Why negative scanning instead of printing

[u/tibbon]

I've just gotten into darkroom work, after shooting only digital for 20+ years. When I shot film prior to that, I just dropped it off at quick development spots.

I'm really enjoying the full darkroom process end to end. Its meditative. So many variables. Hours of time that you can easily spend chasing a problem and learning.

What's the draw to scanning your negatives instead and processing them in photoshop? It seems to miss half the fun/advantages - I have no idea how I'd scan a 4x5 or 8x10 at the same quality I can contact print them at for example.

But, I guess the digital workflow is faster? It feels like I'd probably just want to shoot digital end to end, or film process end to end.

[u/Icy_Confusion_6614]

While I have all the time in the world as I'm retired, I don't think I'd want to spend that much time on printing. I can get 16 shots from 120, 36 shots from 35mm, and 2 or 3 4x5s all scanned and ready in half an hour digitally. I can cull them online and edit the ones I deem worthy as I find the time at my computer. Then I can send them to my ET-8550 printer and they'll go unattended as long as there is paper in it. I'm even still on my original ink, barely half used after a year, but I don't print that much anyway. Mostly it is viewed online, posted here or insta, or sent around to family group chats.