8x10 contact printing problem

Hello,

I've started contact printing 8x10 negs, and I'm getting either fall-off, or
density buildup on the negs, because my prints are coming out very light around
the edges. The negs don't look heavy on the edges, however. Has anyone else
experienced/solved this problem?

Thank you,

Curt Blood

More than likely a result of how you process the negatives,
how do you process the negatives?


In article ,
(CBlood59) wrote:

Hello,

I've started contact printing 8x10 negs, and I'm getting either fall-off, or
density buildup on the negs, because my prints are coming out very light
around
the edges. The negs don't look heavy on the edges, however. Has anyone else
experienced/solved this problem?

Thank you,

Curt Blood

--
LF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918

More than likely a result of how you process the negatives,
how do you process the negatives?


In article ,
(CBlood59) wrote:

Hello,

I've started contact printing 8x10 negs, and I'm getting either fall-off, or
density buildup on the negs, because my prints are coming out very light
around
the edges. The negs don't look heavy on the edges, however. Has anyone else
experienced/solved this problem?

Thank you,

Curt Blood

--
LF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918

Curt,
What kind of light source are you using? I use my enlarger and it does
not illuminate evenly - the edges fall off slightly. My solution is to
raise the enlarger head and use the center of the field of illumination.

CBlood59 wrote:
Hello,

I've started contact printing 8x10 negs, and I'm getting either fall-off, or
density buildup on the negs, because my prints are coming out very light around
the edges. The negs don't look heavy on the edges, however. Has anyone else
experienced/solved this problem?

Thank you,

Curt Blood


--
Bill Laidley

Curt,
What kind of light source are you using? I use my enlarger and it does
not illuminate evenly - the edges fall off slightly. My solution is to
raise the enlarger head and use the center of the field of illumination.

CBlood59 wrote:
Hello,

I've started contact printing 8x10 negs, and I'm getting either fall-off, or
density buildup on the negs, because my prints are coming out very light around
the edges. The negs don't look heavy on the edges, however. Has anyone else
experienced/solved this problem?

Thank you,

Curt Blood


--
Bill Laidley

I've started contact printing 8x10 negs, and I'm getting either fall-off,
or
density buildup on the negs, because my prints are coming out very light
around
the edges. The negs don't look heavy on the edges, however. Has anyone
else
experienced/solved this problem?

If your prints are light around the edges but the negatives don't look
"heavy" on the edges (by which I assume you mean there doesn't appear to be
any extra density at the edges) the problem may be that the light you're
using to contact print isn't covering the negative and paper evenly.
Position your contact printing frame where you usually put it, cover the
frame with something of a uniform tone such as a piece of mat board or a
gray card, then meter the corners and center of the board (making sure you
don't cast a shadow on the board or card while metering). You should get the
same reading at the edges as you get at the corner. If you don't, raise your
lamp until you do. If you have to raise it so much that your printing times
get too slow use a higher wattage bulb. If you get the same readings at the
edges as at the center then I'm wrong and something else is causing the
problem.
"CBlood59" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I've started contact printing 8x10 negs, and I'm getting either fall-off,
or
density buildup on the negs, because my prints are coming out very light
around
the edges. The negs don't look heavy on the edges, however. Has anyone
else
experienced/solved this problem?

Thank you,

Curt Blood

I've started contact printing 8x10 negs, and I'm getting either fall-off,
or
density buildup on the negs, because my prints are coming out very light
around
the edges. The negs don't look heavy on the edges, however. Has anyone
else
experienced/solved this problem?

If your prints are light around the edges but the negatives don't look
"heavy" on the edges (by which I assume you mean there doesn't appear to be
any extra density at the edges) the problem may be that the light you're
using to contact print isn't covering the negative and paper evenly.
Position your contact printing frame where you usually put it, cover the
frame with something of a uniform tone such as a piece of mat board or a
gray card, then meter the corners and center of the board (making sure you
don't cast a shadow on the board or card while metering). You should get the
same reading at the edges as you get at the corner. If you don't, raise your
lamp until you do. If you have to raise it so much that your printing times
get too slow use a higher wattage bulb. If you get the same readings at the
edges as at the center then I'm wrong and something else is causing the
problem.
"CBlood59" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I've started contact printing 8x10 negs, and I'm getting either fall-off,
or
density buildup on the negs, because my prints are coming out very light
around
the edges. The negs don't look heavy on the edges, however. Has anyone
else
experienced/solved this problem?

Thank you,

Curt Blood

Subject: 8x10 contact printing problem
From: Bill Laidley
Date: Sat, Aug 14, 2004 3:44 PM
Message-id: zrqTc.102025$J06.34817@pd7tw2no

Curt,
What kind of light source are you using? I use my enlarger and it does
not illuminate evenly - the edges fall off slightly. My solution is to
raise the enlarger head and use the center of the field of illumination.

