Support our Sponsors, they keep FADU free:   AG Photographic   The Imaging Warehouse   Process Supplies   RH Designs   Second-hand Darkroom Supplies  

Notices

Go Back   Film and Darkroom User > Equipment > Darkroom

  ***   Click here for the FADU 2015/2014 Yearbooks   ***

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 7th August 2019, 04:37 PM
Gzuss Gzuss is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 5
Default Durst Sironeg glass

Hi,

I just pick up a Durst M605 Color enlarger. It had a Sirioneg negative carrier with glass inserts. I've never printet on a Durst before. There are no glass inserts on the neg carrier that came with my Kaiser.

I can't seem to get any decent contrast in any of the prints I make with the Durst. Alle the prints are muddy and lifeless. When I look through the glass inserts on the neg carrier everything is kinda blurry and out of focus almost. Is that how its supposed to be? Is this a special glass of some sort, or is it supposed to be absolutely clear? Could that be the reason for the lack of contrast? No problem with sharpness though ...

I've tried bypassing the color filters, and the split grade technique with a color head, but the prints all suck. Tried cleaning the glass inserts but saw no difference.

Anyone here have any experience with a similar issue?
Thanks ...

HS
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	s-l1600.jpg
Views:	363
Size:	168.8 KB
ID:	3177  
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 7th August 2019, 06:10 PM
alexmuir alexmuir is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Glasgow, Scotland.
Posts: 2,668
Default

The glass is probably anti-newton glass which has an obvious texture. It shouldn’t cause loss of contrast. If they are genuine Durst glass inserts, they should have a 45 degree bevel all round the edges. You can buy inserts for this carrier to make it glassless. They come in pairs for the different negative formats.
If the glass is the proper Durst product, the problem is likely to be elsewhere. I would suspect the bulb first. If it’s been used over a long period, it starts to give out progressively more yellow light. This affects VC paper by reducing contrast. Try changing it (make sure you check the spec of the original first, in case the one fitted is not actually the correct type). Also, have a look in the diffusion box to check that it hasn’t deteriorated. These sometimes rely on a lining of polystyrene which can become discoloured, again affecting the colour of light reaching the negative. Some Durst models have a 45 degree mirror in the light path. If this one does, check that it is clean.
This is a good quality enlarger, so you should be able to make decent prints with it.
Alex.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 7th August 2019, 07:14 PM
Gzuss Gzuss is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 5
Default

Thank you Alex!
The glass has that 45 degree bevel you mentioned. I got the Durst to do 6x6. I decided to take the 50mm lens from the Kaiser, mount it on the Durst, and switch to 35mm box. And then I got a great print!

Another strange thing. When I project light through an empty neg carrier with the 50mm lens, and switched to "Box 35", the edges of the light on the baseboard are nowhere near sharp
But the print is razor sharp and has nice contrast. If I switch back to "Box 66" and 75mm lens, the edges of the light are sharp. Normal?

I´ll try a few more 6x6 and see what happens. But I guess this rules out the glass inserts and the bulb? Seller told me the bulb was new.

HS
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 7th August 2019, 08:36 PM
alexmuir alexmuir is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Glasgow, Scotland.
Posts: 2,668
Default

It sounds like the 6x6 diffusion box, or perhaps the 75mm lens is the problem. I would have a look at the 66 box to check that it looks ok inside, and that it is mounted properly in the enlarger. If that all looks ok, perhaps you should investigate the lens. Is it one you have used successfully before, or is it new to you? What make/model is it? Does it look clean inside?
I'm not sure about the sharp edges from an empty carrier. You sometimes have to use a recessed lens mounting plate on enlargers that cover various formats. If I recall correctly, you use the recessed one for the smaller formats to achieve focus over the whole enlargement range. In your case, you might use the recessed one for the 50mm lens, and a flat one for the 75mm.
Alex


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 7th August 2019, 08:48 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Daventry, Northants
Posts: 8,968
Default

Like others have said I too suspect that the lack of contrast problem lies elsewhere. You say you have by-passed the colour filters, so do you use Ilford below the lens filters instead?

