I have several boxes of Portriga Rapid paper which were kept unrefrigerated but in air conditioning during several years while I was without a perminent darkroom. I just tried printing on some of it, and to my surprise the prints are absolutely beautiful, but there is just the least gray fog showing on the borders. I seem to recall that there is some way of treating the paper before putting it in the developer which will eliminate, or at least minimize the fog. TIA for suggestions. Mitch

-- Bill Mitchell (bmitch@home.com), January 21, 2001

Answers

Hi Bill, You might try a bottle of Edwal "Liquid Orthazite". This is nothing more than benzotriazole and sodium sulfite, the traditional anti-fog solution to be added to the developer. If the fogging is slight, it might help, but I've never had much luck with really old paper.

-- Conrad Hoffman (choffman@rpa.net), January 22, 2001.

Like Conrad, I've had poor luck with outdated paper--especially Portriga. Once it goes bad, there is little you can do. However, with the right negative, if you don't mind a soft effect, you can overexpose and then reduce in Farmer's Reducer.

-- Ed Buffaloe (edb@unblinkingeye.com), January 22, 2001.

I second the Orthrazite! It also can be used for films (with a slight speed loss) that are Sulfite based for a finer grain. On prints it will brighten and clean up your images nicely. Cheers

-- Scott Walton (f64sw@hotmail.com), January 22, 2001.

Thanks, Fellows. I'll give it a try. Mitch

-- Bill Mitchell (bmitch@home.com), January 22, 2001.

Benzatriazole (Orthazite) is an anti-fog agent. It tends to shift the color of the image towards the colder.

Potassium bromide is also used as an anti-fog agent, but tends to shift the color towards the warmer.

Try the Orthazite--since it is available comercially--but if you want a warmer image than what you get you could then try potassium bromide, but you'll have to mix your own stock solution.

-- Charlie Strack (charlie_strack@sti.com), January 23, 2001.

You might also try increasing exposure time in order to shorten the time the paper is in the developer. This might require development by inspection.

-- Christopher Hargens (ldmr@cruzio.com), January 25, 2001.