Show me your latest darkroom prints

[LarsAC]

Printed two days later and I'm still struggling to get crisp prints. This is how my current average looks like...

What paper grade do you use ? Harder grades (3.5-4) look more punchy and crisp. Had the same problem initially until I started to experiment with grades.

Lars

 

[Ko.Fe.]

What paper grade do you use ? Harder grades (3.5-4) look more punchy and crisp. Had the same problem initially until I started to experiment with grades.

Lars

I think, it is multi-grade RC. I have to change filters. I'm using mostly 3, 4 and even 5 as well.
Ilford Deluxe gives more B/W, Kentmere kind of grey.

 

[Fotohuis]

Ilford Deluxe gives more B/W, Kentmere kind of grey.

MG IV PE/RC.

Kentmere VC select PE/RC.

Fomabrom Variant 111 (fiber).


To have a good print you need a good negative. Because I am printing with a Dunco II 67 which is a combined diffusser - condensor system I am developing my negatives in the range 1,05 - 1,15 logD.

For a condensor system only:

For MG IV:

But you have different ways to reach a perfect print:

http://www.fotohuisrovo.nl/documentatie/BasicSplitGradePrinting.pdf

From Way Beyond Monochrome (Split Grade printing).

Good luck with the next prints!

 

[--s]

Mr. fotohuis.

Your pics clearly show a very important factor: The light in the moment you took the photo. The negative matters a lot, of course, while the paper is not so important, at least not when viewed on the monitor.

Do you happen to know the Rollei 111 FB paper? It´s so cheap compared to others, I might give it a try.

cheers,
smp

 

[Fotohuis]

Mr. Fotohuis is Robert, ex- export manager for Amaloco Photochemicals B.V. the Netherlands for East Europe.

Rollei Vintage papers are all coming from Foma in Hradec Kralové, Czech Republic. Although they have let made some special paper in surface (pearl) for them.
Rollei is the Film and Paper brand name (TM) from Maco Photo products in Hamburg - Stapelfeld, Germany. In the past they had a lot of OEM products from Amaloco Photochemicals in Holland. This factory closed in 2008.

Rollei 111 FB = Fomabrom Variant 111. but it is available in different paper formats which Foma doesn't produce in their standard production line (e.g. 40x50cm). Prices for these products can vary pretty much worldwide, depending on the market of course.

Best regards,

Robert / Роберт

 

[Ko.Fe.]

High quality prints, Роберт!

Thanks for the link.

 

[--s]

Роберт!

What are you using the densitometer for when you work with the splitgarde system, which does the same job, doesn´t it?

cheers,
smp.

 

[jean-bob]

Last Tuesday I spent the entire day in the darkroom developping and printing this :

These are from a ongoing project with Rochester's St Joseph House of Hospitality Kitchen Soup about Rochester Homeless. I've printed two of each so I can hand everyone his copy.

Rolleicord IV / Ilford Delta 400 @ 800 developped in x-tol
Printed on Ilford MGIV FB Mat 8x10 in Multigrade developper.


Here is some from the holidays in NY :

Leica M3 / Tri-X @ 1600 developped in x-tol
Printed on Ilford MGIV FB Mat 8x10 in Multigrade developper.

 

[Fotohuis]

What are you using the densitometer for when you work with the splitgarde system, which does the same job, doesn´t it?

Correct you can. But a TRD-Z is more precise when you have to make film curves HD.

And of course I need some demo equipment when Fotohuis clients want to buy this nice Heiland equipment.

 

[--s]

...I didn´t realize you´re still in the business. A range of pro equipment makes sense for a pro, of course. ...Anyway, thanks for the paper info!

 

[--s]

jean-bob, your portrait style is great!

 

[Fotohuis]

jean-bob, your portrait style is great!

Style is very good, some prints are poor due to a lack of contrast. It could be the development of the film or the printing technique (old paper, old chemicals).

But of course only MY personal (professional) opinion. 🙂 😉

 

[leicapixie]

On my monitor, laptop the Rollei prints look great!
The 35mm portrait, not crazy about rounded corners..
yet i do vignetting.
Giving away prints is a nice gesture.

 

[jean-bob]

jean-bob, your portrait style is great!

Thank you !

Style is very good, some prints are poor due to a lack of contrast. It could be the development of the film or the printing technique (old paper, old chemicals).

But of course only MY personal (professional) opinion. 🙂 😉

Thanks for the advice. I think most of the contrast issue comes from the scan, I've adjusted some of it in Lightroom though. The blacks are still blacker in the prints. But my technique is far from flawless, I've been printing for less than a year and I have much more to learn (which I'm eager to). The chemicals might be old too, I don't really know since everything is pre-mixed where I go. But I would think that they would tend to have somewhat fresh chemicals. Oh also I've pushed the Delta 400 and Tri-X to 800 and 1600 respectively so that might be one of the reasons for the lack of strong contrast.

On my monitor, laptop the Rollei prints look great!
The 35mm portrait, not crazy about rounded corners..
yet i do vignetting.
Giving away prints is a nice gesture.

Thank you ! The 35mm negative carrier they have at the community darkroom I go to is either a full frame where it's impossible to center the negative correctly of the standard one which tends to round corners a little. I don't mind it to be frank. I like black borders too but I liked to have more choices with an "adaptable" negative carrier that can do either medium format and 35mm like the one I have back home.

 

[JoeV]

Contact print from Arista ortho litho negative, exposed in a Speed Graphic.

~Joe


Duck_Print001a by jvcabacus, on Flickr

 

[Fotohuis]

Oh also I've pushed the Delta 400 and Tri-X to 800 and 1600 respectively so that might be one of the reasons for the lack of strong contrast.

Pushing films will give more contrast but a lack of wide tonal range. If you put a test chart on a film with different exposures and development you know exactly what I mean. Hence my TRD-Z Heiland densitometer which automatically is generating those film curves.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

All prints above are good looking for me!

After reading about split printing in Roger's book and in the link Robert provided here I was checking it for first time yesterday. Not so easy with slide in filter compartment, but manageable. I was using 2 and 5 Ilford filters.

 

[--s]

From Sunday´s session. Elmarit 2.8/28 pre-asph. Adox Silvermax in Xtol. Paper is Adox Variotone developed in Moersch Meritol:

 

[Volver]

Haven't been printing for a long time. Here are some of my prints on my favorite paper (Agfa Brovira grade 5 hard cream glossy paper from 1978)

 

[Fotohuis]

Great prints I have seen in this thread. 😉