BW Develop/Print/Scan

[SuzanneR]

The problem with APUG is the more I browse the more I think I should get a medium format camera instead of my old Minolta.

Well, you're not alone there! Believe me... we all have to deal with our cases of "GAS" from time to time. (I've recently just added an agfa isolette to my kit.)

Honestly, we've not had a lot of discussions about labs... or at least, I've not read many. Even though I'm a moderator, I don't read everything here. I think as long as a lab is running film, and someone wants to know how they scan as part of a thread, that's fine. It's a judgement we can make based on the tone of a thread. As I said, I think the most active users here are involved in making their pictures from start to finish, and don't use labs as frequently or they scan and output digitally, but don't really discuss that end of the process.

[Bob-D659]

Henry, you might regret,. . . . . . . . I mean really enjoy shooting medium format.

[Ian Grant]

The thing is, a lot of those questions could be answered by a simple FAQ or some sticky threads. It's not like new scanners or scanning software are being released every year. A quick rundown of the pros and cons of a Nikon Coolscan, the Epson V700 and V600, and a couple others, along with some descriptions or even links to any of the tutorials on the web on how to use Vuescan, Silverfast, and Epson scan would go a long way to answering a lot of those questions. Heck, even just a list of links for information would be better than a vague "Go to DPUG". At least give them a landing point at DPUG where some vital, often asked and often answered questions are detailed in a clear manner.

I think those are very valid points and I know I've suggested something similar myself in the past. There's a need.

Ian

[CGW]

As I said, I think the most active users here are involved in making their pictures from start to finish, and don't use labs as frequently or they scan and output digitally, but don't really discuss that end of the process.

Time for some polls and/or research on this issue. No one appears to know much beyond what they think might be happening out here.

Something along the lines of Tim's suggestions would do much to make this site more useful and relevant.

[pbromaghin]

A decision to limit talk about digital might have made sense 4 years ago. Does it still?

Emphatically yes.

I am among those who use hybrid work flow. This is just about the only place where you can get analog talk without being drowned by all the digital noise. It's why I came here and stayed.

I can do without scantalk in order to get all the wonderful analog info.

[Aristophanes]

Saying that half a discussion about a lab belongs at APUG and another half belongs at DPUG is not doing the advertising lab any favors. That hurts the labs because it does come across as analog snobbery and loses customers.

The majority of film shooters never went near a darkroom ever. The Kodak Brownie was designed with that in mind. Is APUG a lab friendly site or is it a darkroom hobby site exclusively? If labs scan because they have to to be economically viable, do discussions of their services have a place on APUG? There is a survey question.

[markbarendt]

I would like to know of a lab on what machines they scan, at what resolutions, what delivery methods, and prices. From the ads some do this at a single price which is really cool.

Part of the problem is that the only people that can answer technical and business questions about their current products with any real authority are the labs themselves.

Beyond saying I like/get good results from one lab or another my input borders on irrelevant.

This would be true regardless of what site the question was asked on.

[Tim Gray]

I can do without scantalk in order to get all the wonderful analog info.

And I'd rather put up with some 'scantalk' if it meant better encouraging film use amongst new users.

[jnanian]

what i think would be great would be a glass link, between apug and dpug.
the way the soapbox isn't out in the open, even for subscribers, but you have to look to find it ...

a direct link to dpug would allow apug users to use the knowledge from
the folks there and visa versa, it would allow people with questions to get answers,
it would boost traffic to dpug and give an infusion of life to what sometimes seems a quiet place.

the posts do not appear here in the main forms like the soapbox posts don't appear in the main forums
unless you look for it, you wouldn't know it was there

people wouldn't have to shun users who asked questions that bordered the numeric side of things
they would find dpug's portal ... and get their answers

[Tim Gray]

I don't see why a hybrid section couldn't be like the foreign language sections. I don't speak Dutch and never see the new posts in that forum when I check for new posts. Yet if I wanted to, I could go right into those forums without having another login, or paying another subscription fee, etc.