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Old 27th November 2010, 10:14 PM
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Default Does the paper matter?

Les,

I have developed my own films now a few times and feel quite confident in doing that plus I have a few dozen films that were commercially developed so I have a nice stock of negatives.

I bought a whole load of Ilford films and chemicals both for film and paper and was hoping to develop my first pictures on Monday.

I have the process sorted in my head and all the equipment. When I bought my darkroom kit the seller gave me a VERY large box FULL of different paper some of which is seriously vintage and some newer.

Does the paper make much of a difference when I am creating my first pictures?

I have a batch of stock developer which I have mixed (Bromophen) plus I have Ilfostop and Ilford Rapid Fix.

I am not sure yet about how long to expose the paper for or how long in each bath of fluid. When I get the times right will they change much from paper to paper.

Thanks in advance.
 
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Old 30th November 2010, 11:31 AM
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The quality of the paper will make a significant difference to the print. You mention a very large box full of different papers; the older papers could be fogged depending on how they have been stored and they are certain to have lost some of their original contrast. Are the papers a mix of graded and variable contrast, that will make a difference in method of exposure. Graded papers are a single contrast from grade 0 to 5 where the low number means lower contrast and no filter is required to create the grade. Variable contrast papers require a set of filters which can be placed above or below the enlarger lens during exposure. Filters are generally in half grades the value being marked on the filter.

To establish a correct exposure make a test strip on a half sheet of the paper you intend to use for the print, the procedure is as follows;

Lay the test strip across the image projected on to the base board, generally a diagonal placement across the image picks up most of the tones in the picture.

Set your timer to say 4 seconds and expose the whole of the test strip, cover a small area of the test strip using a firm piece of card preferably black and make a second exposure at your selected time, move the card over the test strip to cover another small area, say 1/2" and expose for your selected time, repeat this process until the whole test strip has been exposed.

Try to keep the test strip exposure increments as short as possible as this provides more specific and accurate exposure information.

Suggested development times:
Resin coated paper 1.5 minutes
Fibre paper 3 minutes

Keep all solutions at a temperature of 20c

I'd suggest that you use print developer only once then dump but be careful about how long you use fix I'd suggest three printing sessions but only if you are making three or four prints and test strips each session. If you over use fixer the prints are likely to show stains and deterioration over a period of time.

These are only simple guide lines but I'd suggest that you use the materials that you have been given to practise the art of print making but stick the the very basic methods outlined here until you build some confidence then you can expreiment. Making notes of what you have done for each print is also a useful practice for it will help you identify where you have gone wrong in processing and decision making. After a while when the confidence has frown you will be able to stop making notes and begin to work instinctively.

Be consistent in your methods you will find this will help the growth of confidence and only then should you start to experiment. Take one simple step at a time to build a good foundation for your future print making and whilst it may be somewhat repititious and boring you will not regret it.

Have fun too.
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Old 30th November 2010, 10:46 PM
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Thanks Les,

The paper is stored in its original boxes inside a large cardboard box. I don't know what the paper is now although I did do a list a while ago!

Thanks for the above. Not sure if I'm doing something wrong but after doing a test strip at 2+2+4+8+16 it wasn't enough and the final exposure was 60 seconds. This seemed quite high but that was what I needed using new chemicals. I developed the film myself but the film was developed with very good contrast etc....
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Been heavily into digital for several years and just starting with the art of film and developing the film and prints myself. I am here to learn and to share with others.
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Old 1st December 2010, 03:38 PM
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A 60 second exposure is a little long but I wouldn't worry about it. The advice I offered relating to keeping the increments as short as possible is sound but if you need to do 10 second steps then do so. The long exposure time tells us that the negatives you made are quite dense and in my opinion dense negatives are better than very thin negs which are likely to show less detail particularly in the shadows. You will learn a lot from what you are doing now at the beginning of your journey into the mysteries of film photography. If we are all strictly honest we have all gone through the phases of "thick or thin" negatives and I for one have enjoyed the challenges they brought me. You have come to the best forum on the internet for sensible help and understanding for there are many excellent photographs here who are very happy to share their knowledge and experiences. Please don't be hesitant to post questions on the forum for advice on how to resolve problems or any other matter relating to photography.
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Old 1st December 2010, 08:24 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Les McLean View Post
A 60 second exposure is a little long but I wouldn't worry about it. The advice I offered relating to keeping the increments as short as possible is sound but if you need to do 10 second steps then do so. The long exposure time tells us that the negatives you made are quite dense and in my opinion dense negatives are better than very thin negs which are likely to show less detail particularly in the shadows. You will learn a lot from what you are doing now at the beginning of your journey into the mysteries of film photography. If we are all strictly honest we have all gone through the phases of "thick or thin" negatives and I for one have enjoyed the challenges they brought me. You have come to the best forum on the internet for sensible help and understanding for there are many excellent photographs here who are very happy to share their knowledge and experiences. Please don't be hesitant to post questions on the forum for advice on how to resolve problems or any other matter relating to photography.
Thanks Les I really appreciate that.

I have an Epson V500 scanner and scanned the negatives that I developed at the default settings and they produce very pleasing results. When I compare my negs to the C41 negs developed at Tesco they appear very similar. I was using my enlarger to create large 10x8 images so I suppose that that will reduce the amount of light hitting the paper and hence increase the exposure time. I also suppose that longer times makes small errors less significant !
__________________
Sorry for all the questions but I am totally new to all this and it isn't as easy as it looks

Been heavily into digital for several years and just starting with the art of film and developing the film and prints myself. I am here to learn and to share with others.
 
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