Hi.

Does anyone here work with slow speed print papers? A few moments ago I had to discontinue a gray scale patch test because of paper speed issues. I stopped down to F22 and even at one second, the paper develops black. When I had printed negs in the past, exposures would be about 4 seconds at small aperatures. I would like to work in much longer ranges in the 30 seconds to 1 minute neighborhood if possible.

I seem to have a fully accurate step wedge of gray tones from zone 0 through 9 on the film. I have only done the max black and max white test for the paper, it was when I got to the exposure strips for 5-2sec exposures is when I hit a dead end.

What type of papers would be ideal for longer print exposures? Thanks

Robert

-- Robert (rjphoto120@aol.com), February 06, 2002

Answers

Have your checked your light source? these times are toooooo short. What paper/developer combo are you using? Warmtone papers tend to have a slower speed, however, it would seem you might do well to trouble shoot what is happening else where.

-- Ann C lancy (clancya@mediaone.net), February 06, 2002.

Are you enlarging or contacting printing these tests? In either case, raise the enlarger head as if you are making larger prints. This will lengthen your exposure time significantly.

-- Ed Farmer (photography2k@hotmail.com), February 06, 2002.

Another possibility: your paper is hopelessly fogged. Develop one with no exposure and see what happens.

-- Randy Bradbury (rbradbury@kscable.com), February 07, 2002.

Specs.

Omega B66 enlarger, ph140 75 watt bilb, no filters, sized for an 8X10 enlargent, and stopped down to F22. Exposure for a gray scale patch test, somewhere in the fractions of a second.

I'm using dektol 1:2, I have used dilutions that were more and still the paper develops black. Paper is Ilford MG IV RC Portfolio paper, pearl surface. Paper is new, bought it a few days ago and opened it about 6 hours ago.

I'm really puzzled?

Robert

-- Robert (rjphoto120@aol.com), February 07, 2002.

oops, forgot.

When I did the test for max white and max black, the unexposed and developed print is white, no fogging.

Robert

-- Robert (rjphoto120@aol.com), February 07, 2002.

Wow, that's bright! Check to see if the lens is actually stopping down all the way- aperture should be about 2 mm in diameter. If all is well, then try using a light dimmer. An autotransformer is better but a simple light dimmer will work in a pinch.

-- Conrad Hoffman (choffman@rpa.net), February 07, 2002.

Thanks guys for the input, I will look into dimmer. I was wondering, for the time being would ND filters for use for camera work be used under the enlarger lens? I'm thinking that as long as the lens was clean and caused no distortion, it might be possible?

Thanks for all your time.

Robert

-- Robert (rjphoto120@aol.com), February 07, 2002.

Yes, an ND filter can be used on the enlarging lens. But since you get a BLACK result with your papers now, you would need a really dark ND filter that reduces the light more than 4 - 8 steps.

-- Patric (jenspatric@mail.bip.net), February 07, 2002.

I think I'll make a trip to the hardware store for a dimmer. It could be maybe since the exposure for film+fog is greater than an average negative image? When I had printed negs, they would expose around 4 to 6 seconds at F:11

I'll have to look into color temperature deviations to, though for black and white it shouldn't be too bad.

How much do dimmers usually go for? Hope there not too expensive. Thanks

Robert

-- Robert (rjphoto120@aol.com), February 07, 2002.

They aren't too expensive. Buy one. Now! :-)

-- Patric (jenspatric@mail.bip.net), February 07, 2002.

Actually, I would not bother putting together a dimmer. Based on what you have said, your problem lies elsewhere. Even with your lens wide open (if it were failing to stop down) you should have exposure time longer than what you getting.

I think that the correct test is the suggestion to develop a piece of unexposed paper. It does not even have to be a full sheet. In fact, tear a sheet in half and put one half through the developer, stop and fix. Put the other half directly in the fix. Both sheets should be perfectly white after processing. If the sheet through the developer is anything but white, you will need to figure out why.

In any case, let us know.

-- Ed Farmer (photography2k@hotmail.com), February 08, 2002.

Here's a link to the test I'm currently trying to perform. According to the instruction, about halfway down, the stepwedge is done with exposing the clear part of the negative on the paper to determine a zone 1 exposure and to get a stepwedge of black, slight black, to intermediate gray tones, and also to gauge film development time by analyzing where zone 5 falls onto the test. I'm printing from a clear portion, thin, negative with the film base+fog according to instruction. Maybe I'm missing something? Regular negs will print in around 4 to 6 seconds at F:11 but it looks like this test is different? I cannot get a stepwedge for the life of me. The aperture ring works. There has to be another way to to this test?

http://www.apogeephoto.com/mag2-6/mag2-6mfcalib.shtml

Thanks for your time Robert

-- Robert (rjphoto120@aol.com), February 08, 2002.