Printing 35mm Negatives on A3

[lewismalpas]

Hey TPF,

I want to start printing some of my 35mm negatives / scans somewhere around the size of A3 paper. As a lab develops and scans my film I would really appreciate some advice regarding whether or not the images are high enough res to print at that size.

The lab scans the negatives at 400DPI on a Agfa D lab machine which results in 2MB JPGs which are approx. 3000 x 2000px in size. I can then open the JPGs and save them out as TIFs which are approx. 18-20mb.

My Dad actually runs a printing company and they have some amazing machines which will do an incredible job of the printing. I just want some advice regarding how to supply them with the images, whether they are good enough quality, how the grain will look when enlarged etc.

Many thanks for your help!

Lewis.

 

[The_Traveler]

why not ask your Dad?

 

[limr]

If it helps, I scan my 35mm negs on a Canon CanoScan 8800 (flatbed). I generally scan at 1200 dpi and from that, I've printed 8x10 and 11x14, though for the 11x14, it kind of depends on the picture. Generally, I'd prefer a scan at 2400 dpi.

A4 paper is, if I remember correctly, something like 8x13 - ish in inches.

 

[vintagesnaps]

I usually do 4x6, 5x7, and 8x12 from 35mm. To do an 8x10 you're going to lose part of the image. I don't know how it would work as 8x13 but would think you'd need to do some resizing and might end up losing part of the image (in height).

I think as far as the size if the quality of the original is sharp with good color and contrast and was properly exposed it could enlarge better than if it wasn't the greatest to start with. How do the negatives look? When I've gotten more grainy images it was usually shooting late in the day when I was losing light and pushing the limits of what a camera can do in recording light and what a particular speed of film can do (how light sensitive it is).

I print my own and find it just depends on the original, whether it's a negative or one I shot digitally how good a print will look.

 

[gsgary]

I have done them that big but i scanned them, i could easily wet print them that size