Colour contact sheets in the darkroom, for a newbie

Hello all --

I have a decent amount of experience in the B&W darkroom and know
the theory of colour materials, but have never printed colour in
the darkroom before (though I have developed C-41 and E-6 at home
on several occasions). I am currently doing my B&W printing at a
rental facility that has automated colour and B&W paper
processors (stick exposed paper in, dry processed print comes out
1-2 mins later).

I'm toying with the idea of trying out some very basic colour
printing (contact sheets from colour negs) at this darkroom. My
suspicion is that the fact that they have an automated processor
would make my life easy enough to make trying this worthwhile.
The enlargers all have dial-in adjustable colour heads.

Is it simply a matter of exposing the contact sheets in the usual
way -- after presumably making some preliminary adjustment to the
filter settings (where do I start?) -- and sticking the paper in
the processor, or am I doomed to endless fiddling with filter
settings to get a decent-looking contact sheet? What are my
chances of success on the first few tries? And any suggestions
for a good "beginner" colour paper?

Thanks for your collective advice

Jordan
remove pants (from e-mail) to reply

Jordan Wosnick wrote:


Is it simply a matter of exposing the contact sheets in the usual
way -- after presumably making some preliminary adjustment to the
filter settings (where do I start?) -- and sticking the paper in
the processor, or am I doomed to endless fiddling with filter
settings to get a decent-looking contact sheet? What are my
chances of success on the first few tries? And any suggestions
for a good "beginner" colour paper?


What I found was that you could set the filters to the same setting and
the timer to the same time that you used for a good print from that film.
The problem is you won't have a good print.

If you have access to an analyzer the Jobo website has [or at least had]
a short piece on making contact sheets with an analyzer. Basically pick an
average negative and place it in the enlarger. Raise the head to the height
you intend to use for the contact print. Anaylze the negative. Remove the
negative and then do all your contact sheets at those settings. If you've
got an analyzer then you can use this method to get a contact sheet right
the first time.

I'd suggest leaving the contact sheets for later. Instead pick a
negative you want to print and work on that.

I'm not sure you've got much choice for paper. Kodak and Fuji pro
papers are about it I think. I think I heard that Agfa might not be selling
it's paper in cut sheet form now.

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/profe...14.28.20&lc=en

Supra is a little higher contrast.

Nick

Jordan Wosnick wrote:


Is it simply a matter of exposing the contact sheets in the usual
way -- after presumably making some preliminary adjustment to the
filter settings (where do I start?) -- and sticking the paper in
the processor, or am I doomed to endless fiddling with filter
settings to get a decent-looking contact sheet? What are my
chances of success on the first few tries? And any suggestions
for a good "beginner" colour paper?


What I found was that you could set the filters to the same setting and
the timer to the same time that you used for a good print from that film.
The problem is you won't have a good print.

If you have access to an analyzer the Jobo website has [or at least had]
a short piece on making contact sheets with an analyzer. Basically pick an
average negative and place it in the enlarger. Raise the head to the height
you intend to use for the contact print. Anaylze the negative. Remove the
negative and then do all your contact sheets at those settings. If you've
got an analyzer then you can use this method to get a contact sheet right
the first time.

I'd suggest leaving the contact sheets for later. Instead pick a
negative you want to print and work on that.

I'm not sure you've got much choice for paper. Kodak and Fuji pro
papers are about it I think. I think I heard that Agfa might not be selling
it's paper in cut sheet form now.

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/profe...14.28.20&lc=en

Supra is a little higher contrast.

Nick

On Tue, 14 Sep 2004 15:59:04 GMT, Jordan Wosnick
wrote:


Hello all --

I have a decent amount of experience in the B&W darkroom and know
the theory of colour materials, but have never printed colour in
the darkroom before (though I have developed C-41 and E-6 at home
on several occasions). I am currently doing my B&W printing at a
rental facility that has automated colour and B&W paper
processors (stick exposed paper in, dry processed print comes out
1-2 mins later).

I'm toying with the idea of trying out some very basic colour
printing (contact sheets from colour negs) at this darkroom. My
suspicion is that the fact that they have an automated processor
would make my life easy enough to make trying this worthwhile.
The enlargers all have dial-in adjustable colour heads.

Is it simply a matter of exposing the contact sheets in the usual
way -- after presumably making some preliminary adjustment to the
filter settings (where do I start?) -- and sticking the paper in
the processor, or am I doomed to endless fiddling with filter
settings to get a decent-looking contact sheet? What are my
chances of success on the first few tries? And any suggestions
for a good "beginner" colour paper?

