[pure-silver] Re: Weak Blacks

My Durst M605 has an additional filter (besides the YMC) that is supposed to add a level of contrast beyond normal range. I have not given that a try. 
I thought dichoric filters weren't supposed to go bad.

Elias

On Jan 28, 2009, at 4:16 PM, Eric Neilsen wrote:
Jean, Did you test your Dmax and contrast of your VI against anything else? Several years back in was my pleasure to print with both a VI and an Aristo VC head mounted on an Omega with a Metrolux II timer. The Aristo was by far the better light source in terms of contrast range; both flatter prints and prints with more contrast. To that end, I'd also suggest that anyone with an older set of filters to also try them against a new set. You might just find that you are really operating a 1/2 to a stop or more short of your papers 
maximum range.

Eric

Eric Neilsen
4101 Commerce Street, Suite 9
Dallas, TX 75226
214-827-8301

www.ericneilsenphotography.com
SKYPE ejprinter


-----Original Message-----
From: pure-silver-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:pure-silver-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jean-David Beyer 
Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 7:09 AM
To: pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [pure-silver] Re: Weak Blacks

Elias Roustom wrote:
I'm split grade printing a negative - a known problem negative - going with Nicholas O's suggestion to use 00 and 5 filters. I've got an overall good print. The technique works. My developer is Sprint 1 +9, I'm using 
Ilfrod MG FB  -  all the variables are in check. I can get the worst
highlights under control with some burning in under the #00 light, and 
the midtones are fine, but I'm missing that little extra zap to the
blacks. If I give a little more time under the #5 light, it gets a little 
too mushy. Is this the new color head not being as punchy as my
condenser? Should I use a stronger developer?
I'm using the Y dichro filter at 120 for the #00, and the M filter at 130 
for the #5.
I do not do split-printing except when making tests of my enlarging system, including the paper. I currently use a Zone VI VC (diffusion) head that has a green and a blue tube in it and a separate control for each. So I tested it by placing a step wedge (Kodak T-14, IIRC) in the enlarger and adjusted printing time until the clear strip gave maximum black and the next step (net density 0.15 approximately) was just noticeably different from the max black. Then I observed how many steps I could get out of the strip. I did the same test with the blue light; I got less steps, indicating greater contrast. Obviously, because of the way I did the test, I could get max 
black from either all green or all blue light.

I then did a test to see what it would do with mixtures, so I could
determine the settings for various grades in between. I set it up so I used the same exposure time for all exposures, and adjusted the aperture to get max black for the clear step in the step wedge. I then varied the lights to 
get one stop difference (when I could get it) between settings. The
brightness controls are called SOFT for the green light, and HARD for the blue light. They can be turned OFF or set from MIN to MAX, with A to G in between. It looks from the chart that I can get all grades, but it is only wishful thinking that I really get that last bit of contrast for grade 5. 

ILFORD Multigrade IV; D-72 1+2 2 Minutes 75°F; 22 Sec Exp;
                   180mm lens; max height.                      
                                                
GRADE  SOFT    HARD   F/   Low step High step   Difference
00     MAX     OFF     8        1       13      12
0      MAX     B-     10        1       12      11
1      MAX     F      10        2       12      10
2      MAX     MAX    11        2       11       9
3      E       MAX    10        3       11       8
4      MIN     MAX     9        4       11       7
5      OFF     MAX     8        4       10       7
What I have found with MG printing is that the curves are just not the same as the curves for graded paper, and I much prefer graded paper, especially Kodak Elite Fine Art that has not been available for years. So negatives that printed well on Elite does not always print well on MG. I suppose the opposite might be true as well, but I have no more Elite to try, and would 
not be inclined to try anymore at this point.
What I suggest is to try to find the minimum exposure you can get to get max
black from the paper with the densest magenta filter and no yellow filter you have; i.e., the highest contrast you can get. I hope that at that point,
you should get blank highlights. Then gradually add highlights by printing some with the yellow filter. Use the minimum exposure with the yellow filter 

you can to fill in the highlights. This might cause you to lose shadow
detail. As you can see from my chart (that you should not blindly use), adding soft exposure will increase the density all over, so as you add soft exposure, you may wish to reduce the total exposure. In the long run, you should make a chard similar to mine using your equipment and materials. It is much simpler to do this kind of calibration with a step wedge than it is 
with an image of something you want to print from.
Do not dodge or burn until you get the best possible print you can without 
them.

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