Digital C-Type Printng

Digital enlargers work differently to a normal enlarger, as it uses a screen and calculations within softwares to ensure that your image is perfect on the first go, rather than having to do many test strips, test prints and then fixing it over and over. There's a lot less risk involved in using a digital enlarger.

The process still requires light sensitive paper, as it used RGB lasers to imprint your image on the paper. The amount of time it needs with each colour will be chosen by the software on the computer. This process is therefore a mix of digital and analogue printing.

The enlarger prints at a 300dpi and can print as large as 20 x 24 inches, and it's fairly easy to use.

1.  Turn on the machine and the monitor
2. Plug in your USB to the USB connector 
3. Open the two softwares you need; these are Index and Exposer.
4. Go onto the index programme and click 'Load' 
5. Click 'Del index before'
6. click 'selected pictures'
7. Locate your images on your USB. This is usually found at computer > F Drive.
   These images should be 300dpi, and fully edited. You must also have the file the size that you want it to be printed; you cannot make it bigger or smaller at this stage. For example, my image was 8x10 and so i set it to as such in photoshop on another computer before I printed.
8. Click on your chosen images and then 'Open'. They should appear in the boxes on the screen.
9. Some people at this stage will alter their image slightly as the programme offers very basic editing options. We were told not to use these and use photoshop on the computers in the lightroom as it offers more true to life edits as well as having many more options. However, the computer linked to this enlarger should be sufficient for simple edits if you choose to do so as the monitor is calibrated to the enlarger which the computers upstairs are not. If you decide to edit within this software do so by right clicking the image in the grid on the screen, which will open up the editing options for you. Make sure when you're done you choose 'keep original picture' as to not write over the original
10. Go into the exposer software and pick the file size and paper type. Sometimes in order to be able to  do this you have to click the 'off' button, which turns of the auto scan feature. A series of size options will appear to the left of the screen, and you can pick from there as to what file size is appropriate for you. Once this is done click the 'auto button to turn on the autoscan feature again.
11. Select the first image you want to print by clicking the name of it in the index software.
12. Go back into Exposer and ensure that the autoscan feature is on. You can tell this because the 'stop' sign will be showing.
13. Back in Index, press 'print' at the bottom of the page. You'll see your chosen image's preview pop up on the Exposer programme.
14. We now need to ensure that the enlarger is focussed. You can do this buy pressing the 'focus' light switch on the control panel next to the enlarger. Now, also press the 'monitor' button, which will turn off the monitor screen to let you focus the image properly. This must be done with the lights turned off and the door shut, or you won't be able to focus it as well. Unlike a normal enlarger, you cannot set the aperture on the enlarger as it's all done through the software. This means that the focus light is dimmer than what you might be used to. Y
15. Set the easel to your desired paper size.
16. Change the height and focus by first unlocking the knobs at the back of the enlarger base and then using the knobs at the front of the enlarger base. One will control height and one will control focus. You can tell that the image is in focus by using the focus finder. The projected image should appear as a series of sharp pixels, which you can see the grid for.
17. Lock the handles again so the focus and height doesn't move.
18. Turn off the focus light and now get out your light sensitive paper, and put it carefully in the easel. The paper must be emulsion side up. Cover all other paper in the room as to not expose it to any light.
19. Press the far right button on the control board next to the enlarger which says print. The lasers will start exposing your paper. You'll be able to see the RGB tones in turn exposing the paper. When it's done it will give a 'beep' and you can put the exposed paper in a light tight bag and box and use the colour processor to process the image.
20. Make sure to delete all your images off the index software before you leave.

This image is the result of my C-Type printing. The focus isn't as good as i would have hoped but i suspect this is from the focus knobs moving before i had a chance to lock them in place, because the grid of pixels did seem in focus when I was focussing the enlarger.
The colours aren't as they appeared on my screen; this is mostly visible in the greens of the image which appear more yellow than I expected.

Why Use a C-Type?

- Could turn out cheaper per photo 

- Easy to use

- It's a more involved way of printing; you control the machine.

- Can give higher quality results

Why not use a C-Type?

- Can't handle neon yellows or silvers - inkjet can

- You can't print on different papers - with inkjet you can make gichlee and archival pigment prints

- Can't really do test strips