June 15th 2010

PrePress Express is proud to announce that we are now resellers for LaserSoft Imaging SilverFast® line of products.
We will be offering fantastic pricing on SilverFast® Archive Suite, SilverFast Ai IT8 Studio, SilverFast HDR Studio and the full line of IT8 Reflective and Transmissive targets.

Within the next few weeks, we will be adding the SilverFast® line to our webstore. To place an order, please contact us anytime.


LaserSoft Imaging® presents a unique solution for fast and easy archiving of slides, negatives and reflective originals.
With the new SilverFast Archive Suite you get a bundle of two programs: SilverFast Ai IT8 Studio and SilverFast HDR Studio.
Since both programs are equipped with optimum functions, you will enjoy maximum processing speed as well as an efficient workflow.
An integrated color management system that meets professional standards completes the convincing package.

Dear fellow ULF photographers and aspiring ULF photographers,

This year, we are again taking part in the 2010 Ultra Large format (ULF) order.
Ilford is offering FP4 and HP5 in all of the most popular sizes up to 20x24.

We will be offering significant discounts on all of the special order Ilford film products.
The new price list for Ilford ULF products has all of the details.

The fine print.....All order are final once placed. No returns on any special order items.
The film may be dropped shipped from the distribution center or from our warehouse.
The cost for shipping will be charged separately to your credit card before shipment.
All order must be placed and paid for by June 11th 2010.

PrePress Express is a reseller for all Ilford / Harman products.

If you have any questions, please contact us anytime.

Some of our clients have wanted to see the inside of our drum scanners.
We try to only open the scanner for maintenance so i decided to snap some pics when we did.
Its very interesting inside. These are images of the front of our Howtek 7500 Drum Scanner during routine maintenance.

1. 2. 3.
1. Left side: Rotation Motor on top and Encoder on the bottom. 2. Clockwork mechanism that drives the FOTI arm.
3. Right side of the scanner with the case removed and Clockwork mechanism closed.

4. 5. 6.
4. FOTI arm Extended (used with the large drum) to the FORI arm. 5. Top of the FOTI arm and right side clamp.
6. View of the front of scanner with the door opened.


In the next few weeks, i will try to snap some pics of the card cage, optics bay and lamp assembly.
If you have any questions, please contact us anytime.

During the new years break, we spent a lot of time working to install the LVT film recorder.
It was a lot of late nights and we started thinking hard about the different personalities of the equipment we own have.
We then realized they needed names! I know it a little strange but its a long standing tradition in the pre press industry to name printers, scanners and imagesetters.
So here they are!
Howtek 7500 Drum Scanner is now known as Sarah
Aztek Premier Drum Scanner is now known as Hara
Durst LVT Rhino+ Film Recorder is now know as Kara

Some pictures of the happy family ; - )
We couldn't resist adding pin striping to them!
         
Howtek 7500 aka Sarah                Aztek Premier aka Hara

Durst LVT Rhino+ aka Hara

We still need a few good names for our Epson 9880 and HP DesignJet 5500 printers. Send us an email if you have any ideas!

As the end of 2009 fast approaches (20 or so hours and counting), we would like to thank our wonderful clients for making this another fantastic year!!
2009 has seen a number of big expansions and improvements at PrePress Express.
We added a new drum scanner to our scanner department. The Aztek Premier® drum scanner with DPL®.
In our printing department, we recently installed a Durst LVT Rhino+ Film Recorder. With the LVT Rhino+, we can now image reproduction quality C-41, E-6 and B&W films up to 8x10".
In our pre press department we have upgraded many of our computers, servers, backup facilities and network.

Our websites have gone through numerous updates and changes. We have added a large selection of InkJet papers from the major manufacturers in the industry.
The latest is the full line of papers from InkPress papers. InkPress is a newcomer to the industry but they offer the best papers at extremely competitive prices.
We are very excited to add them to our catalog!!