Usually there is a starting point, often it's on the box of paper, for
example the Box may say Y5, M10 C00 this is what the paper
manufacturer has determined is a good place to start. One of the
three numbers will always be 0. Every batch of paper emulsion is
going to be slightly differemt, so the manufacturer will do some
testing, and determine these numbers. For a contact sheet, the
recommendation is probably a good place to start. Some photos will be
close to correct, some will be way off, color wise, you will never get
all of the photos on a contact sheet in balance. A good idea, when
you have the finished print, is pencil on the back the exposure time,
and colour balance, and the numbers off the box of paper. Later when
you go to print a full sized print. Later if you want a print off
that contact sheet, you can compute the exposure time, and the colour
balance, without needing to make test prints.

For example, say you make a contact sheet the numbers on the box of
paper, the numbers from above, with the enlarger light sized for 8x10
and you now want to make an 8x10 print. The new box of paper has Y10,
M15, C0 and the colour is a little blue. So you can use the same
exposure time, and cut the Yellow a little and make a test print.

Processing machines are handy, because you know that the processing
will be consistant, so you can make a test print, and know that the
final print will not vary unintentionally.

For B&W paper, I would rather use trays, as you can watch the
development, and quickly learn when a print is "cooked" enough.

W

On Tue, 14 Sep 2004 15:59:04 GMT, Jordan Wosnick
wrote:

Is it simply a matter of exposing the contact sheets in the usual
way -- after presumably making some preliminary adjustment to the
filter settings (where do I start?) -- and sticking the paper in
the processor, or am I doomed to endless fiddling with filter
settings to get a decent-looking contact sheet? What are my
chances of success on the first few tries? And any suggestions
for a good "beginner" colour paper?

Like someone else suggested, the starting filtration is usually
printed on the box. I use Kodak Supra, usually in an "E" finish and
like the colours I get with it.
The reason the cyan setting on an enlarger is usually left at "0" is
because changing the cyan changes the density a lot more than yellow
and magenta and it isn't needed. The calculation, given by Kodak is
that 1 unit of cyan usually changes the density 1% while 10 units of
yellow or magenta change the density 1%.
If your print is too cyan you reduce the yellow and magenta filtration
by equal amounts to make your print more red and if your print is too
red you increase the yellow and magenta filtration by equal amounts.
Changing yellow filtration alone corrects for yellow/blue and changing
magenta filtration alone corrects for magenta/green.
If you first get your density correct with a step test print and then
adjust for colour you should be able to get your colour close within a
couple or 3 prints.

On Tue, 14 Sep 2004 15:59:04 GMT, Jordan Wosnick
wrote:

Is it simply a matter of exposing the contact sheets in the usual
way -- after presumably making some preliminary adjustment to the
filter settings (where do I start?) -- and sticking the paper in
the processor, or am I doomed to endless fiddling with filter
settings to get a decent-looking contact sheet? What are my
chances of success on the first few tries? And any suggestions
for a good "beginner" colour paper?

Like someone else suggested, the starting filtration is usually
printed on the box. I use Kodak Supra, usually in an "E" finish and
like the colours I get with it.
The reason the cyan setting on an enlarger is usually left at "0" is
because changing the cyan changes the density a lot more than yellow
and magenta and it isn't needed. The calculation, given by Kodak is
that 1 unit of cyan usually changes the density 1% while 10 units of
yellow or magenta change the density 1%.
If your print is too cyan you reduce the yellow and magenta filtration
by equal amounts to make your print more red and if your print is too
red you increase the yellow and magenta filtration by equal amounts.
Changing yellow filtration alone corrects for yellow/blue and changing
magenta filtration alone corrects for magenta/green.
If you first get your density correct with a step test print and then
adjust for colour you should be able to get your colour close within a
couple or 3 prints.

"Jordan Wosnick" wrote in message
...

Hello all --

I have a decent amount of experience in the B&W darkroom and know
the theory of colour materials, but have never printed colour in
the darkroom before (though I have developed C-41 and E-6 at home
on several occasions). I am currently doing my B&W printing at a
rental facility that has automated colour and B&W paper
processors (stick exposed paper in, dry processed print comes out
1-2 mins later).

I'm toying with the idea of trying out some very basic colour
printing (contact sheets from colour negs) at this darkroom. My
suspicion is that the fact that they have an automated processor
would make my life easy enough to make trying this worthwhile.
The enlargers all have dial-in adjustable colour heads.

The automated processor does make color processing easy. I have a couple
concerns:
(1) Does the processor get a fair amount of use? If the processor is not
used for hours/days, the rollers will build up tar, and/or the chemicals may
not be up to spec.
(2) Suppose you make some color prints on Monday, and you come back on
Wednesday to make some more. But late Tuesday, the bulb in the enlarger was
changed. As the bulb ages, it's color will change.

