Question

What was he benefit of a calotype over a daguerreotype?

Answer 1

The calotype process produced a translucent original negative image from which multiple positives could be made by simple contact printing. This gave it an important advantage over the daguerreotype process, which produced an opaque original positive that could only be duplicated by copying it with a camera. The use of paper as a negative meant that the texture and fibers of the paper were visible in prints made from it, leading to an image that was slightly grainy or fuzzy compared to daguerreotypes, which were usually sharp and clear. In the 1850s calotypes were replaced by the far more precise although cumbersome collodion process that used glass plates as negatives.