Contact printing paper

Making your print in the darkroom
Walter Glover
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Re: Contact printing paper

Postby Walter Glover » 18 Jun 2013, 22:52

A big Bunnings might be the answer.

Or a specialty lighting store.
Walter Glover

"We see things not as they are. We see them as we are."
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Alastair Moore
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Re: Contact printing paper

Postby Alastair Moore » 19 Jun 2013, 13:13

All sorted now! There's a light shop down the road from my work who I spoke to. They're going to fit a light socket to a length of cord with a plug on the end. I'm going to stick some hooks to the bathroom ceiling just above where I have my work table. It'll work a treat!

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Walter Glover
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Re: Contact printing paper

Postby Walter Glover » 19 Jun 2013, 14:48

Excellent rig. Until you dry your hair and catch the cable with the towel.
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"We see things not as they are. We see them as we are."
Emanuel Kant

Greenspeed
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Re: Contact printing paper

Postby Greenspeed » 19 Jun 2013, 22:14

Have tried Ilford Multigrade RC papers for contact printing 8 x 10 negs. While Ilford worked, they aren't beautiful print in comparison to Foma grade 2 Fomalux contact papers. Foma has a better tonal depth IMHO. Some of my best Fomalux contact prints were left in developer for more than an hour to obtain a range of blacks in the print.

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Alastair Moore
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Re: Contact printing paper

Postby Alastair Moore » 01 Jul 2013, 16:52

I got my contact print set up now. A lighting shop up the road from me built a light bulb holder with a long cable on it. Works great! However, it seems 15w is far too bright as I just exposed a couple of sheets of paper and they more or less went all black. I ran the first test sheet initially for 90 seconds in total, with 15 second intervals and then the second for 30 seconds at 5 second intervals. I got a very slight bit of detail. The light is almost near the ceiling and so I can't move that any further away from the paper. Any thoughts?

Greenspeed
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Re: Contact printing paper

Postby Greenspeed » 01 Jul 2013, 18:48

Hi Alastair,

That far too long for RC Mutigrade papers. From my experience, you looking at exposing the RC papers for 1 - 2 seconds. Basically a quick switch on and off. Again best to cut the papers into test strips and work your way up.

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Alastair Moore
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Re: Contact printing paper

Postby Alastair Moore » 01 Jul 2013, 19:22

Greenspeed wrote:Hi Alastair,

That far too long for RC Mutigrade papers. From my experience, you looking at exposing the RC papers for 1 - 2 seconds. Basically a quick switch on and off. Again best to cut the papers into test strips and work your way up.


Ah, gotcha. Ok, I'll give that a go as I'm still all set up in the bathroom. Is any contact paper still available? I've heard of the Lodima paper but can't work out if that's still being sold or not.

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Re: Contact printing paper

Postby Greenspeed » 01 Jul 2013, 19:44

Lodima papers are still available from Michael and Paula.

http://www.michaelandpaula.com/mp/newpaper.html

No personal experience in using these papers. From what I have read, similar to AZO.

I am using Fomalux and love the paper.

You can get from Blanco and Negro:- http://www.blanconegrosupplies.com.au/B ... malux.html

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Alastair Moore
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Re: Contact printing paper

Postby Alastair Moore » 01 Jul 2013, 20:55

Oh, I shall have to go and see Chris about some of that paper. I just exposed a few more sheets at roughly 1 sec. They came out really well! I'm very pleased with myself :) I need to let them dry and then I'll compare them with the inkjet prints I made.

Greenspeed
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Re: Contact printing paper

Postby Greenspeed » 01 Jul 2013, 23:02

Alastair Moore wrote:Oh, I shall have to go and see Chris about some of that paper. I just exposed a few more sheets at roughly 1 sec. They came out really well! I'm very pleased with myself :) I need to let them dry and then I'll compare them with the inkjet prints I made.


Well done. Wait till you try the Fomalux. Much nicer than RC papers. On average expose fomalux from 5 - 8 secs only (mine with 60 watt bulb from 3 -4 feets away from the bulb). If the neg is thin, 3 - 4 secs are enough and let the image slowly develop over 30 - 60 minutes.


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