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  #21  
Old 14th June 2022, 03:45 PM
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Martin Aislabie Martin Aislabie is offline
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According to The Film Developers Cookbook 2nd Edition, the question of what developer to use only really is applicable to 35mm film.

MF and LF do not push the enlargement of the negs to a point where the variations in microcontrast of the film/developer combination is visible in the print.

So, unless you are absolutely committed to 35mm, the agonies of what film/developer combination to use to is negated by going up to MF, where the film/developer combination is much less critical.

Martin
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  #22  
Old 15th June 2022, 08:37 AM
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The great Gene Nocon always advised to use what the film manufature recommended. He pointed out they spend heaps on research / testing to get this right. But it is always tempting to look for something different and it can be fun doing this. However, at the end of the day it is the image that counts and not the means of obtaining it.

Neil.
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  #23  
Old 15th June 2022, 02:17 PM
Alan Clark Alan Clark is offline
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Originally Posted by B&W Neil View Post
The great Gene Nocon always advised to use what the film manufature recommended. He pointed out they spend heaps on research / testing to get this right. But it is always tempting to look for something different and it can be fun doing this. However, at the end of the day it is the image that counts and not the means of obtaining it.

Neil.
I'm not sure I would describe Gene Nocon as "great". Wasn't he eventually seen as a businessman who did everything to promote his book, including telling us that you need a blue filter (available from him) to focus your enlarger accurately, an idea that turned out to be bunkum?

Alan
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  #24  
Old 15th June 2022, 02:40 PM
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I'm not sure I would describe Gene Nocon as "great". Wasn't he eventually seen as a businessman who did everything to promote his book, including telling us that you need a blue filter (available from him) to focus your enlarger accurately, an idea that turned out to be bunkum?

Alan
Have you ever seen any of his work in the flesh? I am more interested in his images than his money making activities. After all he was a pro and a well respected one at that.

Each to his own of course ...


Neil.
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Old 15th June 2022, 03:38 PM
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Hi Neil,
No I haven't seen any of his work in the flesh, but I do have a copy of his book. In it he describes himself as a printer of other photographer's work. You seem to be saying he was a great photographer; apologies if I'm wrong. The book does contain some of his own photographs. They seem technically very good but not very inspiring, just standard commercial stuff.
And I still haven't forgiven him for misleading amateur printers all over the UK over that blue filter malarkey....

Alan
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  #26  
Old 15th June 2022, 04:29 PM
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His first book, which my wife bought me in 1987, turned my printing around. He was of course advocating Fstop printing. I don't think I would have gained my ARPS without it. His work was always commercial but very good and inovative. In fact he more or less invented lith printing (by accicident) and won a top award with a marvelous lith print. At that time no one had ever seen one.

Neil.
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  #27  
Old 15th June 2022, 05:12 PM
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His first book, which my wife bought me in 1987, turned my printing around. He was of course advocating Fstop printing. I don't think I would have gained my ARPS without it. His work was always commercial but very good and inovative. In fact he more or less invented lith printing (by accicident) and won a top award with a marvelous lith print. At that time no one had ever seen one.

Neil.
It's good that you found his book so helpful. Have you seen Larry Bartlett's book - Black and White Photographic printing Workshop? It came out a few years after Gene Nocon's book, and I have to say made a bigger impression on me. Funnily enough, Larry Bartlett, who won the Ilford Printer of the Year award more times than I've had hot dinners, said he didn't use the f stop method...And he recommended test patches, rather than test strips. That was a game changer for me.

Alan
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  #28  
Old 15th June 2022, 05:25 PM
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It's good that you found his book so helpful. Have you seen Larry Bartlett's book - Black and White Photographic printing Workshop? It came out a few years after Gene Nocon's book, and I have to say made a bigger impression on me. Funnily enough, Larry Bartlett, who won the Ilford Printer of the Year award more times than I've had hot dinners, said he didn't use the f stop method...And he recommended test patches, rather than test strips. That was a game changer for me.

Alan

Alan,

Yes, I have Larry's book and a very good book it is too - you can never have enough books.

I use fstop mostly but not always. I is a good way of working though but no good for Bromoils and many other alt processes. I think the best method is the one that you feel most comfortable with, then it's just the case of doing prenty of printing and trying to improve.


Neil.
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  #29  
Old 15th June 2022, 06:01 PM
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Alan,

- you can never have enough books.




Neil.
Very true Neil. Thank goodness for charity shops!

Alan
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