V35 and VC Head with RC papers.

[Bruno Gracia]

Hi there!

I'm going to print my first wet copy and need some help!

Purchased a V35 with a VC color head but don't know nothing about this.

I've bought a Ilford RC IV Multigrade papers, do You know what values with the Y/M/G filters should I chose?

And I don't have the red filter, is it important?

And the last.. how many solution I have to put in the tray?

Many many many thanks guys.

 

[maddoc]

Welcome to the "dark side" of printing your own photos! 🙂 When I was starting I had the same questions. I used initially a Durst M605 with CL66 color head and dialed in the filter values provided by Ilford. In this PDF-file also settings for a V35 are given.

However, depending on the age of the enlarger the filter dye can fade so you would have to make your own experiments to determine the optimal values. I was to layy to do that and bought the Ilford Multigrade filter-set with filters to be put into the filter-drawer of my BW enlarger head (that I also happen to have) and when buying a smaller 35 LPL enlarger later I bought the same filter together with a filter-holder to be mounted below the enlarging lens. This set-up limits the size of the enlarger lens to be used but worked in my case.

You will need a red-filter for positioning of the paper or easel before making the print.

For prints up to size of A4 I use 1 liter of solution in my trays (don`t remember the size) but the height of the liquids is about 2 cm, enough to get even development and fixing.

Enjoy your darkroom work, it is fun!

 

[Bruno Gracia]

Thank You very much!

Very useful!

I've tried and the paper came out black! Closing the lens 5.6, with the values ilford gaves for the v35 and trying 2-4-6-8-10-12-14 secs with proof, I'm doing something wrong! What could be?

 

[maddoc]

As a starting point, for a print roughly in A4 size and a properly (standard) dense film-strip and grade 2 I usually expose at f/8.0 for about 8s. Developing about 1 minute, 30s stop, and 1 minute fix (RC paper).

If it is totally black than the paper was exposed to light a some other point. You really need a proper red-light in your dark-room set-up (not to close to the place where you handle the paper) and a red-filter in your enlarger to position the easel correctly.

 

[Bruno Gracia]

Should I check for single or double filters in the ilford information? Maybe I have to stop down f11?

And the grade in the sheet? If the paper is multigrade IV, doesn't matter if I chose the filters for grade 3 or I have to put the right numbers for IV?

I have a red lamp, DUNKO the brand, the guy told me is a professional thing.

 

[Bruno Gracia]

As a starting point, for a print roughly in A4 size and a properly (standard) dense film-strip and grade 2 I usually expose at f/8.0 for about 8s. Developing about 1 minute, 30s stop, and 1 minute fix (RC paper).

If it is totally black than the paper was exposed to light a some other point. You really need a proper red-light in your dark-room set-up (not to close to the place where you handle the paper) and a red-filter in your enlarger to position the easel correctly.

Ok! Let's try.

Thanks!!

 

[maddoc]

For your V35 I would try dual-color filter settings as reommended in Ilford`s PDF manual and starting from f/11 is also not a bad idea.

One more point, for proper focus you should use a grain-magnifier and put a sheet of film of the same thickness into the easel when adjusting focus. You do this a maximum aperture of your lens and without red-filter. Then, before changing to the paper you want to expose, close the aperture to the desired value and put a red-filter in front of the lens. Then change paper.

 

[maddoc]

Should I check for single or double filters in the ilford information? Maybe I have to stop down f11?

And the grade in the sheet? If the paper is multigrade IV, doesn't matter if I chose the filters for grade 3 or I have to put the right numbers for IV?

I have a red lamp, DUNKO the brand, the guy told me is a professional thing.

Ilford multigrade iv is the type of RC paper not the grade! You still need to select the desired grade by the filters!

 

[Ljós]

Great tips from maddoc here. About the black paper: did you buy the paper new, can you be sure that it has not been exposed to light?

 

[Bruno Gracia]

Thanks maddoc! I can't find the red filter which attach to my enlarger!

Ljós, Brand new from the store.

 

[maddoc]

Hm ... such a red-filter is essential to work with the enlarger however your enlarger does not have one. I just found this valuable information online, it should help you.

http://www.bonavolta.ch/hobby/en/photo/v35.htm

 

[Bruno Gracia]

I had the same, thanks!

Will try to find one.

Now I have to set up the AF, maybe with it I can work meanwhile I wait for the filter!

I made my first print!!

15 sec at f11!!

Wooooow this is magical!

I'm going to sleep, here in Spain is 4:30!

Thank You very much for your kind help, I will ask much more for sure next days! 😀

 

[maddoc]

Great!! .. and congratulations!! Pure magic, isn`t it? 😀 Show some prints soon but don`t forget to sleep. 🙂

I had the same, thanks!

Will try to find one.

Now I have to set up the AF, maybe with it I can work meanwhile I wait for the filter!

I made my first print!!

15 sec at f11!!

Wooooow this is magical!

I'm going to sleep, here in Spain is 4:30!

Thank You very much for your kind help, I will ask much more for sure next days! 😀

 

[mbisc]

I had the same, thanks!

Will try to find one.

Now I have to set up the AF, maybe with it I can work meanwhile I wait for the filter!

I made my first print!!

15 sec at f11!!

Wooooow this is magical!

I'm going to sleep, here in Spain is 4:30!

Thank You very much for your kind help, I will ask much more for sure next days! 😀

Awesome - congrats ! Welcome to the dark side !

 

[Ljós]

Well done! Yup, seeing the print develop and appear magically from the white paper, that never gets old.

Greetings, Ljós

 

[Bruno Gracia]

wow, lot of work but soooo funny!!

I have to learn how to use properly the easel and I need to aligne the head, but satisfied:

Wet Print, first attempting! by Bruno Gracia, on Flickr

 

[SayCheese]

Hi Bruno,

Congrats on the new enlarger. I'll bet your awesome images are going to look beautiful once printed in the darkroom!
By the way, while my own enlarger has a red filter i lamost never use it. I use to set everything up with an old piece of paper in the easel and then i turn off the enlarger. I take the paper out of its box only seconds before exposure. So i don't think the red filter is all that important, you can easily work without one.
Regards, Klaus

 

[Bruno Gracia]

ey Klaus thanks!

Could You share your paper method? is like a red transparent one which the childs use in the school?

 

[SayCheese]

Bruno,

I'm sorry if I confused you with my last post. No fancy trick, it's just that I don't take the positive paper out of its light tight box until the actual exposure happens. No printing paper under the enlarger, so there's no red filter required. I set everything up with a random piece of white paper of equal thickness in the easel. After this I turn of the enlarger, set the timer and replace the material in the easel with my printing paper. Of course you've got to take care not to move anything, a heavy easel with some gum under the board will help.
HTH, Klaus

 

[presspass]

Just a quick question - is it a VC head or a color head? If it's a VC head, and Leica did make these for the V35, then you just pick the paper grade. If it's a color head, then you have to follow the instructions above.