Prints are coming out with low contrast, what gives?

[40oz]

get the filters. You are just going to waste time and paper until you do. Trust me 🙂

VC paper is apparently not supposed to be used without a filter. VC paper with a #2 filter is analogous to #2 graded paper. VC paper without filters is not the same as grade 2 paper.

 

[Jeremy Z]

OK 40oz. Since you are so vociferous about it, I will get the filters. Please don't be offended if I try to solve the problem by other means first, THEN try the filters.

When I printed last time with VC paper, I never used filters, and the results were great. I'm sure you're right in that the results can be better with filters, but if it is a light leak issue, the filters aren't going to help at all. First things first!

 

[Vics]

D76 is a developer for FILM, not paper. Try Dektol. You must use a filter if printing on multiGrade paper. No filter would produce very flat prints.

 

[Vics]

I would think better to buy a set of Ilford's Multigrade Filters (know whar size you need.) This way you can get the kind of control you need with black & white printing. Have fun!

 

[Vics]

I use the Ilford filters, which are thin acetate, and i like them very much. I had to trim them down to size for my 23CII.

 

[Jeremy Z]

Epilogue

Epilogue

Thanks to you guys, I'm having some success now.

I spent 14 hours in the darkroom today. I changed the safelight, and did a better job sealing up the door. That made a huge difference.

I also bought the multicontrast filters, and printed most of them at #2. (good tip)

Most of the day, I fought the battle with "dust". (lost most times) The negative was clean, the print was clean, yet I had dust in different places on each print.

Miraculously, when I switched to 5x7 from 8x10, I had no dust on the print.

I finally figured out that I had been scratching the emulsion on the print with my plastic tongs when I pushed the print down in the developer. :bang:

For the last couple hours, things went much more smoothly. 🙄

Thanks for the tips guys.

 

[wdenies]

Filters

Filters

YES, YOU NEED FILTERS.
To prove it and to convince you I made a digital simulation with ConverttoBWPro: acts like Ilford multigrade
More examples available. but it seems I am limited to 3 uploads

Wim

 

[wdenies]

More filters

More filters

The rest of the simulation

 

[tedwhite]

OK, so which ones simulate which filters? The last one looks like a #4 or #5.

 

[wdenies]

The filename corresponds to the filter used

Wim

 

[tedwhite]

Duh.

Thanks

 

[Jeremy Z]

Duh.

Don't feel bad, I was wondering too, but just wasn't the one to ask. 😉