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  #1  
Old 28th June 2009, 12:25 PM
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Question Easel Colour - does it matter

I will start with a confession

Put a piece of Paper in my Easel upside down – ie emulsion side down

Surprise, surprise - didn’t get much of a print when I developed the sheet

However, I did notice white lines in the developed print which corresponded to grey paper alignment lines on my Easel

My Kaiser Easel is very pale grey in colour but has a series of dark grey paper alignment lines for when you want to do borderless prints.

It made me wonder – does it matter at any practical level what colour the Easel is ?

What do you guys think ?

Martin
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Old 28th June 2009, 12:52 PM
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I did a test a few years ago, exposing a transmission grey-scale wedge onto MGIV RC glossy.

I exposed the wedge so as to favour the highlights - the logic being that that is where any fogging will show. The attachment is of the resulting three prints. The 1st strip is with just the white easel surface, the second is with a sheet of matt black cartridge paper under the paper and the third, just for a laugh (I thought) is with the shiny side of some aluminium kitchen foil underneath the paper.

Result: no difference.

Well, there was a very slight extra density in the lightest areas of the foil strip when viewed by transmitted light on the light box.

Unfortunately, I did not have a densitometer at the time and the test prints have disappeared so now I do have a densitometer I need to repeat the experiment and eliminate the human eye-ball factor. Although the scanner gave much the same densities on each strip (they were placed side-by-side in the scanner) the densitometer is more precise.
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Old 28th June 2009, 02:48 PM
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I frequently switch between a 12x16 4 blade Beard easel (with black base) and a smaller two blade 12x10 Beard easal (with a white base) and I have never noticed any difference. In fact I prefer the white base easel as one dosen't have to insert a scrap paper to focus up.

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Old 28th June 2009, 02:50 PM
Dave miller Dave miller is offline
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I agree with Bob, and Neil that there is no practical difference. I’ve used white through to black, and at the moment it’s black, which I prefer.

The fact that you put your paper face down meant that the image forming light was that which was reflected back off the easel. Normally insufficient light will get through the paper and back again to have any effect.
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Old 28th June 2009, 04:02 PM
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I think there were concerns about single weight papers of yesteryear but it dosen't seem to be an issue these days.

FWIW I've used easels from white to black and now just happen to have grey and have never noticed anything untowards.
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Old 1st July 2009, 06:28 AM
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Thanks for your thoughts and experiences guys

Trevor mentions Single Weight Papers, which reminds me of the Kodak FB Fixed Grade Paper I used to use in the late 70's - the paper was so thin it was semi translucent

It was important to put it down flat on a neutral surface when examining print tone as the print highlights would look completely different if hand held.

Bob, if you ever decide to repeat the Easel surface colour tests with your densitometer I for one would be interested in your results

Thanks

Martin
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Old 1st July 2009, 07:47 AM
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I've never noticed a difference except in convenience - my Beard 4-blade is black so requires a piece of paper on which to compose and focus. Some would say you should focus with a piece of paper on the easel anyway for maximum accuracy, but that's another story ...
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Old 1st July 2009, 07:53 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RH Designs View Post
I've never noticed a difference except in convenience - my Beard 4-blade is black so requires a piece of paper on which to compose and focus. Some would say you should focus with a piece of paper on the easel anyway for maximum accuracy, but that's another story ...
Indeed I haven't noticed any difference with that one either

Neil.
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Old 8th July 2009, 10:17 PM
Victor Krag Victor Krag is offline
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I was taught in a college course to fix an unexposed sheet of paper and wash as normal, dry and then lay that flat, pure white, dry photo-paper on the easyl and set the grain focuser on that. The fixed paper will not discolor over time. I use FB for focusing for Fiber prints and a blank RC fixed sheet for focusing for RC prints. It took years before I had to make new sheets, I just keep them next to my dodge / burn cards.
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Old 8th July 2009, 10:40 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
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It seems to me that the back of a discarded "gone wrong" print should do the same job as Victor's unexposed but fixed and washed sheet. However if you have a white easel it raises the question of whether focusing on the white easel and then exposing the paper is any less accurate than focusing on scrap paper( discarded print or Victor's version) then substituting print paper.

My understanding is that the thickness of the paper makes no difference given the depth of field available at normal enlarging aperture of say f5.6/8/11. Then again there are those who advocate using a grain focuser at the aperture used for exposure rather than at the max aperture of say f2.8 where thinga are brighter and easier to see but we're moving into different territory here and on another site I would have just started a thread that will run for 50 posts at least and still not reach a conclusion accepted by all.

Mike
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