SamuliSchielke
I think Mirko should arrange for the catalogue entry stating that Fomabrom Variant is ‘conditionally lith’ to be amended, and that a processing time of 30 minutes should be expected. I’ve just made my first lith print with Fomabrom Variant today, and it works simply, quickly and beautifully. At 24 degrees, the print takes less than 4 minutes.
Fomabrom Variant lith prints very similarly to Fomabrom Festgradation. Beautiful, subdued highlights (in the beige-ochre-umbra range) and, depending on dilution and exposure, either fine, nuanced or coarse, strong shadows. The mixing ratios and exposure factors can be taken directly from Fomabrom Festgradation, but not the exposure times, as Fomabrom Variant is slightly faster than Festgradation (500 ISO instead of 400).
Moersch Lith Masterset, 1000 parts water, 25 parts each of A and B, no C or D. Overexpose by 1 1/3 to 1 2/3 stops (1 2/3 = stronger highlights, 1 1/3 = more contrast). With this combination, the shadows come out beautifully detailed, the grain is still very fine but the highlights are already nicely coloured. I printed one sheet each on Variant and Fixed Gradation Normal paper using the same exposure time. On Variant, the shadows appear slightly more finely grained than on Fixed Gradation, though this may also be due to the different speeds. For really strong shadows, you can try using 750 water, 25 A and B each, 2.5 C and 10 D, and achieve overexposure by 4 stops. I haven’t tried it on Variant yet, but on Festgradation this produces extremely strong shadows.
Conclusion: I can highly recommend it. Suitable for beginners too!
Samuli
WolfgangMoersch
That’s right, I actually find it particularly suitable for beginners. It’s a very fine paper that offers great versatility in the process, ranging from sharp and crisp to grain-free. Unlike the (somewhat dated) PE version I have here, it doesn’t require sulphite, at least not with a fresh batch. After the fifth print, a little sulphite could be added if you want it to remain grainless, but if you use more than 5ml (20%) per litre, it doesn’t work quite as well. Only with an excess of A (or a spent solution) could it become strong. In a direct comparison, the baryta appears slightly less colourful than the PE, but it is possible – if desired – to shift the tone towards warmer shades during longer development times by using a slightly higher light dose and a stronger developer dilution, or by adding more D.
Compared to Fomabrom Festgradation, the differentiation of the shadows seems easier to me, without having to sacrifice deep shadows. Overall, we have here a paper that only requires you to stand on your head if you want things to go wrong.
This little paper is a real delight, even for conventional techniques!
MirkoBoeddecker
generated.
I’ll make some changes and test it again next week.
Best regards,
Mirko
Gast
Hello Samuli!
In addition to my detailed private email, here’s a ‘public’ comment:
Thanks again for your kind help! I’ve now managed to use Fomabrom for lith printing using your recipe. My mistake was obviously the processing temperature: at 24 degrees it works quickly and well, at 20 degrees it just takes a while (I obviously ran out of patience during my first attempts!). However, I achieve the same result (again with patience!) using the Calbe lith developer (and don’t need any additives). And if I want it grain-free, I just add a bit of sodium sulphite (available here from the host).
I also find your comments on the lith behaviour of the Fomabrom Variant interesting – it makes me want to give it a go!
Best regards, Johannes
Roman
Are there any sample images available yet? Is the shadow detail as good as on Fomatone? I’ve been looking for a while for something less colourful (than Fomatone), which doesn’t have such a harsh contrast (like Maco RC-F), but which doesn’t completely wash out in the shadows either (like Polywarmtone).
SamuliSchielke
Sorry, I’d love to send some sample images, but I don’t have a scanner to hand. It’s less colourful (which is actually very much to my taste) and isn’t overly harsh (unless that’s what you’re after), but you won’t get the same subtle shading as with Fomatone. In my test print, at least, Fomabrom always looks a bit rough. Let’s just say that the shadows are relatively nuanced.
Gast
Hi Samuli!
Are there any (guideline) values available yet for the Fomabrom Variant in the Moersch Easy-Lith chemistry? Or perhaps for the Fomabrom-Festgradation as well?
If you haven’t tried it yet, what mixing ratio would you start with? The Easy-Lith naturally contains more bromide than the Masterset chemistry. What would you do: the same dilution as you specified for the Masterset, but with stronger overexposure???
Thanks in advance for your replies! I’d also be delighted to hear the replies and opinions of other forum members, and I’d particularly appreciate a comment from Mr Moersch!
Best regards! Johannes
SamuliSchielke
Johannes,
At least with the Masterset, I was able to apply the settings from Festgradation directly to Fomabrom Variant.
By the way, I haven’t received an email from you. Did it get lost in the post?
Samuli
PhilippReichmuth
Just to clarify: does it actually make any difference when printing whether I use fixed-grade or contrast-variable paper?
Philipp
Gast
An interesting question from Philipp.
I’ve never actually done a proper test series. I process Foma contrast-reversal paper without a filter; I’ve never tried to see if using a filter produces different results.
