PrePress Express Blog

Holiday Schedule Q4 2011

2011-09-23T02:27:00.000-04:00

Hi Guys!
PrePress Express will be closed for the following days.

Rosh Hashanah - Sept 29 & 30th
Yom Kippur - Oct 7 ½ day
Sukkot - Oct 13 & 14th
Simchat Torah - Oct 20 & Oct 21

for our closings please see our Holiday Schedule page.
For mail orders, please make sure to ship your packages so that they arrive before we leave or after we return.
For items that require signatures, please make sure to select the Signature Release.

For more information on our schedule, please contact us anytime.

A NEW Ilford ULF special order run!!!!

2011-08-16T09:00:00.000-04:00

Hi Guys,
The Ilford 2011 ULF film order was a great success. Just finished shipping the last lot of 16x20 overseas (wow that’s heavy stuff!).

In the last few months we have had a lot of interest in Ilford ULF films, more since the 2011 order closed.
Since the order has closed till next year, we have spoken with Ilford and they have agreed to let us place special orders as long as we meet the box MOQ (minimum order quantity).
Specifically we are thinking about 4x10, 7x17, 8x20, 12x20, 16x20 and 20x24. But any size can be ordered if the MOQs are met.
Prices and MOQs will be posted on our Ilford ULF film page.

If you are interested in ordering Ilford ULF film, please contact us as soon as possible.
All orders would be charged before the order is placed with Ilford. Once we place the order, it cant be cancelled. The film is made to order.
ETA is approximately 8-12 weeks from the order date. Shipping is additional, 1/2 price shipping on film orders over $1500.

You can also call us at 646-652-6448 and ask to speak with Ian.

Thank you all for your interest and for keeping film alive!

Ilford 2011 ULF Special Order Update!!

2011-06-12T03:28:00.000-04:00

Dear fellow ULF film shooters,
The window to order ULF films from Ilford is closing fast!
The deadline to have all orders in is June 17th, 5 days from now.

Our prices are the best offered this year and international orders are welcome!
Please visit our 2011 Ultra Large format (ULF) order page for more information.

Ilford will be offering FP4+ and HP5+ in all of the most popular sizes up to 20x24 and 20" rolls!
Click here to see the price list. To place an order, please contact us anytime.
Please Note: All order must be placed and paid for by June 17th 2011.

This year with every order, we are including a coupon for 1 free 200mb drum scan*.

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 shipment.

*Free drum scan offer, limit 1 coupon/free scan per customer. May not be combined with other offers.
Drum scan (film size up to 16x20") will be unspotted and full frame ie. rebate shown. Please contact us for shipping rates.

Mixing Kodak E6 and C41 Chemistry Update!

2011-06-09T14:30:00.000-04:00

Hi Guys,
We have updated both the E6 and C41 spreadsheets.
The C41 spreadsheet had a mistake, the data given to me by Kodak was for mixing from the 5 gallon concentrates.
For those mixing from the 25 gallon as we are would have run into an issue. This has been corrected in the new spreadsheet.
The instructions now include both the 5 and 25G.

On both E6 and C41, i have added a section for supplier with suppliers. This contains all of the labware we use to mix color chemistry.

For those interested in a copy of our mixing manuals, goto our Downloads section and click on the Photography tab.
We also have manuals for a WingLynch TC2 water panel, Ilford ICP42 / IWD42 16" paper processor and a Durst L1200 manual.

Check back often, we will be updating the manuals every chance we get with new tips and tricks learned along the way.

-Ian Mazursky
Owner PrePress Express

Ilford Price Increase

2011-05-19T19:11:00.000-04:00

Ilford has announced a large price increase beginning June 1 2011.
This is due to the price fluctuations in silver. Expect prices to increase at least 10-20% across the board.
Order placed after May 29 2011 will be subjected to the price increase.

These price increases also include ULF films. Any orders placed after May 29 2011 will be subjected to the price increase.