Have you checked that when dialling in the colour filters that the colour changes as you dial in more. If the colour doesn't change then the colour filters might be stuck or sticking at certain points

I take it that the paper is still good i.e. not old paper that may have lost its ability to cover the range of contrast needed. This seems unlikely unless the paper is very old but it has happened with me when I was given some MG III paper. Current paper Ilford paper is MG IV

The developer is still fresh? Old exhausted developer will develop a print but not as it should and flat muddy prints can be the result

With a 50mm lens and alteration of the knob that controls the bellows it should be possible to get a pretty sharp edge line on the easel with the 35 box setting. Check that the mechanism that changes from 35 to 66 is working in the lightbox as it should. There should be quite a heavy or certainly distinctive "clunk" when the lever goes to either end

Bulbs can go faulty before eventually dying. In my experience this usually manifests itself in the light intensity fluctuating during the say 10 second exposure but I'd be surprised if this affects contrast.

So first thing if it were me is that I'd check that the dials on the filters are still working then mix fresh developer immediately before a print session and see of there is any improvement. The bulb and old paper unless it is really old are much less likely causes, I feel

I have the same enlarger and on both occasions that I couldn't get the contrast I needed it was old paper. In my case some very old Ilford MG III and in another very old Kodak Polycontrast paper.
However unless you develop using a Nova slot processor when the developer is replenished and only has the top part of the slot is exposed to air I'd start each printing session with fresh developer

Let us know what you find.

Mike
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 8th August 2019, 11:41 AM
Terry S Terry S is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Southend on Sea, Essex, England, UK
Posts: 3,796
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gzuss View Post
I decided to take the 50mm lens from the Kaiser, mount it on the Durst, and switch to 35mm box. And then I got a great print!

HS
It doesn't sound like a paper or developer issue, as the OP mentions that he was able to get a 'great print' when using the 50mm lens and 35mm carrier.

I don't use one of these models, but could it be (some how???) the lens is reducing the contrast? It's just that I have read over the years, that older lenses on cameras, before better coatings etc. gave softer contrast as well?

Another thought, is that maybe the 120 actual negatives are not as contrasty as the 35mm ones?

OP: Could you post a picture of BOTH a strip of your 120 and 35mm film for us to look at?

Terry S
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 8th August 2019, 01:20 PM
alexmuir alexmuir is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Glasgow, Scotland.
Posts: 2,668
Default

The lens could easily cause contrast problems if it suffers from haze, fungus or has been damaged during cleaning. I would certainly check as part of the investigation. Lenses that are stored in the darkroom can be subject to atmospheric conditions that may not be ideal.
Alex


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 8th August 2019, 01:37 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Daventry, Northants
Posts: 8,968
Default

Gzuss, I realise I am a bit confused which is maybe why I wrote as I did.

So the 50mm lens from the Kaiser and the 35 box on the Durst produces a print with the right contrast.

What lens on the Durst were you using before the swop to the lens from the Kaiser and what size was this?

When you used the 50mm Kaiser lens on the Durst and used the 35 box was this a 35mm neg?

In terms of the flat muddy print, was this from a 120 neg with the original Durst lens

Thanks

Mike
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 8th August 2019, 01:41 PM
big paul big paul is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: benfleet essex
Posts: 2,284
Default

Gzuss was your last enlarger a condenser or diffusion enlarger .




www.essexcockney.com
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 8th August 2019, 03:41 PM
Gzuss Gzuss is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 5
Default

The 50mm from the Kaiser and the 35mm box on the Durst produced an image with good contrast. I was using a 75mm EL-NiKKOR F4 lens that came with the Durst. As mentioned above, I'm beginning to think that the lens might be the problem.

When I used the 50mm on the Durst, it was a 35mm neg yes. The flat muddy prints are with the lens that came with the Durst (75mm) and 120 neg. The Kaiser is a condensor enlarger.

I´ll borrow another 75mm lens and run some tests.
The 35mm neg I used has more contrast than the 120 neg I was trying to print. But still .... the 120 neg came out so bad that something must be wrong. I´ll post a picture of both negatives tonight ...

HS
Reply With Quote
Reply
Support our Sponsors, they keep FADU free:   AG Photographic   The Imaging Warehouse   Process Supplies   RH Designs   Second-hand Darkroom Supplies  

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Glass plates alfie Monochrome Film 17 20th September 2016 01:17 PM
Ground Glass richardw Photography in general 7 1st December 2014 04:02 PM
Help! Glass plates TonyMiller Monochrome Film 25 3rd March 2014 06:01 PM
Non-reflective glass Trevor Crone Photography in general 19 26th April 2012 06:23 PM
dust and glass Argentum Monochrome printing techniques 6 15th February 2009 10:42 PM


All times are GMT. The time now is 02:04 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.