We know that 2010 will be even better!! Plans include new Mac's, new servers, Jobo ATL processor and more manufacturers added to our growing catalog!

We wish you all a happy, healthy, fun, safe, interesting and prosperous new year!!!!
Your friends at PrePress Express

Welcome to our cool projects blog post, October 2009 edition.
While we cant mention the names of our clients, here are some details of the interesting projects.

1. In a funny twist, we received a call from one client in the morning to scan a 16x20 B&W fiber print.
Then in the afternoon, we received another call from a different client for another scan of a 16x20 B&W fiber print.
The scans came out great and it was a lot of fun to mount them on the Howtek 7500.
Our Howtek 7500 can mount film or prints up to 16.5x21". We can even pull a little more information out of the print then can be seen with the naked eye.

2. Earlier in the month we scanned an 11x14 Kodak 400NC-3 color negative.
It was amazing to see one that big. While i do shoot 12x20, its b&w (Ilford HP5), a color neg that size is a sight to behold!
We scanned it to a file size approximately 2.75gb!!!! It was so much fun to scan that. You can keep zooming in further and further, the scan just holds up.
You could see writing on tiny things over a mile away. No digital camera anywhere (except spy satellites) can even come close.

Over the years we have had many question on how a drum scanner works.
These are great questions and i thought that it was time to write a post about it.

Drum scanners are amazing pieces of technology designed by true geniuses!
Think of a hollow acrylic cylinder, then a piece of film. Wrap the film around the cylinder and you have the basics of a drum scanner.
Its a very cool big and heavy machine. The halogen lamp light is passed through a fiber optic bundle on the inside of the drum.
Then through the film onto the capture lens. It passes through an precision laser cut aperture wheel and into the optics bench.
The light is split into 3 parts (RGB) through various mirrors and optical filters.

At the end of the optics path are 3 PMT's (Photo Multiplier Tubes). A truly remarkable invention.
The light is now multiplied by the tubes and the current generated by the PMT's passes into the A/D converter, scanner hardware and finally the computer controlling the scanner.

Below is a Drum Scanning primer designed by Aztek, Inc.
Aztek is the designer and manufacturer of our 2 drum scanner, the Howtek 7500 and Aztek Premier.

Click to see the full size image in a new window.
©Aztek, Inc. Used with permission, All rights reserved.

So what are those BLUE lines in drum scans?
Well long story short they are scratches through the first layer of the emulsion (Color Negative only).
When the scratches are really deep, ie. through all of the layers, you will see the various color dye layers (RGB).


Image shows BLUE scratches in emulsion, 8x10 Kodak Portra Color Neg

We see this often in large format films (4x5+) but it can be helped. Check your dark slide for bowing or spurs. On medium format cameras, check your backs for rough edges or spurs.
Be careful with your film and dont shake the box before processing. When loading your holders in a changing bag, be careful of dust that might live in the bag.
In sandy areas or dusty areas, make sure you are careful not to get dust inside the changing bag.

Film can be delicate but it can take some abuse and still be usable. Have fun with it and remember to avoid the BLUE lines.

The closing date for the 2009 Ultra Large format (ULF) order has been extended.
All orders must be placed and paid for by July 2nd 2009.

Ilford is offering FP4 and HP5 in all of the most popular sizes up to 20x24.

We will be offering significant discounts on all of the special order Ilford film.
Click here to see the price list.

Dear fellow ULF friends,

PrePress Express is now a reseller for all Ilford / Harman products.
This year, we are taking part in the 2009 Ultra Large format (ULF) order.
Ilford is offering FP4 and HP5 in all of the most popular sizes up to 20x24.

We will be offering significant discounts on all of the special order Ilford film.
Click here to see the price list.

The fine print.....All order are final once placed. No returns on any special order items.
Film will be dropped shipped from the distribution center, the cost for shipping will be charged to your credit card before shippment.
All order must be placed and paid for by July 2nd 2009.

