Show me your latest darkroom prints

Leica MP/Summicron 35mm f/2 8 elements replica/TMY2-400/Ilford MGFB

Erik.

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Deardorff38 said:
Here are my questions/observations. What is the negative like? Is it thin, as in under-exposed or underdeveloped? Or is it well processed and developed but low contrast by virtue of the quality of the old lens? If either of these are the case, then the old adage applies, that you can't get what''s not in the negative.

I would suggest that a truer test/exploration of the paper would be to take a known negative and make prints to give you an idea of contrast range. I don't print contact sheets, but i do on occasion use RC glossy to begin proofing. The RC proofs almost always look more contrasty.

I'm not sure if that sheds any more light on your problem, but i'd suggest dropping Erik a line. BTW is your Adox relatively new? I haven't been able to get any from B&H in some time... Best of luck finding a solution
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Thanks, Deardorff38. The negatives in this case were, I would say, average density, although the scenes themselves were inherently slightly low contrast. Yes, I have to do some more systematic experimentation along the lines you suggest. Good to know that you've found RC prints more contrasty, too.

I bought the paper from Freestyle, I think, about eight or nine months ago.
 
dfranklin said:
Thanks, Deardorff38. The negatives in this case were, I would say, average density, although the scenes themselves were inherently slightly low contrast. Yes, I have to do some more systematic experimentation along the lines you suggest. Good to know that you've found RC prints more contrasty, too.

I bought the paper from Freestyle, I think, about eight or nine months ago.
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Update: last night I printed another of my negs on both Adox MCC 110 and Ilford MG FB Classic, using Ilford MG developer. The contrast range is just about the same, although the Adox is slightly warmer in tone and a little more than one stop slower. I prefer the slightly colder tones I'm getting from Ilford (and the more brilliant white of the paper base). But I'm anxious to try the Adox in a different developer, to see if I get different results. I have some LPD that I'll be mixing up for the next printing session.

Deardorff38, I think your suggestion--that the unsatisfactory contrast may be the result of the older lens on my Perkeo--is probably right.
 

New print from an old negative. HP5 in D76. Print on Oriental Seagull FB 11x14" in LPD.
This was taken with a Fujica G690 I got from Bruno Engler. During a commercial shoot on Sulphur Mt, the camera had taken a 20 m tumble & had a big dent in the back that I covered with duct tape to make it light tight. That camera was a gateway to medium format for me. I think i gave Bruno $40 for it. The best dollar value ever in photography for me. I sold one of the images from the the first roll for $400.
 
dfranklin said:
I know that there is a good deal of experience with MCC 110 in this thread (I'm thinking of Erik's beautiful prints!), so I'm hoping someone has some advice for me?
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The answer is simple: split grade printing.
Split grade printing wants to say two exposures for one print: a. an exposure through filter 00 and b. an exposure through filter 5. Filter 00 takes care of the soft, light grey tones and filter 5 takes care of the deep blacks. This way of exposing gives you a full control over the tonality of the print. I use Ilford MG filters.

A solid enlarger is required.

Erik.
 
Erik van Straten said:
The answer is simple: split grade printing.
Split grade printing wants to say two exposures for one print: a. an exposure through filter 00 and b. an exposure through filter 5. Filter 00 takes care of the soft, light grey tones and filter 5 takes care of the deep blacks. This way of exposing gives you a full control over the tonality of the print. I use Ilford MG filters.

A solid enlarger is required.

Erik.
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Erik, I have indeed tried your method of split-grade printing, including with these most recent prints. Thanks for the descriptions of your methods in earlier posts, which were very helpful. I suppose you could say that the two I posted ARE split-grade prints: 0 seconds with filter 00, and then an exposure with filter 5!
 
Deardorff38 said:

New print from an old negative. HP5 in D76. Print on Oriental Seagull FB 11x14" in LPD.
This was taken with a Fujica G690 I got from Bruno Engler. During a commercial shoot on Sulphur Mt, the camera had taken a 20 m tumble & had a big dent in the back that I covered with duct tape to make it light tight. That camera was a gateway to medium format for me. I think i gave Bruno $40 for it. The best dollar value ever in photography for me. I sold one of the images from the the first roll for $400.
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Beautiful, photo, print and mountain. :D
 
p.giannakis said:
If their cloths didn't date the picture to recent days, the empty shop window will make me think of it being taken in Eastern Europe during the 80's.
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I was thinking at Walker Evans when shooting this one, that is, the 1930's in the US.

I'm so happy that no one looks at or into the camera.

It was very hard to print this one.

Erik.
 
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Flickr
Fence & sagebrush, El Rito New Mexico.
Leica MP/ CV 21mm f4 / 11"x14" print on Oriental Seagull FB in LPD
 
Flickr
11"x14" print from Foma 400, yellow filter, Oriental Seagull FB 6x7 neg
 
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