I'm going to be printing a lot of 35mm work done over the past several years. I processed the film myself with fine printing on fiber paper in mind (I've appreciated the info on current papers) but without access to a darkroom. Negs were processed in Microdol-X 1:3 and Unitol 1:9, overexposed and underdeveloped slightly. They tend to be slightly on the thin side (but "good thin"). Question for now is: given that I'll eventually be printing on fiber paper (once I can set up my darkroom) should I use the same paper for the contact sheets (which I'm doing in a community darkroom) for consistency, or would cheaper RC paper give me enough of the information I need the contact sheets to provide? (In my former photo-life I used Brovira 111 old grades 3 & 4 for everything...) Any specific paper recommendations? Thanks-- Lisa

-- Lisa Kernan (lkernan@library.ucla.edu), March 02, 2001

Answers

If you eventually plan on printing on FB, stick with the same paper for your contacts. I'll just be easier. If you tailor your negatives to an RC paper now, and print on a different paper later, your negatives won't be optimized for the final paper. Not to say that you can't do this, or your results will be bad. It's just easier to be consistent.

I like Oriental Seagull graded FB. It's contrast tends to be a bit higher than other brands, so a 2 and 3 might correspond to Brovira. (I too, liked Brovira when they made it.)

You might also like Zone VI Brilliant Graded. I haven't tried the newest version, but liked the old stuff.

-- Charlie Strack (charlie_strack@sti.com), March 02, 2001.

I also print most often on Oriental Seagull, but do all of my contacts on RC paper. For me, contacts are for two things:

1) Seeing what picture I've got. 2) Getting a general idea of whether the exposure was right. This, of course, is only possible if you give just enough exposure so that the edge of the film is no longer distinguishable from the paper.

For seeing exactly what detail I have on my negative, which is especially necessary when doing burning or dodging, the only way is to go back to the negative and examine it. No contact sheet can tell you that.

Now of course, there is the question of paper contrast. The contrast of two papers, even of the same paper grade, might be slightly different. On the other hand, for VC paper, using with the same filter might give very different results with two papers. I have always tested the Range of my papers using a transmission projection step wedge, available from Kodak, Stouffer and others, which allows me to quickly know what real grade I get with different filters on VC paper. After that, it is simply a question of using the right filter with each paper.

By the way, if you standardize you enlarger height, always have the enlarger focused, use the same aperture and time and paper and developer every time, you will no longer need to use test strips, and can directly hit the right exposure for the contact sheet. Good luck.

Raja

-- Raja A. Adal (d60w0635@ip.media.kyoto-u.ac.jp), March 03, 2001.

I agree with Charlie's reasoning, but given your circumstances I would go with a variable contrast RC paper for your contact sheets. I think that will give you plenty of the info you are looking for. Another thing to watch out for, once you start to print, can you get the same enlarger consistently? It makes it a lot easier to get consistent and meaningful contact sheets that way.

chris

ps: I like Ilford's MG IV RC Deluxe

-- Christian Harkness (chris.harkness@eudoramail.com), March 03, 2001.

Lisa, Consider these: with RC paper you may save money, time, water and a little bit of celluloid. And lose nothing. Making contacts sheets or prints leads to differents goals and approaches. Contacts should clearly show image full tones and details, not necessarily on a beautiful way. Soft contrast filters do wonders for this and make the whole operation a lot easier, as you may accommodate far different densities usually found on 35mm films. Try it for once and save your best efforts and time for the printing stage. Good luck. Cesar B.

-- Cesar Barreto (cesarb@infolink.com.br), March 03, 2001.

I don't think it makes a lot of difference and some advocate making contact prints at a very low contrast to see what the negative really contains. I usually make them on normal contrast. A note on Oriental Seagull VC RC paper. I just tested this with low contrast filters (new Ilfords) and it starts to curve split with the #0 filter and is really bad below that. It's great for normal and high contrast work, but I'd use caution below #1. Pick up a copy of Ctein's Post Exposure for a full explanation of curve splitting. Regardless, that's what I make my contacts and final prints on.

-- Conrad Hoffman (choffman@rpa.net), March 04, 2001.

I print on FB paper, but make all my contacts on RC. Saves time, water, and money. I use VC and expose the contacts with a #0 filter, to minimize the effect of variability in density between frames, and to see as much as possible of what's in each negative.

-- Chris Ellinger (ellinger@umich.edu), March 05, 2001.