Greying / Reduced contrast in prints

[Tulojow]

Hello

I recently acquired a used darkroom / enlarger set up and have been having a blast learning the process. However, I'm running into a consistent problem with prints after developing. The white/light tones in the prints are ending up dulled and grey - including along the unexposed edges. I suspect it has something to do with the materials being old and out of date somewhere in the process since I don't know how old any of the materials were.

I've been using 8x10 kodak papers that were unopened but of unknown age, kodak powder dektol developer and kodak fixer recently mixed as well as kodak stop bath recently diluted. Though all the materials were sealed/intact, I have no idea how old any of them are.

The images seem to be developing and maintaining integrity other than the white areas ending up more dull grey. Before replacing all the materials, I was curious if there's a likely culprit. Is there a way to know whether this is an issue with the paper or with the chemicals?

Thank you for any suggestions or thoughts!

 

[Gavjenks]

Old chemicals could easily do this. Basically, if a lot of the developer has degraded, then you might not have enough in there to develop the whole image fully, at least not in the amount of time you're giving it.
OR, if the fixer is doing a poor job, then you'll end up leaving a bunch of unexposed halides still on the print, which then fog soon after you turn the lights on, graying your highlights.

Chemicals are cheap, just buy new and see if it solves it. If you really refuse to or have to order them and are impatient and want to play around in the meantime, then you could try:
1) Agitating a lot more in the same amount of time, especially for the fixer (the more likely culprit IMO).
2) Halfway through development, pour out all the developer and immediately replace with fresh and continue. Same for fixer.


I can't think of a reason why the paper being old would cause this. But that's also possible. Emulsions tend to last way longer than chemistry, though.

 

[ann]

paper with age can become fogged, which is going to print as you describe.

Kodak papers haven't been manufactured in many years, and even those that are 4 or 5 years old where manufactured long before that time and held in giant rolls until cut and packaged

 

[Gavjenks]

Would fogging be evenly distributed though? And shouldn't it get better after processing a few sheets (which would have shaded the ones further down)?

 

[KenC]

Could be a safelight problem. Of course this wouldn't fog the edges while the paper is in the easel, but unless you're doing a lot of burning after the main exposure, or using a very small aperture and very long exposure time, the time in the easel should be pretty much negligible compared to the time handling the paper plus the time it sits in the developer.

 

[webestang64]

I have 2 boxes of Ilford RC 16x20 50 sheets to box purchased in 2002. Grey whites to the point the middle grey was effected. Might use them for something funky but I never use outdated paper. If I do not know how old it is it gets recycled.

 

[Derrel]

OP--your experience mirrors mine with using OLD enlarging paper...dulled highlights, yes.

MANY "safelights" are not really safe either, and can fog paper. You can try the old trick of taking a sheet of paper and placing it face-up on the easel, and then putting a few 25 cent coins on the paper, and allowing the paper to just sit there on the enlarging easel, or next to the developing sink,with the coins providing a "shield" from the effects of the safelight and after 90 seconds or so, yanking the paper out from under the coins, then developing the paper face-down in the developer, stop bath it, fixer it, then evaluate...if you see round, pure white coin shapes...the safelights are fogging your paper. OR the darkroom has a light-leak somewhere.

 

[Tulojow]

I went ahead and bit the bullet and ordered new chemicals and paper. I will try fresh printings with new materials and see if it takes care of it. It does seem like the ghosting gets worse the longer that lights stay on.

I do not think it's a light leak in the darkroom - I use the same set up for film development without a light bag and haven't had an issue with ghosting or light contamination on film. I hadn't thought about the safe light but I think I'll have to wait until I have fresh materials to check it. The last enlargement I exposed and developed had a section of the paper covered with thick cardboard. After developing, the area that had been covered was just as ghosted as the rest of the borders and white area. Once I get fresh materials, I will test that, though!

Thank you everyone for the suggestions!

 

[Derrel]

SNIP> The last enlargement I exposed and developed had a section of the paper covered with thick cardboard. After developing, the area that had been covered was just as ghosted as the rest of the borders and white area. Once I get fresh materials, I will test that, though!

Thank you everyone for the suggestions!

That makes me think the safelight is good, and that the issue is materials-related.