Has anyone had experiences with ARISTATONE COPY FILM (from Freestyle) for making large format negs. for alternative processes like Platinum or Kallitypes. Also any info on using Litho film for the same?

-- Scott Walton (scotlynn@shore.net), July 26, 2000

Answers

I havent used that particular emulsion, but I have used the other Arista films in 4x5 and 120 and was very pleased. I would think the copy film would do fine. You're going to have to contact print the intermediate positive back to a negative using another sheet of copy film.

I dont think the litho film will make a good long scale neg. I have used it as a camera film with a very dilute mix of HC 110, and it still would reach a point where it wanted to go solid black. It was very hard to control.

I would suggest another alternative as long as you are looking at the Freestyle catalog. Go to the printers and lithographers pages and look for a high speed dupe film, which will produce a negative in one step. It is meant for litho type materials, but I think you can coax it to hold a longer scale by diluting the developer. It is meant to be used in a strong Dektol-like developer for litho use, but it might respond to HC-110 and do the job. It should be about the speed of enlarging paper.

-- Tony Brent (ajbrent@mich.com), July 26, 2000.

Thanks Tony... any info is good info. Cheers

-- Scott Walton (scotlynn@shore.net), July 28, 2000.

Hi,

How do you go about making enlarged negatives? I've always wanted to try that, for both the palladium printing and also to 'fix' some negs that are too dense.....would it be possible to enlarge them and then contact print the new neg to have a better tonal scale/contrast?

-- Erin C. (ericon_22@hotmail.com), July 31, 2000.

Eric, this is exactly what I'm after also. As I understand it, there are several ways of doing this. I have heard everything from making a perfect print and coping it to 8x10 film, to doing a direct copy onto film and I'm wanting to know what is the "best" way. I think I have answered my own question being that I only have a 4x5... Cheers

-- Scott Walton (scotlynn@shore.net), August 03, 2000.