[charmerci]

The photos obviously start out in color. On my computer, I convert them to b&w. Then I increase the contrast, adjust the "shadow" etc.

I go down to my local drug store and have actually been working with the people that do it but we can't really figure out how to adjust the photo to get rid of a blue-green tint from the Kodak machine. (a three color heat transfer process) When we use the Agfa machine (I forget that process - I'll ask again this afternoon) the prints come out with - I can't really say for sure - a kind of brownish overall tint.

How do you get real black and white/gray tones out of your photos?

[nathanm]

I haven't used a dye-sub printer in years.  Is your file grayscale or a neutral RGB?  That may be a factor if there's some color conversion going on.  But as long as your digitial file isn't tinted in any way it's all in the printer.  It sounds like a calibration issue.  There should be some way to equalize the channels so you get a good neutral, but perhaps the process does not lend itself to a truly grey B&W.  This thread looks relevant:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1003&message=11945473&changemode=1

[charmerci]

Thanks for the link - I'll look into it later - gotta run.

But the digital machines use color inks (plastic film in the heat process machine) so I don't think that they can be do true gray tones.

[charmerci]

No luck in my small town - decided to go this route.

http://www.trueblackandwhiteprints.com/