Over the last few months, we have received a lot of film that has been scratched by the holders.
This can happen to anyone at anytime, but with some work, it can be avoided.
When the film base lightly scratched, the scans will show it in the blue layer.
Heavier scratches go right through al of the emulsion layers and come out white.
It is extremely time consuming to cleanup and if it is really bad, it can ruin the image completely.

This article came to me last week when i was preparing to load some 12x20 film into my 90+ year old holders.
To say that they have some dust is an understatement. I realized that the scratching that i have seen from my negatives and
my clients could be traced to the dust in the film holders.

There are many techniques and conflicting opinions on how to clean your holders properly. In fact, most if not all of them are great ideas.
It all depends on what you have and if you have time to do it.

Some of the ideas i like are:
1. Use a vacuum to clean the holders. It works most of the time but has some drawbacks.
2. Use a tack cloth and rub the holder down inside and out. Very effective but the tack cloth has to be really tacky.
3. The can of compressed gas is a last resort option to me. It gets out a lot of the particles but it can just blow some of them around.
     Not my favorite method but sometimes its all we have.
4. My favorite and what i am doing now is to use a DRS roller or a tacky roller (like the ones for clothing).
    They get just about everything!, even what the vacuum misses.
Since i dug out the DRS roller, i have had a much better time scanning my negatives.
I highly recommend it to anyone shooting LF and ULF film.

There are other problems that are present in used holders. Some of the ones that i bought off of ebay have little metal burrs on
the leading edge of the metal insert. I filed them down with a micro file set i bought from radio shack. Always run your fingers
throughout your holders and if you feel something, take care of it immediately. The same thing goes for the dark slides, they can
warp and dent overtime and usually need some TLC.


With some care, film scratches can be virtually eliminated!

-Ian Mazursky
Owner

Fix it in POST! The only thing i can say is WHY?
When i was an digital tech assistant, this was a phrase i heard all to often.
Uttered by the Photographer, Assistants, Producers and worse, the client.
The simple fact is a little $2 A clip could have fixed it and saved them a $500 retouching bill.

Being on set is a hard and complicated thing for anyone. But if you are charged with reducing the overall cost
of post and no one listens to you....well the $$$ add up. The simple things that usually take under 5 minutes to fix on set can
take hours in post. I always recommend that whatever can be done on set, should be done. Every assistant should carry a
few small and medium A clamps on there belt. Even in the field for landscape work, a small A clamp can hold down
a branch (without breaking it) to keep it out of the frame.

Everyone is happier in the end and no one gets a huge bill that could have been avoided!


-Ian Mazursky
Owner

Hello Again!

Over the years I have participated in some of the great newsgroups in the photography and pre press fields.
Many of the posters on those groups have helped me and many others out on a variety of topics.

To thank you (you know who you are!), PrePress Express would like to extend some offers to the members from the following newsgroups.
       APUG Forums
       Large Format Photography Forum
       photo.net Forums
       PrePress Forums
       Hybrid Photo

Offer 1- Drum Scanning:
15% off your first drum scan order and 5% off on all future drum scan orders.
Note: The discount does not count towards shipping or tax.

Offer 2- Printing:
15% off your first printing order and 5% off on all future printing orders.
Note: The discount does not count towards shipping or tax.

Offer 3- Printer Profiling:
10% off our profiling services.

To take advantae of our offers, please send an email to Ian with your newsgroup handle/nickname and your order.
The discount code will only be provided after verification of your newsgroup ID.


-Ian Mazursky
Owner

So how big will my file be?

I have been hard at work on a Scan Size Calculator to answer that question.
Enter in the length and width of the film and your desired DPI, Color Mode and Bit Depth. Click calculate and the file size is displayed.
This will also work in the opposite direction. Enter in your desired print size at 300 dpi and click calculate.
Now you will have an idea as to the scan size you will need for a print.

