I recently had some B&W prints printed by a local reputable custom lab. They used Agfamat Classic for thier "Elite Custom Prints", the top price-point they offer for gallery & portfolio work.

When I got the prints back the sky was completely white, though the negetive clearly showed some subtle clouds and gray-ing. When I asked about this, the owner said that unfortunately the "paper doesn't have the same lattitude as the film".

I don't do any of my own gallery/portfolio quality printing, (mostly just RC test-prints for crits, etc.), so I cant speak from *personal* experience, but for some reason this sounds to me like a crock. I'm pretty sure I've seen subtler gray-tones on prints from 6x6 b&w negatives before, even when I get the second-from-the-top prints at this lab.

Is this guy feeding me a line? Surely a skilled darkroomist should be able to coax something that *actually exists* on the negative onto today's papers, for $70 a pop? I've been able to do it on RC - and its not what you would consider a "bad negative". My guess is he could have used a lower contrast grade and burned a little more, but I'm the amateur, he's the pro......

Don Minton

-- Don Minton (minton2@mindspring.com), March 05, 1999

Answers

Sounds like you need a new lab. Agfa Clasic is an excelent paper. Yes, the negative range may exceed the paper, but that's why we burn and dodge. He is either lazy, incompetent, or thinks you don't know any better.

-- James D. Steele (jdsteele@erols.com), March 05, 1999.

agfa classic

Yes ---you were being handed a line. In fact, Agfa Classic has an exceptional range at the high end. You should find a new printer to work with.

-- jim megargee (mvjim@interport.net), March 08, 1999.