High quality colour prints

DadaKopf

Right, so I've been getting mechnically printed prints for quite a while now. The quality's fine for lookin' but it's too grainy. There are a couple of photos I want to get enlarged, high quality, so the grain is as invisible as possible. I don't know anything about printing, like what the hell is a Lambda print?

Anyway, if I wanted something enlarged (A3'ish size, maybe bigger), high quality, where should I go and how much would it cost?

Samson

Originally posted by DadaKopf
...so the grain is as invisible as possible. I don't know anything about printing...

Grain is part of the film and it's something that you can't really make invisible. You will find grain to be more prominent the more you enlarge your neg. It's particularly noticeable with large blowups from 35mm negs.

norma

I honestly think that even 8X10 prints at ISO 100 push the limits of 35mm film. If you want to start making large prints, you will get the best results by going to a larger film format. If you put an 8X10 print from 35mm next to an 8X10 (or even much larger) print from 2 1/4, the difference is like night and day.
A lamba print is a high resolution and continuous tone print output onto traditional photo paper (or film) from a digital file.
Norma.

DadaKopf

I'm sure it's paper quality that's one of the problems. It also happens with the medium format stuff I've gotten processed. Where can I go to get a really good print?

norma

Mmm... what's the processing like where you get your film done? Are they monitoring their machines properly? Excess grain can be caused by overdevelopment of the neg, or by too high a processing temperature.
What film are you using? I've made 11X14 prints from 6X7 negs using ISO 400 film (granted it was the Kodak Portra 400 UC, which is very fine-grained for its speed) with absolutely no detectable grain. It seems very strange that grain would be a problem with medium format film unless you're making massive prints.
As for paper, I've only used Kodak colour paper. The Portra paper works well with the Portra films, both being low contrast and designed for portraits. Otherwise, I prefer to use the Endura paper.
Can you give more info as to what you're using? It may not just be a problem with the printing stage of the process.
Sorry I can't advise about labs - I'm living abroad at the moment.
Norma.

FinoBlad

could be the "wrong" developer was used to develop your film or in other words a fine grain developer was not used.

Samson

Originally posted by DadaKopf
I'm sure it's paper quality that's one of the problems. It also happens with the medium format stuff I've gotten processed. Where can I go to get a really good print?

I have had machine prints from good negs that made me think I had wildly underexposed the film. I reckon it could be poor exposure at the printing stage which could manifest itself in the symptoms you describe.

My advice, if you want a really good print is to go the hand printing route. Try the Colour Lab, or Primary Colour.

DadaKopf

This is what I was asking. Where's Colour Lab and Primary Colours?

The films have varied but most recently I've been using Portra VC 160 and UC 400 and Fuji NPC and NPH.

I got them done at Gunne's. And I really don't want to be badmouthing them.