Speaking of prints. I have also created a print ratio calculator. Say you have a 645 negative or 6x9.
Well what size can it be printed at while respecting its original ratio?
Pop on over to our Print Ratio Calculator, enter your desired width and select your film type.
Click the calculate button and the height will be calculated with respect to the aspect ratio of the film type..

I hope these calculators will help. If you have comments our questions,
please visit the Contact Us page and send me an email.


Let's all keep shooting film!

-Ian Mazursky
Owner

Alive!! And its not just my opinion.
One of the greats, John Sexton agrees. A modern master, he has been sponsored by Kodak
and consulted on the new Tmax 400 film. Recently, he was interviewed for Kodak's Blog. I had a brief chance to
meet him at Photo Plus East '07 in Kodak's booth. He sees a future in film as do I. Kodak & Ilford have stated a commitment to film.
With the current emulsions, B&W & Color, we are in great times.

Kodak's just revamped there Portra series of film. In addition to Fuji's Pro 160s, these color negative films
have the tightest dye clouds ever. They drum scan beautifully. B&W is also thriving! Kodak revamped
Tmax 400 with even finer grain. They have also committed to not using a UV blocker in there large format sizes.
There are also rumors of a new Fuji B&W emulsion. The rumor was confirmed at Photo Plus.
While there is no timetable, it is a step forward. I personally love Fuji Acros is 120.
Ilford's continued commitment to film is commendable. FP4 & HP5 are both wonderful emulsions.
Ilford's yearly ULF run is a boom to the industry. Kodak is getting into the ULF swing also.
Sometime this year (hopefully) we will see a large Tmax 400 ULF order!

Personally, I cant think of a better time to be shooting film!

Now to the saddest news that I have heard in a long time. Polaroid
They are officially out of the film business. Sad & scary. Here is the timetable for film availability.
The really sad part is that most of the films are sold out already. The 8x10 films are almost completely gone
and Type 55 is hard to find. Many are hoping that Ilford, Fuji or another 3rd party investor will license the
technology or coating facilities and continue the tradition that Edward Land started so many years ago.

Let's all keep shooting film!

-Ian Mazursky
Owner

Wow what topic. Its been raging in the pre press and photographic community for years.
Which film to use. Slide film (E-6) or Negative film (C-41).

The short answer.....If you use one of the current "Pro C-41 Films" from Kodak or Fuji, it doesn't.

The long answer.....It doesn't, but.........
Before you pick out the film, you have to think about the light. The light is the key to all!!
If you are shooting medium to high contrast scenes (high key) that are more than 3.5 stops from shadow to highlight,
the best choice is negative film.

I know what your thinking. For years the mantra has been, for advertising you must shoot chrome.
That was true, at one point in time. These days, you are free to shoot what you want.
With negative film, you have almost a 7 stop exposure latitude. Thats huge! Chrome has half that at the best of times.
The nice thing about negative film, your highlights are protected and your shadows detail is there.
With chrome, you will probably loose both. There is so much data in a negative compared to a chrome.
So much so that we scan 40% more color and B&W negatives than chromes.

The second thing to think about is the size of the image on the page.
You will see little if any difference between the 2 if the page size is a single. It's a bit larger than letter.
Double page spreads may be tricky on 645. There might be some grain but it's unlikely.

Now dont get me wrong, im not knocking the chrome. Velvia 50 has the finest grain of any film available
with outstanding color. I have shot allot of chrome over the years and I love the feel of it.
Put a 4x5 or 8x10 chrome on a light box and heads will turn. But there are many times that chrome will never be able to
record any highlight details. If I expose for the highlights, I would loose the shadows. I now shoot & recommend
the new Kodak Portra 160nc & Fuji Pro 160s. When I need a chrome, I reach for Velvia 50, Provia 100f and E100G.

There is a great discussion that I have participated in at APUG.org. Click here to view it.


If you have comments our questions, please visit the Contact Us page and send me an email.

-Ian Mazursky
Owner