CBlood59 wrote:
Hello,

I've started contact printing 8x10 negs, and I'm getting either fall-off, or
density buildup on the negs, because my prints are coming out very light
around
the edges. The negs don't look heavy on the edges, however. Has anyone else
experienced/solved this problem?

Thank you,

Curt Blood


--
Bill Laidley





Thanks for the replies. I'm using an Aristo cold light on an Omega D-2. I
will try raising the head. Since I've been printing with the head all the way
down, I think this might be the problem. If my problem is density build-up,
would I be able to see this on the negative? I process them, two at a time, in
a 16x20 tray (not stacked). Continuous agitation is done by lifting the negs,
and flipping them.

Curt Blood

"CBlood59" wrote in message
...
Subject: 8x10 contact printing problem
From: Bill Laidley
Date: Sat, Aug 14, 2004 3:44 PM
Message-id: zrqTc.102025$J06.34817@pd7tw2no

Curt,
What kind of light source are you using? I use my enlarger
and it does
not illuminate evenly - the edges fall off slightly. My
solution is to
raise the enlarger head and use the center of the field of
illumination.

CBlood59 wrote:
Hello,

I've started contact printing 8x10 negs, and I'm getting
either fall-off, or
density buildup on the negs, because my prints are
coming out very light
around
the edges. The negs don't look heavy on the edges,
however. Has anyone else
experienced/solved this problem?

Thank you,

Curt Blood


--
Bill Laidley





Thanks for the replies. I'm using an Aristo cold light on
an Omega D-2. I
will try raising the head. Since I've been printing with
the head all the way
down, I think this might be the problem. If my problem is
density build-up,
would I be able to see this on the negative? I process
them, two at a time, in
a 16x20 tray (not stacked). Continuous agitation is done
by lifting the negs,
and flipping them.

Curt Blood


Also remember to stop the lens down. When wide open all
lenses have some additional fall off from vignetting. I
mostly contact print using a frame and my D2v with condenser
head as the light source. For contact sheets I use whatever
lens I am using for enlarging. For 8x10 contact prints I
usually use the 80mm lens at around f/11 with the head up to
the point where a normal 6x6 negative would cover about an
11x14. I get reasonable exposure time and no uneveness.

As an aside, I don't like the idea of flipping
negatives. I don't think there is any advantage to this at
all. For single negatives I agitate the tray by lifting each
corner in rotation. For multiple negatives I shuffle them
with the emulsion up. Slip the negatives into the developer
edgewise to avoid trapping air under them. Some people
prefer to shuffle with the emulsion side down because they
find it has less tendency to produce scratches.


--
---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA

"CBlood59" wrote in message
...
Subject: 8x10 contact printing problem
From: Bill Laidley
Date: Sat, Aug 14, 2004 3:44 PM
Message-id: zrqTc.102025$J06.34817@pd7tw2no

Curt,
What kind of light source are you using? I use my enlarger
and it does
not illuminate evenly - the edges fall off slightly. My
solution is to
raise the enlarger head and use the center of the field of
illumination.

CBlood59 wrote:
Hello,

I've started contact printing 8x10 negs, and I'm getting
either fall-off, or
density buildup on the negs, because my prints are
coming out very light
around
the edges. The negs don't look heavy on the edges,
however. Has anyone else
experienced/solved this problem?

Thank you,

Curt Blood


--
Bill Laidley





Thanks for the replies. I'm using an Aristo cold light on
an Omega D-2. I
will try raising the head. Since I've been printing with
the head all the way
down, I think this might be the problem. If my problem is
density build-up,
would I be able to see this on the negative? I process
them, two at a time, in
a 16x20 tray (not stacked). Continuous agitation is done
by lifting the negs,
and flipping them.

Curt Blood


Also remember to stop the lens down. When wide open all
lenses have some additional fall off from vignetting. I
mostly contact print using a frame and my D2v with condenser
head as the light source. For contact sheets I use whatever
lens I am using for enlarging. For 8x10 contact prints I
usually use the 80mm lens at around f/11 with the head up to
the point where a normal 6x6 negative would cover about an
11x14. I get reasonable exposure time and no uneveness.

As an aside, I don't like the idea of flipping
negatives. I don't think there is any advantage to this at
all. For single negatives I agitate the tray by lifting each
corner in rotation. For multiple negatives I shuffle them
with the emulsion up. Slip the negatives into the developer
edgewise to avoid trapping air under them. Some people
prefer to shuffle with the emulsion side down because they
find it has less tendency to produce scratches.


--
---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA