has introduced a downloadable software application for the HP Designjet Z3200 photo printer series.

　　According to HP, the software enables professional photographers to generate large format photo negatives for the production of high-quality, black and white silver halide photo prints.

　　HP will showcase the Large Format Photo Negative software for the first time at Les Rencontres d'Arles 2011 in Arles, France, during The Best of Both Worlds: Digital Negatives for Black and White Silver Prints conference on 5 July.

　　Available in September, the Large Format Photo Negative software package includes a paper preset for the Designjet Z3200 series that allows photographers to print a digital negative from a film, scanned or digital capture file onto a transparent substrate.

　　Once printed, these large format photo negatives can be used as masters to produce high-quality black and white fine art prints through a contact process.

　　The final print size is the same as that of the transparency, allowing an original 35mm negative to be blown up as large as a 44in print.

　　Santiago Morera, vice president and general manager of Designjet large format printing solutions at HP, said: 'Last year, we introduced a system for creating high value platinum prints, combining the best of conventional and digital techniques for the benefit of photographers and their fine art clients.

　　Once again we are meeting photographers' needs with an innovative product for more popular and affordable silver halide prints, demonstrating our commitment to helping photographers produce, showcase and archive their work.

　　While writing on film from digital data is not new, the Large Format Photo Negative software is claimed to offer one of the simplest, least expensive and highest quality options available on the market.

　　Users only need to have access to a Designjet Z3200, the correct media and the no-cost software package from the HP website to produce photo negatives.

　　The Large Format Photo Negative software can be used with any silver halide papers, including fixed or variable grade, and can be used to produce large format prints from 35mm images, enhance images from old or damaged negatives or archive digital files physically on film and paper.

　　Picto, a professional photographic laboratory in Paris, France, has been using the software to produce large format photo negatives and meet their photographer clients' needs for a simple way to create silver halide, large format prints or hardcopy image archives from negatives.

　　Philippe Gassmann, chief executive officer of Picto, commented: 'The Large Format Photo Negative software from HP meets a long-standing demand we have heard from our clients.

　　We tried several options, but this is by far the most flexible and easy to use, allowing us to offer top-quality, affordable silver halide prints from original negatives.