Mixing Kodak E6 and C41 Chemistry

2011-05-16T21:26:00.000-04:00

With the demise of the Kodak E6 5L Single Use Chemistry kits, we ran into a major problem.
We were using them at the rate of 2-3 kits per week to process our LVT 8x10 chromes in our Jobo ATL 2200.
The only options were buying the individual E6 components (to make 10L) or bite the bullet and go for the Kodak E6AR cubes.
While the investment for the cubes is significant (over $1k) the benefits far outweigh the cost.
For one, the cost per Liter is dramatically reduced. You can replenish the Bleach which not only saves (bleach is the most expensive part of any color process) but you are also not dumping the bleach everytime.
Another great reason is the chromes are much cleaner then with the kits. The highlights are brighter and the overall contrast is better.
I tend to think this has to do with the addition of the starters to the cubes. The kits have the starters built in and is therefore uncontrollable.
You can control so much more using the components and the AR cubes. All in all, its worth every penny.

The biggest deterrent for most people is the additional time required to mix. We have found that our mixing times have increased by about 3-5 minutes.
You will also need to buy a good graduated cylinder to measure 5mL-20mL for the starters. The starters need to be measured accurately.
At these small volumes, a little more or less can make a difference. Although not a huge amount if your off by a small tad.

The biggest issue to mixing is actually the Z-119 manual from Kodak. It missing a critical dilution for the Color Developer and reversal bath (for rotary tube its 60%).
A number of months ago we started sending out to anyone that asked a copy of our instructions. Over the last few months we have fleshed it out and made it prettier.
Adding sections for mixing the individual components and AR cubes from 1L-5Ls. Also a section for bleach replenishment.
I would like to thank Peter and Jay from Eastman Kodak for there help. They are both great guys to work with.

In addition we have also created a spreadsheet for mixing Kodak FlexiColor C-41 chemistry.
The C41 manual is more of a work in progress but the basics are there.

For those interested in a copy of our mixing manuals, goto our Downloads section and click on the Photography tab.
We also have manuals for a WingLynch TC2 water panel, Ilford ICP42 / IWD42 16" paper processor and a Durst L1200 manual.

Check back often, we will be updating the manuals every chance we get with new tips and tricks learned along the way.

-Ian Mazursky
Owner PrePress Express

Ilford B&W Film and Paper Pricing

2011-04-30T21:47:00.000-04:00

Ilford Update:
We have posted complete price lists of all of the B&W film and enlarging papers that Ilford sells.
Please visit our Ilford B&W Film, Ilford B&W ULF Film and Ilford B&W Paper pages.

To place an order or for any questions, please contact us anytime.

Ilford 2011 ULF Special Order Update!!

2011-04-22T02:45:00.000-04:00

Dear fellow ULF film shooters,
Its a great day, Ilford Photo/Harman Technology has opened the 2011 Ultra Large format (ULF) order.
Ilford will be offering FP4+ and HP5+ in all of the most popular sizes up to 20x24 and 20" rolls!
Click here to see the price list. To place an order, please contact us anytime.
Please Note: All order must be placed and paid for by June 17th 2011.

This year with every order, we are including a coupon for 1 free 200mb drum scan*.

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 shipment.

*Free drum scan offer, limit 1 coupon/free scan per customer. May not be combined with other offers.
Drum scan (film size up to 16x20") will be unspotted and full frame ie. rebate shown. Please contact us for shipping rates.

Company News 2011 Q1-Q2

2011-03-29T15:30:00.000-04:00

May 10 2011
Ilford ULF B&W update. New items added to the Ilford ULF order.
Note the closing date is June 17th 2011.

May 10 2011
Students, Educators and Institutions are eligible for discounts on certain
products and services. For more information, please see our Education Discounts page.

March 29 2011 - Metrics
This has been an amazing 1st quarter of 2011!!
We have produced nearly 100 LVTs and scanned nearly 500 individual frames of film or flat art.