Is it simply a matter of exposing the contact sheets in the usual
way -- after presumably making some preliminary adjustment to the
filter settings (where do I start?) -- and sticking the paper in
the processor, or am I doomed to endless fiddling with filter
settings to get a decent-looking contact sheet? What are my
chances of success on the first few tries? And any suggestions
for a good "beginner" colour paper?


Without a color analyzer (I've never had one), you start with a base filter
pack. Make a test print (expose for 5 sec, cover 1/4 of the sheet, expose
for 5 sec, cover an additonal 1/4, expose for 5 sec, cover an additional
1/4, expose for 5 sec and process). Pick the section of the test print with
the best density and make a color judgement; a set of Kodak print viewing
filters is valuable for this. Adjust the filter pack and go back to "Make a
test print..."

The trick to getting a good color print (without an analyzer) is to get the
density (light/dark) right, then judge the color. Keep notes of everything
you do...

As for paper, find a cheap one; stick with it for a while until you're
comfortable with the process, then explore. I like Kodak Endura Supra. I buy
rolls (8" wide x 577' long), 11x14 and 16x20 sheets from Unique Photo
www.netphotostore.com .

Ken Hart

"Jordan Wosnick" wrote in message
...

Hello all --

I have a decent amount of experience in the B&W darkroom and know
the theory of colour materials, but have never printed colour in
the darkroom before (though I have developed C-41 and E-6 at home
on several occasions). I am currently doing my B&W printing at a
rental facility that has automated colour and B&W paper
processors (stick exposed paper in, dry processed print comes out
1-2 mins later).

I'm toying with the idea of trying out some very basic colour
printing (contact sheets from colour negs) at this darkroom. My
suspicion is that the fact that they have an automated processor
would make my life easy enough to make trying this worthwhile.
The enlargers all have dial-in adjustable colour heads.

The automated processor does make color processing easy. I have a couple
concerns:
(1) Does the processor get a fair amount of use? If the processor is not
used for hours/days, the rollers will build up tar, and/or the chemicals may
not be up to spec.
(2) Suppose you make some color prints on Monday, and you come back on
Wednesday to make some more. But late Tuesday, the bulb in the enlarger was
changed. As the bulb ages, it's color will change.

Is it simply a matter of exposing the contact sheets in the usual
way -- after presumably making some preliminary adjustment to the
filter settings (where do I start?) -- and sticking the paper in
the processor, or am I doomed to endless fiddling with filter
settings to get a decent-looking contact sheet? What are my
chances of success on the first few tries? And any suggestions
for a good "beginner" colour paper?


Without a color analyzer (I've never had one), you start with a base filter
pack. Make a test print (expose for 5 sec, cover 1/4 of the sheet, expose
for 5 sec, cover an additonal 1/4, expose for 5 sec, cover an additional
1/4, expose for 5 sec and process). Pick the section of the test print with
the best density and make a color judgement; a set of Kodak print viewing
filters is valuable for this. Adjust the filter pack and go back to "Make a
test print..."

The trick to getting a good color print (without an analyzer) is to get the
density (light/dark) right, then judge the color. Keep notes of everything
you do...

As for paper, find a cheap one; stick with it for a while until you're
comfortable with the process, then explore. I like Kodak Endura Supra. I buy
rolls (8" wide x 577' long), 11x14 and 16x20 sheets from Unique Photo
www.netphotostore.com .

Ken Hart

On Wed, 15 Sep 2004 10:37:55 -0500, "Ken Hart" wrote:

The trick to getting a good color print (without an analyzer) is to get the
density (light/dark) right, then judge the color. Keep notes of everything
you do...

As for paper, find a cheap one; stick with it for a while until you're
comfortable with the process, then explore. I like Kodak Endura Supra. I buy
rolls (8" wide x 577' long), 11x14 and 16x20 sheets from Unique Photo
www.netphotostore.com .


I think a bigger trick is finding a source, that doesn't require
paying $25 to get customs clearence. Anybody know a good source of
chemistries and paper, preferably one with at least a half decent web
catalogue?

W

On Wed, 15 Sep 2004 10:37:55 -0500, "Ken Hart" wrote:

The trick to getting a good color print (without an analyzer) is to get the
density (light/dark) right, then judge the color. Keep notes of everything
you do...

As for paper, find a cheap one; stick with it for a while until you're
comfortable with the process, then explore. I like Kodak Endura Supra. I buy
rolls (8" wide x 577' long), 11x14 and 16x20 sheets from Unique Photo
www.netphotostore.com .


I think a bigger trick is finding a source, that doesn't require
paying $25 to get customs clearence. Anybody know a good source of
chemistries and paper, preferably one with at least a half decent web
catalogue?

W