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Digital vs. Traditional Printing
Over the past few years, with the advent of digital imaging systems designed to expedite the workflow in photographic labs, a debate has formed as to which process is better. Some feel that the digital process is superior due to its unmatched controls, lower labor cost, and fewer variables. Others feel that traditional photochemical processes are superior because individual photographers' visions were formed around what traditional materials can and cannot do. The unique properties of traditional processes include higher resolution and clarity in many cases, outstanding color saturation, a true gray scale in B&W, and most importantly the true look and feel of a photograph. It is important to remember that the film used while shooting the image was specifically designed to be printed using traditional methods.
We at Photographic Traditions of Maine feel that both views have merit. We believe the choice of printing process is an important decision that should be left to the photographer, who can weigh the pros and cons of each process and make the best choice for each individual image. Certain images work better in digital while others work best in traditional media.
When making this decision, a photographer must look at the limitations and benefits of each process. Here is some information on the pros and cons of both processes.
Archival Stability
When printing transparencies on Ilfochrome material, the expected life of the print is up to 200 years. Fiber Based B&W prints will last hundreds of years if properly processed and stored. Ektacolor prints, or prints from negatives, on the other hand have an expected life of about 14 years. (All of these numbers are based on normal viewing light indoors.)
When looking at digital photographic printing several factors must be considered in order to gauge the life expectancy of a print. The first is what output process is being used and the second is what type of material the output (printer) machine is printing to. Most labs are using either an inkjet printer (like the one attached to your computer) or a printer that uses lasers to expose on traditional print media (Light Jet or Lambda).
If the lab is using inkjet technology it is essential that they use high quality acid free papers and ink sets that are stable and able to withstand environmental pollution and UV light. The resulting prints can be expected to last upwards of 100 years.
Those labs using Light Jet or Lambda printers will either be exposing the image on Ektacolor or Ilfochrome materials and the life expectancy is the same as the corresponding traditional prints.
Color Saturation and Image Clarity
It is common knowledge among photographers that the color saturation and brilliance of an Ilfochrome print is unsurpassed. It is true that the material can be difficult to work with, but in the hands of an experienced printer the results are stunning. Ektacolor prints do not usually have the same brilliance of an Ilfochrome print but when printed properly they can be quite pleasing in their color scale.
Digital prints done on an inkjet printer can also be quite stunning, depending on the ink sets used by the lab. High quality inks can produce brilliant prints. Light Jet and Lambda prints exposed onto traditional materials, however, often lack the brilliance of a print exposed using an enlarger. The lasers in the printer are not able to produce a product retaining the same quality as a print from a conventional enlarger.
The benefit of color reproduction with digital prints is the ability of a qualified operator to manipulate the image using 3 color layers independently. This allows for much better color control, especially on difficult images. Although manipulating the color layers under an enlarger is more difficult, it is possible by an experienced printer. Furthermore, the columnated light produced by the enlarger will invariably give more crisp, saturated colors.
Image clarity in the digital process is hit or miss. It is completely dependent on the quality of the scanner used to import the image, the experience level of the technician, and quality of the output device. There is an advantage in printing very large images as grain is not nearly as noticeable in these prints.
Using a traditional enlarger for printing offers excellent sharpness and image clarity, providing the lenses used on the enlarger are of high quality.
Cost and Production Time
Production time is perhaps the biggest difference in the two processes. If workflow is well organized in a digital lab, the turnaround time on a print will be significantly faster than with traditional processes. When printing images in the darkroom, several test strips and prints need to be made before the final print can be produced. Often Ilfochrome prints need a mask made for the chrome, which can add a day to the printing time. Digital prints, on the other hand, can often be made on the first attempt at printing once the digital file has been manipulated.
There are two aspects of cost to consider: what it costs you, the consumer, to have a print made, vs. what it costs the lab to make the print. It is far less expensive to produce a digital print, primarily due to material usage. While a digital lab may average 2 attempts to produce a final print, a traditional lab may make 3 or 4 test prints before a final image results.
This cost savings is not always passed on to the consumer, however. When the scanning cost and the cost of the print are combined, it is often far more expensive using digital technology. The scanning cost can be offset if many prints of the same image are required. For example, an 8x10 Ektacolor print costs $18 at Photographic Traditions of Maine, while at most digital competitor's an 8x10 print on the same paper will range from $25-$38 with the scanning cost built in. That is close to twice the cost to you, the consumer.
In summary, there are far too many variables for us to say what the best process is for you. Careful research of the options and viewing samples of each type of print will ultimately assist you in making the choice that is right for you and your image.
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