The boom in LVTs has necessitated us to splurge on film!! Boy do i love film.
We bought 200 sheets of Fuji RDP3 8x10 and 100 sheets of Kodak 160.

In the scanning realm, we are now stocking all Kami products and we just got in some amazing new wipes and tapes.
We have a few types of wipes, some are good for film layout where you prepare the film for drum scanning by laying it on the wipe.
The others are soft with no lint and reusable film wipes. We also have our house brand of tape that is selling like hot cakes.

For samples of any of our wipes or our house tape, please contact us. Supplies of the samples are very limited.

2011 Q1 Projects

2011-03-25T15:03:00.000-04:00

We have had an amazing 1st quarter of 2011! Here are some select projects that we have been a part of.

January 2011
David Zwirner Gallery - Marcel Dzama Behind Every Curtain
This was one of our most interesting projects to date. We scanned, spotted, silhouetted and color corrected 68 beautifully
hand drawn pages by Marcel Dzama for the David Zwirner Gallery. They went into Marcel's new book Behind Every Curtain 2011 Paperback.
Marcel's show (Feb 17 - March 19 2011) at the David Zwirner Gallery was amazing.

February 2011
We produced 400 35mm slides for Francis Alÿs for an upcoming show.

March 2011
Currently, we are working on an amazing project for Philip-Lorca diCorcia and the David Zwirner Gallery.
We are scanning 103 of his Polaroids. They are so cool!!
As soon as we know more details of where they will shown and printed, i will post an update.

In Stock Ilford ULF HP5

2011-03-22T03:11:00.000-04:00

Hi Guys,

We have a few extra boxes of Ilford HP5 in 12x20 and 20x24 in stock from this years Ilford ULF order and a few from last years.

For pricing and ordering, please contact us anytime.

New Product - Manufacturer Update 2011 Q1

2011-03-10T13:41:00.000-05:00

Below is a select list of manufacturers that we are now adding to our catalog.
Please contact us for the current price lists.

Eizo manufactures the best LCDs for pre press and retouching

EFI ColorProof XF Rips
Onyx Graphics Rips
ColorBurst Rips
Pantone books
Wacom retouching pen tablets
G Tech manufactures the best portable and desktop hard drives we have come across
Xrite color management equipment, software and targets
SonicWall Firewalls
Linksys Networking equipment
GTI Light boxes and lighting
Epson, HP and Canon Printers, inks and paper
APC Battery backups
Lacie

Holiday Schedule Q1 2011

2011-03-01T14:59:00.000-05:00

Hi Guys!
PrePress Express will be closed for Passover, for our closings please see our Holiday Schedule page.
For mail orders, please make sure to ship your packages so that they arrive before we leave or after we return.
For items that require signatures, please make sure to select the Signature Release.

For more information on our schedule, please contact us anytime.

Kami Scanner Fluids Now in Stock!!

2011-01-27T16:41:00.001-05:00

Now is Stock, Kami Scanner Fluids!!!!
PrePress Express is proud to be a dealer of the Kami brand of scanner mounting fluids.
We are now able to ship them in the US via FedEx Ground.

We have the following in stock:
20 1 liter bottles of Kami Scanner Mounting Fluid SMF2001
4 1 liter bottles of Kami Drum Cleaning Fluid DC2001
4 1 liter bottles of Kami Film Cleaner Fluid FC2001
We also stock a variety of Kami safe tapes, Drum Scanner Replacement Parts and Scanner Targets.

Please note: All Kami fluids must ship FedEx Ground ORM-D and can have a maximum of 4 1L containers per box.

Please contact us anytime for more information or to place an order.

Part Time Job Opportunities

2011-01-26T22:27:00.000-05:00

PrePress Express is currently looking to fill the following part time positions.

