[pure-silver] Re: New color head "discoveries"
- From: "Don Feinberg" <ducque@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2005 22:10:14 -0600
FWIW, I have found that Forte will not go above "contrast 3" no matter what
you do (well, whatever I do, anyway!). You can use VC filters -- use as
much M as you want; use the Ilford or Kodak or Oriental discrete filters for
#5. It doesn't matter. You get contrast 3. Things ramp up pretty pretty
predictably to #3, but all of a sudden additional M doesn't seem to do very
much!
This behavior is consistent with some notes I exchanged with some other
people on this subject. I do not understand the behavior, but the paper is
consistent in this respect.
That said, I have found the 11x14 and 16x20 varieties to behave somewhat
differently from one another. I assume that has to do with emulsion
batches.
I have been able to get much greater contrast using lith developers. Forte
clearly doesn't "lith" the way Tim Rudman would describe it, but the results
are pleasing, for the right composition, just the same.
I have not been in love with the results I got from trials of Forte with
Ansco 130. I have been much happier using regular MQ-type developers, e.g.
Ansco 125, or with Formulary BW65 1::1::6.
And, btw, forget the Thomas safelight. It's just not safe with VC paper. I
use four oldie-but-goodie el-cheapo lights fitted with 7.5 watt bulbs and
Kodak 0C filters, mounted high up on the walls. This works well.
Don Feinberg
ducque@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Well, my Omega Chromega Dichro DII came in last weekend and I've begun
> testing. with VC papers. First VC I've printed in 20 years.
>
> I've been using metol glycine based Ansco130 paper developer (modified by
AA
> and without hydroquinone).That's where I started. Problem is, the hardest
> contrast I was able to get with 0Y/170M was about 0.8 on Forte Polygrade V
> (boy is that paper really blue!!) and about 0.6 on Kodak Polymax Fine Art.
> The softest contrast comes in about right at 1.8 (polymax) and 1.4
> (polygrade).
>
> Glycine is a much softer developer.. is that why I'm able to get no more
> than ISO ~3.5 on the VC papers... do the emulsions require stronger
> developers for satisfactory development? I tested my graded papers under
> white light exposure, developed them in A130, and acquired the right
scale.
> I developed all the test prints at 6x factorial so I would think that
would
> be sufficient, and I was able to get max black.
>
> I ran an Ansco 120 test last night. The test prints look better, but
haven't
> read them yet.
>
> Also, I learned that both of these paper are very sensitive to the Thomas
> safelite... I ran a screening test and at 5 minutes exposure I got fog
that
> appeared as Zone VI reflectance.. So, I move the safelight, unplug it, or
> change papers to one less sensitive, and retest. Such is life.
>
> J.R. Stewart
> Leesburg, VA
>
>
>
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