consider printing. These are handy for this task, but lack the magnification needed to look at finer details. Eventually, you may want to get a slide projector. However, ensure it has an *excellent* lens such as the Schneider Vario-Prolux. A poor projector lens will project an image poorly. I have a small, flat white 20 X 20 inch panel mounted on a wall of my study. Final editing is done by projecting slides on this panel. While the same thing could be done with a loupe and a light box, I've found this easier. A projector and excellent lens *is* more expensive though. Do this only if you're certain you're going to be shooting slides a lot.

There are three methods for printing slides:

Internegative:
This method uses a machine to photograph the slide using a special color negative film. This "internegative" is then used to make a print on standard color negative print paper. The "internegative" is typically discarded after making the prints. IMO this is the least desirable method; you are making a copy of the slide and then printing that . . . a copy of a copy.

Direct Printing:
This prints the slide using a "positive" print material directly from the slide . . . just as a print would be made using negative print materials to directly print color negative films. IMO this method offers the best printing if it's done correctly. All of my prints from slides are made using this method.

Digital Printing:
This prints the slide by scanning it to a digital file and then printing the digital file on some form of print material. IMO, the results from this can be quite variable depending on the scan quality, the printer used and the print materials. A high end custom job on "display" quality print materials using a high end commercial printer can be nearly as good as a high quality optical print made by direct printing. In general, I consider this the second best method.

For inexpensive printing I have selected slides printed by "The Slide Printer" in Denver, Colorado. They make direct prints from the slides using Fuji print materials designed for direct printing slides. I have large, more expensive custom prints done using Ilfochrome print materials by a lab in Austin, Texas. Ilfochrome is a special print material made by Ilford, an English company, and is also designed for direct printing slides.

-- John

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March 29, 2003