1. Part Time darkroom assistant - Requirements:
Please note: You must be able to travel to our office in New Rochelle NY and you will be required to sign a NDA.
1. Color & B&W printing of contact sheets and enlarging of negatives.
2. Mixing of chemistry and compounding solutions from raw chemicals by following our instructions.
3. Processing film in a Jobo ATL processor. Will train to our workflow.
4. Follow safe lab/darkroom practices.
5. Testing of various chemical/film combos and keeping accurate records.
6. Flexible hours and possible late nights.
7. We will also teach you how to use our drum scanners. How to mount film and use the scanning software.

2. Part Time Retoucher/Spotter - Requirements:
Please note: You will be required to sign a NDA.
This job is a spotting a job. You will work on our drum scanned files and remove dust and scratches.
You will need to maintain the original grain pattern and not over use the healing tool or soft brushes.
No modifications to the image size, color space or format. No cropping and the image must look natural.
We will send you files via our secure download site and when you are done, you will upload them to our server.
Most jobs are a fixed price per image. A 1099 will have to be filed after payments over $600.

Please contact us for more information or to apply.

December 2010 Specials

2010-12-01T16:24:00.000-05:00

Hi Guys,
We have some great end of year specials for current and new retail clients.
To take advantage of these offers, you must mention the offer when placing your order.

1. 10% off Drum Scans on orders of $250 or more*
2. 20% off Drum Scans on orders of $1,000 or more*
3. 10% off LVT Film Output prints (8x10 only) on orders of $250 or more*
4. 25% off LVT Film Output prints (8x10 only) on orders of $1,000 or more*
5. 20% off Inkjet Prints for an order of $500 or more*
6. $10 off ImageNest nesting software*
7. 5% off on all ColorBurst RIP products*
8. 5% off on ICC Targets from Kodak and HutchColor*

* Limit 1 per customer, may only be used once. May not be combined with any other offer.
Discounts will not be applied to shipping.

Please contact us anytime for more information or to place an order.

Have a great December!!
Ian
PrePress Express

Holidy Schedule end of 2010

2010-11-30T13:00:00.000-05:00

Hi Guys!
PrePress Express will be closed December 22nd 2010 thru January 2nd 2011.
For mail orders, please make sure to ship your packages so that they arrive before we leave or after we return.
For items that require signatures, please make sure the delivery date is before December 22nd or after January 3rd.
We will return orders as soon as we return to the office.

For more information on our schedule, please contact us anytime.

New Product Announcement: SilverFast Resolution Target (USAF 1951)

2010-11-03T12:15:00.000-04:00

Now in stock, one of the greatest products to ever hit the scanning market!
LaserSoft Imaging introduces the SilverFast USAF 1951 Resolution Target!
The brand-new SilverFast® Resolution Target in combination with SilverFast software is a simple way to determine just what the maximum resolution of your particular scanner is!
Obtain scans with the best possible crispness and sharpness. An optical, (also called physical resolution) has always been a requirement in high-end scanning for best quality.
Unfortunately today with low priced desktop scanners the term "resolution" has become unclear.
As a second important application, the target helps you find the optimum sharpness settings for a chosen resolution.
You can also find the best compromise for your scanner between high resolution and sharpness and determine which parts of your flatbed scanner are scanned particularly sharply or blurry.

The introductory price for these targets are $99!! Visit our store for more information. We have a limited number of these in stock and they are moving fast!!
For more information or to place an order, please contact us anytime.

November 2010 Specials

2010-11-01T16:22:00.000-04:00

Hi Guys,
We have some great end of year specials for current and new retail clients.
To take advantage of these offers, you must mention the offer when placing your order.

1. 15% off Drum Scans on orders of $250 or more*
2. 20% off LVT Film Output prints (8x10 only) on orders of $250 or more*
3. 20% off Inkjet Prints for an order of $500 or more*
4. $10 off ImageNest nesting software*
5. 5% off on all ColorBurst RIP products*
6. 5% off on ICC Targets from Kodak and HutchColor*

* Limit 1 per customer, may only be used once. May not be combined with any other offer.
Discounts will not be applied to shipping.

