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  #1  
Old 22nd September 2013, 07:36 PM
DaveP DaveP is offline
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Default Contact printing 5x4: the bare minimum

OK guy and gals, for some intangible reason I feel the urge to try contact printing some of my 5x4 negs. I don't really know why, maybe just inquisitiveness to see what the process is like, and see what a contact print looks like. Anyway, I'm basically after a few pointers and to see if I've considered everything.

I currently do my film in a Jobo and load holders and drums in one of them calumet changing tents, so I don't have a darkroom. I reckon by taping cardboard over the bathroom windows (or just waiting till it goes dark) I could get it dark enough in there. I've found an old AA maglite with a red filter that I'm hoping to use as a safelight. I need to find something to use as trays for the chemicals, probably some old margerine tubs.

I'm thinking of printing onto 7x5" paper so I'm hoping an old picture frame will do as a contact printer.

As for lightsource and paper I'm a bit uncertain. I know that with normal enlarger paper I'd be looking at very short exposures if I tried to use the main bathroom light, so I'm thinking of maybe finding an old torch and unscrewing the reflector to leave a small bare bulb - I'm also assuming here that a small and suitably distant lightsource will give me the sharpest prints.

As for paper I was thinking of using RC for ease of washing (and the fact I've never made darkroom prints before I could do without dealing with drydown etc), probably MGIV or whatever the kentmere equivalent is. But are there any other choices I should be considering? Does anyone make a slower and readily available RC paper suitable for contacts? If I go multigrade do I need to lay my hands on some MG filters or should I be improvising with Quality Street wrappers?

Most of the shots I'm thinking of seem to be on decent negs that have scanned with no problem so I'm hoping they'll print OK with little fuss:

http://www.daveparryphotography.co.u...o19104179.html
http://www.daveparryphotography.co.u...o14468291.html
http://www.daveparryphotography.co.u...o15911778.html
http://www.daveparryphotography.co.u...o15911780.html

Also dev/stop/fix - am I right in assuming for normal use they're all much of a muchness? I don't want to go balls deep at this stage so something avaialble in small quantities will be OK. I've already got some Ilford Rapid Fix from doing film, and can I get away with a lemonjuice solution for stop?

I'm sure there's something I must have missed...
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Old 22nd September 2013, 08:52 PM
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skellum skellum is offline
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Interesting question-
easy stuff first. Flat surface on which to place your paper of choice (definitely RC to start with). Negative emulsion side down on paper, then scrupulously clean glass on top.
One tray for dev, one for rinse, one for fix, and one in which to wash your prints. Any plastic (or glass, or ceramic) tray big enough to hold the paper will do.
RC papers will wash fine in 5-10 mins and dry flat. Just hang 'em on a line over the bath by one corner (plastic clothes pegs, not wood).

Next hard thing- safe lighting. Preferred colour for modern multigrade papers is Brown, but red will do if weak and not too close. To test, place coin on a piece of photo-paper, allow 2-3 mins then develop. If paper white with no hint of coin your safe-light is, well, safe. If slightly grey with white outline of coin then your safe-light is too bright and/or too close.

Next hardest thing is light source. If you get good results you'll want to be able to reproduce them.
So, contrast- forget the quality street wrappers. Either accept a 1 grade system (unfiltered multigrade is about Grade 2) and use white light OR get to e-bay and look for a set of filters.
Light strength- ordinary room light is way to bright. You'd struggle to repeatably flip the lights on and off to make an exposure. I'd be looking to enclose my lamp, maybe in a box with one small opening over which I could place my multigrade filter. The light source could be alongside the printing 'frame', bounced off a white ceiling maybe.
You could then regulate exposure by bulb size, size of opening, distance between lamp and paper.
Will think about this a bit more . . .
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Old 22nd September 2013, 09:06 PM
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http://woodenkimonos.com/therealmurp...2/weegee02.jpg

The great Weegee, who operated a darkroom from the trunk of his car. Now that's improvisation
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Old 22nd September 2013, 09:20 PM
DaveP DaveP is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skellum View Post
http://woodenkimonos.com/therealmurp...2/weegee02.jpg

The great Weegee, who operated a darkroom from the trunk of his car. Now that's improvisation
I saw something on the telly once about a combat photographer during the allied invasion of france, developing his film at night in a bombed out photo shop in some french town with found chemicals in upturned tin hats as trays.
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Old 22nd September 2013, 11:13 PM
paulc paulc is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveP View Post
I need to find something to use as trays for the chemicals, probably some old margerine tubs.

As for lightsource and paper I'm a bit uncertain

can I get away with a lemonjuice solution for stop?
Had a day out with a friend and she is clearing out some darkroom stuff - Not sure what is there, but there is bound to be trays and maybe a safelight. There is also an enlarger, but it is most likely a mediocre 35mm unit. When I find out exactly what is there, you can have first dibs on it.

In the meantime, an anglepoise with a 60W pearl lamp would probably give you a more even light source. A piece of frosted perspex might be useful to even out the light a little more. being consistent and accurate with the exposure will be your biggest problem without an enlarger timer (might be able to help on that too).

As for lemon juice - I'd get some citric acid powder from a chemist or wine making supplier. A teaspoon per litre works just fine.
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Old 23rd September 2013, 08:08 AM
DaveP DaveP is offline
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Tanks for that, trays might be handy. I've just discovered the marg tubs we've got are too small, so otherwise I might have to order a chinese from the one of our local takeaways that come in plastic trays, I reckon they would accommodate 7x5s.

We might already have some citric acid in the kitchen......
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Old 29th September 2013, 08:37 PM
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OK I've now got a kilo of citric acid and 25 sheets for MGIV 7x5s. Just need some servicabe trays and a bottle of print dev.
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Old 29th September 2013, 09:18 PM
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Dave, how experimental do you want to go??
https://sites.google.com/site/tomovertonimages/caffenol
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Old 30th September 2013, 12:03 AM
Lostlabours Lostlabours is offline
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Dave, I already have quite a few contact frames, today I bought loads more in a Job Lot of camera junk, there's at least 10.

I can sort one out for you if you want, at a nominal price. The advantage is they have the split back for alternative processes and salt prints, albumen prints, kallitypes look wonderful even off 5x4 and are cheap to produce.

Ian
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Old 30th September 2013, 08:14 AM
DaveP DaveP is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skellum View Post
Dave, how experimental do you want to go??
https://sites.google.com/site/tomovertonimages/caffenol
Interesting read. I was aware of using coffee for film but not prints. At this stage I think I'll stick with a normal dev and try and nail just straight unstained prints first. Something to bear in mind for future though.

Ian, if you've got a spare 7x5 or larger frame then that would be great, cheers.
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