Most useful filter grades?

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Bassism

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I've been printing on some old graded FB paper I picked up quite cheaply. I actually quite like the old fibre paper, but my stocks are running low, so I'm going to have to find some more paper.

Apparently Henry's only sells graded papers in 8x10 or larger, and I'd like to start printing on multigrade paper anyway, but this leads me to the question of filters.

As a student who is not studying photography, every penny counts when it comes to buying photo supplies. I can try looking on ebay for a deal on a set of filters, but shipping into Canada often ruins a good deal.

However, Henry's sells a student pack of 3 1/2 inch filters with a 2, 3, and 4 for ten dollars. I have a filter tray in my enlarger, so that's not a problem. Since I've always relied on printing whatever grade paper I have around, I'm not sure what is typically used.

Would 2-4 filters serve me in good stead for the majority of my prints, or should I wait until I can pick up a full set and hope I don't run out of paper before then?
 
The greatest majority of your negatives should print just fine on #2, a few on #3, and if not, either your film exposure was WAY out of whack or your developing time was. Variable contrast papers used WITHOUT a filter are essentially #2.

Printing without a filter saves time on big prints because the printing time are much shorter. The biggest advantage of filters is that you can do more than just make straight prints with them. You can burn in areas through a lower contrast, or on occasion you make a beautiful print but there's not quite enough "punch" to the blacks. Make another print with the same filter and exposure but add a few seconds to the entire print through just your highest contrast filter. The blacks will sing!

If you really "get into" printing you'll be searching out filter sets wherever you can find then.The old DuPont Varigam and the newer Varilour, the original Polycontrast and Ilford Multigrade. Some are available in half grades. Ilford made a grade 00. Pick up a paper cutter. Cut your 8x10 paper into 5x8 then trim to 5x7 plus two free test strips! 8x10 is cheaper than two packages or boxes of 5x7.
 
Cool, looks like I'll go with the student pack then.
I think it's quite obvious that I'll end up with more filters than I know what to do with, but for the time being, I'd rather spend my grocery money on film 😉

Also, thanks for that ingenious tip, Al. That's one of those glaringly obvious things that I'd never think of...
 
Check out garage sales. Sometimes you'll find darkroom goodies. You might even find something you can afford with the money you save on paper! And on rare occasions you'll find a box of "Grandpa's junky old film cameras" for next to nothing. I've found Leicas and Rolleiflexes that way. Not often, but it does happen.
 
i used 0 thru 4 on a typical basis.
areas of sky for example often needed 0.
various other prints needed multiple filters for
specific areas.
 
Ilford makes (made?) a 00 ultra low contrast filter. It wasn't part of the set and the one I have is just a sheet of acetate, no plastic frame.

Some printers never use the mid range filters. If you make two exposures, one through your highest contrast, another through your lowest, you can control the contrast by how much time you give to each filter. I never liked doing it that way because it requires constant resetting of the timer unless you're one of those who never uses a timer. I'm not that good!
 
The method Al is describing is known as split grade printing. I use it quite a lot
because it is a technique that works OK for me. I use a RH Designs f-stop
timer, which has a dedicated function and 2 channels specially for this purpose, which makes splitgrade printing really a joy. Also I have a Variocontrast module on my V35, which makes switching from grade 0
to grade 5 a matter of a sec.

Some printers use split grade printing all of the time, some never. Me 90%.
I use Tri-X in Rodinal 1+25 95% of the time and develop mostly +10%.
This gives good contrasty negs, which I like and work good with split grade printing.
 
I found a box of accesories at a yard sale for my 1950's vintage Kodak Precision Enlarger. Besides about every size of negative carrier you can ever imagine it came with a tri-color seperation gizmo that replaces the swing-out red filter beneath the lens. The original filters are badly water damaged but I'm planning on replacing them with 00, 2, and 5 Multigrade filters. That should speed up printing, being able to just swing the thing beneath the lens, instead of pulling out and pushing in filters.
 
As an update, I'm still printing on my old graded paper and haven't picked up any filters or new paper yet. I've been too busy buying Leicas.... :S

I know the theory behind split grade printing, but I've never been convinced that it's something that I'd want to take the extra effort and cost to do. Of course, I've never tried it, so maybe I'll find I like it.

I'll probably just keep my eyes peeled for a deal and jump if I see one, or buy the cheap set if I buy some new paper before I find one.
 
I agree Bassism ! The best prints I've ever seen are produced by
someone I know who never uses split grade printing, but just chooses the
right contrast filter and dodging and burning. I will never be able to print
what he does. But for me it is split grade that gives me the best results.

One should use the tool that brings him closest tho the wanted result.
 
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