Needing grade 5 for a neg - a puzzle

[Mike O'Pray]

Not a bad inversion of the neg, Terry, although the print does look a lot better. It just lacks that kind of bite that I was getting from the other negs. The other two negs taken at the same time also lack that bite.

The better prints on grade 3.5 were taken at a similar time of day with similar light conditions but were mostly taken with the sun at my back.

Mike

[alexmuir]

You could try intensifying the negative. I've never tried this with the chromium intensifier that is normally recommended for negatives. I've seen it suggested, however, in various texts as a cure for flat, low contrast negatives. I have tried intensification with selenium toner which works to an extent. I suspect the chromium product gives a greater lift to the contrast. Perhaps someone else here has experience of using chromium? I can see from Terry's inversion that this is an image you would want to rescue, and produce a good print.
Alex

[Mike O'Pray]

I have researched chromium intensifier here on FADU and elsewhere and there is little question about it working but by how much seems debatable. A grade seems to be possible:maybe a little more if the developer Dokumol is then used. DAllen used Speedibrews intensifier, obtainable then from Silverprint who now sell Fotospeed instead but I imagine that the Fotospeed chromium is much the same. He finished off with Selenium prior to using Dokumol so maybe Selenium adds something as well but while the Fotospeed intensifier is quite cheap and the Dokumol can be used for normal prints I am hoping to avoid the purchase of selenium as well for the sake of one or two poor negs

I note that both chemicals are obtainable from Process Supplies. Anyway since the posts were written some years ago has anyone tried the Fotospeed intensifier?

The alternative is sepia, of which I have some old Jessops thiourea based stuff but (a) I have no idea of the right strength for negatives nor equally importantly how much better this is, if any, than a couple of passes with chromium?

It would at least appear to be possible to hold the sepia in reserve as once used, it appears to be a "one-off" that then gives terminal intensity. No further improvement is possible

The problem with any research is that the material you find is usually on the "net" as a result of something going wrong where Armageddon results from one wrong digit being pressed on the nuclear silo's computer and the best you can expect with chromium intensifier is not much improvement to the negative with the collateral damage of the loss of several vital body organs

OK I exaggerate but sorting out the wheat from the chaff isn't easy

Any help is appreciated

Mike

[alexmuir]

I have some Chromium, but haven't yet tried it. I'm not sure of the brand, but it's not Fotospeed. I will try to use it in the next few days on a thin negative to see how much difference it makes. I've seen reference to its use in more than one textbook, but haven't looked for any info online.
Alex


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[Mike O'Pray]

Thanks Alex, I really appreciate this. Sorry to ask for maybe more than I can reasonably expect of you but is there any way you can check the improvement in terms of grade?

Mike

[alexmuir]

I can certainly try. I would hope to produce before and after pics of the neg, and possibly prints. I only hope the stuff I have is still usable. It's a while since I looked at it...
Alex

[alexmuir]

Intensification underway! The negative is in the wash at the moment. It's certainly a good bit darker. The chemical I have is unbranded. You dilute it 1:1 with water. It bleached the negative to a buff colour. You then wash it for 3mins before re-developing in print developer. The image reappears in shades of grey. It is then washed, fixed and washed again. I'll post pics if I can once dried.
Alex


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[Mike O'Pray]

Thanks Alex. I look forward to the pics. From everything I have read the grade change with intensifier seems to be about 1 grade. In my case it will be nice if your intensifier give a little more although it appears that there is room for at least one more pass.

I take it that another pass means a second bleaching then developer and it works because the negative has already more contrast than the first time around and the second bleaching does not return it back to "square one " so to speak

Mike

[Svend]

Mike, I hope the intensification works for this neg. But if not, have you considered tweaking the print developer to get higher contrast with, say, a gr. 3 paper? I know there are several ways to do this without having to mix a special batch of high-contrast formula. Another option to think about...

Cheers,
Svend

[Mike O'Pray]

Thanks for the suggestion Svend. However my best print on multi-grade paper, which isn't a disaster but doesn't have the usual "pop", is already grade 5

Is this grade 3 single contrast paper you are thinking of? D Allen, one of our members has recommended a similar idea to yours which is printing with Tetenal Dokumol print developer, which seems to be one of the highest contrast paper developers available.

It might make sense to develop the negative with this as well.

Mike