Transfer 36 digital images back to 35mm film

In an ideal world, you would be able to take a digital image and print it in the darkroom thereby getting total creativity in a way that a digital printer is not capable.

Well, now that option is available, at prices never before possible, due to our investment that makes the dream a reality. Mixing digital and film images for printing in your darkroom is now both accessible and available.

The process focuses on a high-technology CCG Film Recorder which we have purchased, and the idea couldn't be more straightforward. Just send us (up to 36) of your digital images in TIF or JPEG format on a CD, they can be black and white, or colour and we will record them onto Ilford film for you and then return the film and CD by return post.

The film recording of digital imaging is done by a precise set of lasers (3 passes) to a standard, equal to that of the resolution of the film itself. In other words, it is like copying the digital images onto to film at full 35mm resolution.

The reasons for launching this new service should also help the education world considerably.
A cost-saving is the most obvious. Assuming a digital A3 inkjet print costs around £5 to print when you cost inks and paper and outsourcing printing on RA4 using a Fuji Frontier will cost about £6. Normal processing of a black and white 12 x 16 print costs you only about £0.90 (Kentmere paper and Fotospeed chemicals) so the COST SAVING IS THEREFORE AT LEAST 80% when compared to digital printing.

Other advantages include
* Allows you to mix digital and film-based images with ordinary printing.
* It makes no difference if you shoot in colour or monochrome. With digital, you can convert colour to B&W easily.
* Decreases the concern about falling numbers of film-based SLR cameras available.
* You only need to send the best images for converting, so there's no waste when compared to straight film.
* It is easy to combine and archive work onto one film.
* Most work remains in-house, so you retain 100% control over your images.
* The service future-proofs a photographic department to carry on using the equipment and processes it is used to.

What to do. Just send your CD with your images and complete the order form or send us your address and payment details in the usual way you place an order. We will return it along with an unprocessed Ilford Pan 100 film for you to develop regularly (if you prefer Pan 400, please indicate this at the time of ordering). All film is returned next day by 1st Class mail (volume permitting).

Alternatively, send your images (in batches of 36)  to Dropbox or WeTransfer with the address email of rodney@firstcall-photographic.co.uk

Technical specifications of the files required : JPG or TIF, 35mm - long edge from 4000 to 8000 pixel try to keep maximum file size to 15Mb

Resolution examples for perfect match for 35 mm-  4096 pixels long side on 24x36 mm with a format of 2:3 ratio.

We will return it along with an unprocessed Ilford Pan 100 film for you to develop regularly (if you prefer Pan 400, please indicate this at the time of ordering). All film is returned next day by 1st Class mail (volume permitting).

The cost of the transfer service is simple:
£25.00 per roll of film for Black and White film recording
£30.00 per roll of film for Colour Negative film recording
£36.00 per roll of film for Colour Slide film recording

We offer students of photography a discount of £2.50 per roll.

Prices include VAT and FREE postage. This means each image costs as little as 28p and can then be processed precisely how you like in the darkroom. Using the A3 analogy, even adding 28p to the 90p, means you are still saving a considerable amount when compared to standard digital printing.