b/w prints from colour film

[marameo]

Hi,

do you think it is possible to optically print from colour film like Portra 800 or Fuji 160 (both MF) to RC paper for contact prints and FB for regular b/w enlargements?

Thanks

 

[MarinB]

Of course. This is the paper you can use for that:

http://www.ilfordphoto.com/products/producttype.asp?n=4&t=Photographic+Papers+Digital

It may require a lot of testing with your enlarger/preferred contrast/processing, but from what I've read, it should work fine. A little costly, though, and not so easy to obtain, but it's there.

 

[Morry Katz]

Yes. contrast control is tricky but possible. With VC paper start with no filter - the colour of the neg will act as a VC filter. Good luck

 

[ccattan]

I've printed portra 400 with great success using contrast filter 4 and a longer time than I'd need for a similarly exposed tri-x negative. A test strip with 4 sec increments at F11 was what I needed to let me know what exposure to use. I used a beseler 45MX with condenser head.

 

[Fotohuis]

For this purpose you need Panalure photo paper. You have to treat it like color paper (Sodium light) but you can develop it in any standard B&W paper developer, stop and fix.
Unfortunately no manufacturer is producing it any more. Only with this paper you can produce the right contrast and Grey tones. Alternative any MG B&W paper combined with filter 4-5.

 

[shadowfox]

Have a read at this:
http://www.zuikography.com/?p=1024

I don't use special paper, just multiple exposures with different combination of Magenta and Yellow settings (my enlarger has a color head).