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Old January 25th 04, 09:28 PM
Jim Phelps
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Default Newbie-- (WET!) Color printing aid question...Which is best?


[snip]


I assume you mean the Kodak viewing filters. I don't think they are

made
anymore. I bought a used set and to be honest I've never figured out
anything with them. For exposure I just do a test strip.

Once you've got the filter settings right for a photo then I found
any photo taken under the same lighting doesn't require a change in the
filters. It's just a question of getting the exposure right.

Nick


Nick,

I believe they're still made. At least I see them still offered for sale.
They are acetate filters and if you bought a used set, they may be faded or
discolored, and therefore not usable. Especially if they came in the Kodak
Yellow wallet. The wallet color was changed to black several years ago. In
fact, I'm getting ready to order another set as the one's I have are faded
To test, lay them on a piece of color paper and give them a short exposure
at mid aperture range, and process. You should see the expected colors (red
under cyan, green under magenta, etc, etc, etc). You should also see
significant changes in color intensity and density. If you don't, they're
faded.

I found them very helpful when just starting out. Trying to earn the
experience to say the print is 7CC to yellow without them was frustrating.
However, I will admit, that was in the days of Ektacolor 37 paper (have I
been doing this that long - sheese). Ektacolor 37 (and later 74, which was
twice the speed) were very picky papers. A couple of seconds to long in the
developer and the color shifted. Same with temps.

To use them, under daylight (or viewing light if they will be hung under
other lighting), you dodge them in and out of your vision while looking at
your print at about arms length. Don't let the light that illuminates the
paper pass through the filter, or you have twice the color correction (once
as the light goes through the filter and again as it's reflected back to
your eye through the filter).

None of the above will be a help unless you've determined the correct
exposure for the print. It's important to have the correct density in your
test print before you begin to judge for color.

[Nick, some content of this message is for the OP]