Orwo Baryth (in a wide range of gradients, from very old to relatively old) always has the same character when processed with the same chemicals. Visible changes are more strongly influenced by different exposure times or chemical solutions than by different gradients. All statements refer to Easy-Lith.
As I said, I’ve never really tested it; these are just observations based on experience. But perhaps someone else has taken the trouble to do so.
Regards,
Ronald
Gast
Hello Samuli,
Hello everyone on the forum!
Just a basic question: during the exposure of variable-grade paper for the lith process, do you use a filter or white light?
Thanks in advance for your replies!
Best regards, Johannes
WolfgangMoersch
Normally, there is no need to use a filter. Only with very thin negatives can it be beneficial to use a magenta filter.
Gast
Mr Moersch,
Thank you very much for your prompt reply!
One more question: What are your recommended dilution ratios for Moersch Easy-Lith and Fomanrom Variant?
Kind regards,
J.R.
WolfgangMoersch
It is still too early for a final assessment, but my initial impressions of this paper are encouraging (to put it mildly). Now, the whole thing isn’t necessarily comparable to interpersonal relationships, as hormonal confusion is almost out of the question, yet the level of expectation and willingness to engage is certainly particularly high when it comes to rare innovations, and this can lead to partial blindness in the initial euphoria – just as in real life.
Compared with the fixed-grade paper, the lith printing results are already very similar. When it comes to lith printing, a VC paper doesn’t really offer any major advantages. Whether the Variant is actually better than the fixed-grade paper, I cannot yet judge, because the fixed-grade paper I (still) work with has been here for about eight years – and hasn’t deteriorated in that time. It cannot therefore be ruled out that the advantage of the Variant emulsion is simply due to perfectly normal manufacturing variations. It would (therefore) appear that the Variant version is slightly more finely grained; otherwise, its behaviour during the process and the resulting image tone are almost identical. The advantage would thus lie (solely) in its versatility. I have used the fixed gradation almost exclusively for lith printing; the VC is an alternative for conventional work.
The dilution of lith developers (regardless of their origin) does not seem to have a major influence on the result. Of course, the same applies here: the more light and the thinner the developer, the more colourful the result, although the range of variation in image tone is rather limited with bromide-silver papers. The situation is different with regard to gradient: the thinner the developer, the more pronounced the lith effect – so that too is normal.
Compared to the (mature) fixed gradation and particularly compared to the Variant PE emulsion, the (tested) Baryt VC variant has two advantages: it has a finer grain (if a stronger effect is required, simply use a slight excess of A solution) and the gelatin is less sensitive to long development times (my first impression!). With development times exceeding 9–10 minutes, the fixed-grade version (the one I have) shows a tendency for gelatine cracks (transparent spots when wet); with the VC variant, this appears to be significantly less pronounced.
I perform dilution of Easylith as I please, from 1+10 to 1+40. At normal temperature (18–21°C), the exposure time should be set so that the development process takes 7–10 minutes. If the temperature is raised to 26 to a maximum of 30°C, the times are 4–6 minutes, although it is not essential to maintain the temperature, as development is carried out by eye.
As with all other papers, gradation filtering is not necessary if the contrast range of the negative is within a reasonably normal range (G 0 to G 4). For hard negatives, an excess of B helps; for thin, flat ones, an excess of A. In extreme cases (thin/flat), a magenta filter can be used; for very dense/hard negatives, a correspondingly strong overexposure and excess of B may be the method of choice, but if this proves insufficient (as the shadows will then spread out), a two-bath development is recommended. First developer: Lith (rich) with development times of 3–5 minutes for the shadows, followed by a dilute (1+20 to 1+300 depending on the type) standard developer for one to three minutes.
Regards
wm
Gast
Mr Moersch,
Thank you very much for your expert and detailed reply! This is yet another testament to your expertise and that of your company!
Kind regards,
Johannes Rambauske
Gast
Hello everyone,
Now I’m curious about the two-bath process too, and would like to know how much I need to dilute Eukobrom.
Is it more like 1:20 or 1:300??
How long is the development time then? You’re still developing by eye, aren’t you?
Last but not least:
I had a little lith session at the weekend and got annoyed at my own incompetence or the ‘Maco Multispeed Gloss’ (Agfa MCP).
The MCP semi-matt always works a treat, but with the glossy Maco the exposure time was only about 10 seconds.
I increased the dilution to 1:27 (temperature approx. 25°C).
The result was patchy blackening every time and a lot of unwanted development (blackening where it shouldn’t be).
I experienced overexposure by about 2 to 3 stops.
Is this my fault, or is the paper just that fussy?
Thanks for your replies
Patrick
Roman
Patrick,
whether MCP works or not depends very much on chance (or the batch) – I had some very old MCP that didn’t work at all, then occasionally a packet that did work (as described on the Moersch website – which is actually why I first got the idea to try it in the first place), and my last packet (bought about a year ago) didn’t work again...
SamuliSchielke
There are some excellent examples of lithprints on Fomabrom Variant at
http://www.moersch-photochemie.de/
under "Gallery", then "Paper Samples".
