What print house or process yields a print (color or B&W) as good and long lasting as a darkroom print? Having to come back to digital I'm determined to print some images using print...

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Having to come back to digital I'm determined to print some images using print houses (not at home due to no darkroom) and I'm wondering; what print house and / or printing process yields a print that is of the same quality as a darkroom print AND has similar longevity?

I don't want an inkjet print that runs when water hits it, or fades in a year or something.

What am I looking for and what is a good print house that would provide it?

mrpentaxk5ii

First unless you have your digital files printed on metal, allowing any regular prints to take a bath is not a good Idea, Digital print paper is different than dark room paper, that being said their are a few online photo printers that claim to print in the same way as dark room prints of past, I have not had that type of print so I can't give yo a company name. I have printing inkjet prints for years with great results, the life of any print depends on how it is presented,ie in a frame, how much direct sunlight / heat it receives and how many baths or showers you take with your prints.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

mrpentaxk5ii wrote:

First unless you have your digital files printed o... (show quote)

I guess that's what I'm looking for then...real optical prints from a digital file.

I'll start searching.

BebuLamar

There were a lot of those machines made from Kodak, Noritsu and Fuji. They use laser or light pipe to expose regular RA-4 paper at 300 to 400 ppi. The paper sizes generally limited to 12x18". I don't know of a machine that print on B&W paper though.
I don't find any website that specifically said how they print. At Mpix the advertised 'New Glicee Print" which I think it's inkjet but what's about their older non glicee prints?
I found this site that does say they use the RA-4 processed Fuji Crystal Archive paper for digital prints.
https://www.thelabsantarosa.com/company/

Please note that many people prefer inkjet prints, they say inkjet prints have higher color saturation. Many also said that inkjet prints can last longer than RA-4 prints. But that's what they said. I don't know for a fact.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

rpavich wrote:

I guess that's what I'm looking for then...real optical prints from a digital file.

I'll start searching.

Check Costco. I'm told they print on photo emulsion paper.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Longshadow wrote:

Check Costco. I'm told they print on photo emulsion paper.

Oh, I didn't think that they did printing anymore.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

rpavich wrote:

Oh, I didn't think that they did printing anymore.

A few months ago they still did. Right now it's via mail only...

https://www.costcophotocenter.com/SignIn

Ysarex Loc: St. Louis

rpavich wrote:

Having to come back to digital I'm determined to print some images using print houses (not at home due to no darkroom) and I'm wondering; what print house and / or printing process yields a print that is of the same quality as a darkroom print AND has similar longevity?

I don't want an inkjet print that runs when water hits it, or fades in a year or something.

What am I looking for and what is a good print house that would provide it?

There is no digital printing process that can equal or rival the longevity of a properly processed B&W silver print.

Color is an entirely different matter. Most of the commercial color prints available from digital files are, as BebuLamar noted, are actually printed on RA4 material using a "Lightjet" printer (MPix, Millers, etc.). As such their longevity is in the category "pull up a chair, open a beer, and watch them go." OK, my wife says I exaggerate a bit, but RA4 photographic prints are at the bottom of the longevity heap. They will exhibit a measurable fade change within 5 years and depending on display conditions should typically fade to a noticeable, objectionable stage in about 25 to 30 years.

Color inkjet prints depending on the materials used have fade rates that are 4 to as much as 8 times better than RA4 prints. If you want a color print from a digital photo that is as fade resistant as possible you want an inkjet print. It's going to depend on the paper and inks used. To find out which papers and inks have the best fade resistance ask Henry: http://wilhelm-research.com

Joe

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

rpavich wrote:

Having to come back to digital I'm determined to print some images using print houses (not at home due to no darkroom) and I'm wondering; what print house and / or printing process yields a print that is of the same quality as a darkroom print AND has similar longevity?

I don't want an inkjet print that runs when water hits it, or fades in a year or something.

What am I looking for and what is a good print house that would provide it?

If you're shooting digital, printing at home is best, no darkroom needed! Prints have the same or better quality and last a lot longer too!

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Ysarex wrote:

There is no digital printing process that can equa... (show quote)

Thanks Joe, that's very informative.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

speters wrote:

If you're shooting digital, printing at home is best, no darkroom needed! Prints have the same or better quality and last a lot longer too!

No, I'm not in the mood to deal with a printer, ink and all that crap. I'd buy a thermal printer if it produced a print of good quality, lasted long and the printer was "reasonably" affordable but no...no inkjet for me.

BebuLamar

rpavich wrote:

No, I'm not in the mood to deal with a printer, ink and all that crap. I'd buy a thermal printer if it produced a print of good quality, lasted long and the printer was "reasonably" affordable but no...no inkjet for me.

Thermal printers tends to have their supply discontinued. I had the Kodak Ektatherm Xtralife XLS printer which I can't find ribbon for it any more.
And I do understand your dislike for inkjet but don't look like we have choices.

rebride

Look for a place that does C prints.
Ilford opened some labs a couple years ago for film and silver halide prints. Mostly B&W, but color too.
https://www.harmanlab-us.com/

I have always thought people using film, especially B&W, should also being doing the other half of the process.
There is something special about a silver-halide print.

Darkroom317 Loc: Mishawaka, IN

Inkjet Archival Pigment prints tend to be more impervious to water than Inkjet Dye Prints.

I have a friend who does Platinum/ Palladium printing over inkjet prints with the metals providing a deep rich black. Pt/ Pd printing is a traditional process than means that the print must coated, exposed, developed and washed. In a similar manner I know another person doing Cyanotype over inkjet.

Recently, another grad student was having issues with her inkjet rice paper wrinkling after printing. She sprayed the print with a water bottle to remove the wrinkles the ink in the paper remained the same. The pigment ink stability with water seems to be similar to printmaking inks which often come into contact with water.

Supposedly, Archival Pigment Prints on high quality papers such as those offered by Hahnemühle, Moab and Canson are similar in longevity to Fiber Darkroom Prints.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

After some investigation and mulling things over...I've decided to just have AdoramaPix print when I need to. I don't want the hassle of having a photo printer at home and I've had them print things for me in the past and I've been happy with their work.

Thanks everyone.

PS: The camera should be in my sweaty little hands by tomorrow (thursday) Yay!