Pitfalls of Printing

[AlanO]

I loaded the OM2N with a roll of Ilford FP4+ and took some pictures during our "snow storm" last week. I overexposed @ 100 iso and pulled dev in d76 by 20%. Negatives looked pretty good so I pulled out an open box of Ilford glossy 5x7 and went to printing in Dektol. It wasn't long before I had a stack of photos that looked like this


83080012 by Nokinrocks, on Flickr

After changing chemicals, aligning enlarger, cleaning filters/lens, and so on, I finally realized the paper was bad. I did like the look in one photo (sorry about the frame but the white background needed some seperation)


Blue Christmas by Nokinrocks, on Flickr

next two printed fine after opening new box of Ilford pearl. Both are split grade

F8 00 @ 5 sec / 5 @ 5 sec


83080009 by Nokinrocks, on Flickr

f8 00 @ 5 sec / 5 @ 7 sec


83080010 by Nokinrocks, on Flickr

Chalk this one up as a learning experience. :study:

 

[vintagesnaps]

I've wasted my share of paper... why is it always the one thing that you didn't check or that you check last?

I like the car wheel photos, those turned out nice. I like the dog in the snow too, I'd just probably burn in that right side some (unless the negative is too thin or something) but in the snow that look seems to work.

 

[AlanO]

I've wasted my share of paper... why is it always the one thing that you didn't check or that you check last?

I like the car wheel photos, those turned out nice. I like the dog in the snow too, I'd just probably burn in that right side some (unless the negative is too thin or something) but in the snow that look seems to work.

Thanks.... Dog was a creative choice, actually have a good neg but the paper wasn't capturing shadow (right side). I went ahead and dodged it more. I am doing some test strips with Ilford 8x10 pearl I ordered from Ebay, seems to be turning a nice warmish yellow when drying. Any idea why? Old paper? I'm using stock Dektol around 68d.

 

[timor]

Ebay deals. How much did you pay for that paper ? Is that FB paper ? Or RC ? Never seen RC drying like that with yellow colour. I just wonder about your short stop bath.
This paper :
Ultrafine VC ELITE Pearl Variable Contrast RC Paper 8 x 10 / 250 - NEW Ultrafine VC ELITE Pearl Variable Contrast RC Paper
I suspect it's a FOMA, is not bad. I am using it. It maybe will not survive 50 years, , but I won't live that long. Price is good and shipping to Atlanta should be less, than to Toronto.
Other thing is FP4 should not be developed in D76 stock, try rather 1+1 or 1+2 maybe. Despite world wide fascination with D76 modern emulsions do not respond well to massive quantities of sodium sulfite in developer. With 5x7 you may not see it, but with 8x10 and more you will see the "mashed potato" grain and drastic lose in sharpness. I would recommend Tmax dev 1+9 rather.
On the other hand, did you make a good print of that dog and the first print you from the original post ? Honestly it looks to me like way overdeveloped negative. Old paper usually is producing a lot of fog reducing contrast and your prints are very contrasty.

 

[AlanO]

Ebay deals, I know :banghead:... I just got a refund on paper that turned black soon as it hit the developer. The 5x7s above were multigrade iv rc deluxe glossy, the 8x10 is the same in pearl. I paid $15 plus $8 shipping for 35 8x10 sheets. The dog neg looked as good as the tire but they were printed on different paper. One side of that glossy was blown out, make another print and the other side was blown out (depending on the paper orientation). I jacked up the highlights pp in the dog pick but I'm sure it would print well on good paper. I prefer TMAX Dev and have a bottle but I am trying to use up a gallon of D76 that was already mixed. I just use a water 30 sec stop bath before fixing. Appreciate the tips.

 

[ann]

Not fixed long enough can create a yellow cast.

 

[timor]

I just use a water 30 sec stop bath before fixing.

Here might be the problem. With films short stop is maybe optional, some say dangerous, but with paper it is very much needed. Alkalis from developer have to be neutralized before print is in the fixer. Water bath will not accomplish that your fixer may become very weak after just a few prints.

 

[AlanO]

Probably a fixer issue, fixer had been in a tray several hours and quite a few prints went through it. Same paper and fixer and no problem with the next couple of prints. Thanks

 

[vintagesnaps]

I use expired vintage paper for lumen prints and get all kinds of colors under UV light... With fresh paper under an enlarger I've had good consistent B&W results. I've always used Stop bath before fixing prints I did in the darkroom.

I've bought the old paper for lumen prints on ebay sometimes, new paper I don't. You never know how it was stored (the people selling it on ebay probably don't know how it was stored either).

I saw some vintage paper listed once on ebay where the seller had taken the sheets out of the black paper it was wrapped in and photographed it sheet by sheet... (kind of felt bad for them, probably had no clue what they just did).

 

[Gavjenks]

Stop bath is dirt cheap. Actually, probably much cheaper than dirt. For most films or papers you can even usually just use grocery store vinegar watered down like 3:1 or so. I'm guessing you're not sending these prints to the Smithsonian, so 99.99% pure versus 99.9% pure or whatever doesn't end up mattering particularly, and I just do that. When you take into account the lower life expectancy you'll get out of your fixer, it becomes even cheaper than plain water, in terms of opportunity costs.

D76 is also dirt cheap, and I would probably not bother trying to finish a bottle if it is at all in question. You can mix up a new gallon for like $5. I mean, for a test sheet or two you paid $1 each for it might even out to try and salvage that 1/3 or a bottle, but ehhh... I'd want to avoid wasting the time on such low stakes gambling and just crack a new pack. Also since you're ordering the stuff, the sooner you run out the sooner you may have to go spend time ebaying again and waiting for shipping blah blah, which is annoying.