Bob Helmond
Member
I've heard from Freestyle that Kodak AZO is still being produced but they couldn't tell me where it is available. Does anyone out there have a clue? Or a contact printing paper by any manufacturer for that matter.
One may wonder why AZO for contacts?
1. It is slow and is exposed in room light -- usually a 40w bulb 3 feet away for about 5-8 seconds. This allows one to spot any over- or under-exposed frames, thereby permitting the dodging or burning of individual frames. This is achieved by cardboard "tiles" in 1-, 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-frame lengths, which are positioned over the frames not requiring any additional exposure.
Learning this technique was very handy when I had the job of contact printing the life's work of fashion and street photographer, Louis Faurer.
He worked a IIIg very quickly in his street photography, often under low light, back in the days of the selenium-cell light meters which were unuseable under those circumstances. His exposures would not be consistent, and despite his expertise at development by inspection of his 35mm Super-XX, he still could not cover everything on the whole roll.
Ever here of intensification? (That's a subject for another thread) Well, Lou would often use Tetanol or other uranium-based intensifier (real toxic stuff) to bring out an image, effectively quadrupling or more the rated exposure index of the film stock.
Try Googling "Louis Faurer."
But I digress...
2. It's tonal range and resolution is incomparable. When you view a well-made contact from Azo with an 8x magnifier, it's exactly like viewing an full-frame print on 8x10.
So, please, any one with ideas on where to get my beloved AZO?
One may wonder why AZO for contacts?
1. It is slow and is exposed in room light -- usually a 40w bulb 3 feet away for about 5-8 seconds. This allows one to spot any over- or under-exposed frames, thereby permitting the dodging or burning of individual frames. This is achieved by cardboard "tiles" in 1-, 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-frame lengths, which are positioned over the frames not requiring any additional exposure.
Learning this technique was very handy when I had the job of contact printing the life's work of fashion and street photographer, Louis Faurer.
He worked a IIIg very quickly in his street photography, often under low light, back in the days of the selenium-cell light meters which were unuseable under those circumstances. His exposures would not be consistent, and despite his expertise at development by inspection of his 35mm Super-XX, he still could not cover everything on the whole roll.
Ever here of intensification? (That's a subject for another thread) Well, Lou would often use Tetanol or other uranium-based intensifier (real toxic stuff) to bring out an image, effectively quadrupling or more the rated exposure index of the film stock.
Try Googling "Louis Faurer."
But I digress...
2. It's tonal range and resolution is incomparable. When you view a well-made contact from Azo with an 8x magnifier, it's exactly like viewing an full-frame print on 8x10.
So, please, any one with ideas on where to get my beloved AZO?
T
Todd.Hanz
Guest
check here, they seem to have a replacement in the works: http://www.michaelandpaula.com/mp/index_skip.html
Todd
Todd
Bob Helmond
Member
Wow, Todd, thanks soooo much.