dfoo
Well-known
Can I use these for multigrade filters?
Chris101
summicronia
Multigrade filters are yellow for lowering contrast, and magenta for increasing it. By using the yellow and magenta cc filters in combination you should be able to get a decent range of suitable filtration.
Many people who print B&W with enlargers equipped with color heads do the same thing.
Many people who print B&W with enlargers equipped with color heads do the same thing.
Al Kaplan
Veteran
Maybe someone will chirp in with the correct filter combinations for the various grades.
Dedicated sets of variable contrast filters do have advantages, however. Ilford offered an optional #00 which is about the lowest contrast filter I've ever tried. DuPont, who started the whole VC thing with their Varigam paper back in the fifties introduced a new paper and filter set called Varilour just before they pulled out of the market in the late sixties. The filters incorporated a bit of neutral density. Determine the correct exposure to get just a hint of detail in the highlights and you could use the same settings for the other filters through #3, and exactly double the exposure for the #4 filter.
Dedicated sets of variable contrast filters do have advantages, however. Ilford offered an optional #00 which is about the lowest contrast filter I've ever tried. DuPont, who started the whole VC thing with their Varigam paper back in the fifties introduced a new paper and filter set called Varilour just before they pulled out of the market in the late sixties. The filters incorporated a bit of neutral density. Determine the correct exposure to get just a hint of detail in the highlights and you could use the same settings for the other filters through #3, and exactly double the exposure for the #4 filter.
Chris101
summicronia
Ilford recommends some color head settings that could be used as a starting point for stacking cc filters:
http://www.ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/20062111029251325.pdf
http://www.ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/20062111029251325.pdf
dfoo
Well-known
I guess the filters are additive? There are three sets yellow, magenta and blue. They come in the following sets .5, .4, .3, .2, .1, and .05. Therefore the maximum, if additive, is 1.55. Am I correct in thinking that therefore if I stack all of the yellow (1.55) I'll get a minimum contrast print, and all the magentas I'll get a maximum contrast?