Please contact us anytime for more information or to place an order.

Have a great November!!
Ian
PrePress Express

October 2010 Specials

2010-10-01T16:21:00.000-04:00

Hi Guys,
We have some great end of year specials for current and new retail clients.
To take advantage of these offers, you must mention the offer when placing your order.

1. 15% off Drum Scans for an order of $150 or more*
2. 10% off LVT Film Output prints (8x10 only) on orders of $100 or more*
3. 5% off Inkjet Prints for an order of $100 or more*
4. $10 off ImageNest nesting software*
5. 5% off on all ColorBurst RIP products*
6. 5% off on ICC Targets from Kodak and HutchColor*

* Limit 1 per customer, may only be used once. May not be combined with any other offer.
Discounts will not be applied to shipping.

Please contact us anytime for more information or to place an order.

Have a great October!!
Ian
PrePress Express

New Service Announcement: LVT Film Dupes!!

2010-09-13T13:25:00.000-04:00

New Service Announcement: LVT Film Dupes!!
We are now offering film duplication services using our drum scanner and LVT film recorder.
Back in the old days (a few years ago), to dupe 8x10 film you would have to contact print one piece of film to another.
This introduced a ton of dust, scratches and softness into the resulting dupe. Not an ideal situation from any standpoint.
We have received many requests of the last few years to get into the duping business but until recently we weren't able to provide duping services.
Last year we installed our Durst LVT Rhino+ film recorder. With the LVT, we are able to output a hi res digital file onto 4x5 or 8x10 film (E6, C41 and B&W).
The amazing quality of the LVT coupled with a drum scan brings film dupes to a new level!

Pricing for this new service is located on our LVT Rhino page.

For more information, please contact us anytime.

New Products In Stock at PrePress Express

2010-09-13T01:22:00.000-04:00

Hi Guys!!

We have a whole bunch of NEW, NOS (New Old Stock) and USED items that are just in.

NOS Omega IR Infra Red Filters, Fits most Omega color enlargers.
NOS Panasonic CR-P2 batteries exp 1/09.
NOS Panasonic 2CR5 batteries exp 1/09.
NEW Xrite Color Munki Photo. 1 unit left in stock!
NEW Xrite Eye One Display 2. 4 units left in stock!
NEW Wi-Ex xBoost YX510. 2 units left in stock!
NOS 36" Wide retractable banner stands 12 units left in stock!
USED Gretag SpectroScan XY table and Spectrolino head.
USED Polaroid ProPalette 6000 35mm film recorder (Cheap!!).
USED Howtek 7500 Large Drum needs some work to clean up scratches.
USED HP Designjet 5500 UV 42". Excellent condition with inks.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

8. 10. 11.

New stock of Kodak EPY 8x10

2010-09-13T01:18:00.000-04:00

Hi Guys!
We have just received a new batch of Kodak EPY 8x10 - 10 Sheet boxes Dated 02/2009.
Approx. 15 boxes are in stock and they are moving fast!!!

Please contact us anytime for more information or to place an order.

Updated 2010 Price Lists

2010-09-08T01:39:00.000-04:00

September 7th 2010:
We have released our updated 2010 Retail Price List, effective August 24th 2010.
The price list contains many new pages including LVT Film Output, updated Drum Scanning pricing.....

We have released our updated 2010 WholeSale Price List, effective August 24th 2010 for qualified wholesale customers only.
The price list contains many new pages including LVT Film Output, updated Drum Scanning pricing.....

The updated price lists are located on our Downloads page.

Please contact us anytime for more information or to place an order.
WholeSale inquiries, please contact Ian Mazursky.

September Holiday Schedule

2010-09-07T15:54:00.000-04:00

Hi Guys,
We will be closed on the following days in September.
9-10
23-24
29-30

If you have any questions, please contact us anytime.