micha
Hi Sven.
I’m going to give this a go.
So please listen. I’m nearly in tears. My Vario Classic baryta paper just won’t turn black. The paper is about three years old. I developed it for six minutes in Ilford Multigrad. It’s not down to the exposure time either. I reckon that after one minute in daylight, it’s enough to get a test strip to turn black. But it doesn’t. With RC paper, I still get lovely blacks.
And anyway. Six minutes’ development. That’s just ridiculous...
Micha
Phil_2000
Hello,
Just a silly question: could the problem be that Vario Classic doesn’t contain any built-in developer, whereas the developer itself is designed for papers with incorporated substances? Why not try using a standard developer, such as Eukobrom from Tetenal? If what I’ve written is nonsense, please set me straight! Thanks.
Best regards,
Philipp
Urnes
Hi Micha,
That about the developer residues was actually my first thought too. I use N 113 for my Polywarmton, and after two minutes you get the deepest black. I can’t imagine that baryta paper would give up the ghost after just three years. I recently used up the last sheet of a 35-year-old RC paper, and it still produced the maximum black. So I really reckon it’s the developer too.
Regards, Sven
uworischki
Well, Micha, the only option left is to change developers...
Best wishes, Uwe
Gast
Hi Micha
It can’t be down to the developer. I also use the papers from our forum host’s company, and indeed the classic chemicals from Calbe... but I’ve
already tried your combination too... it works. In fact, Vario Classic contains NO developing agents... which is a good thing, as it allows you to control the development process better, but this also works with multigrade developers.
Vario Classic requires significantly longer exposure times than other papers; development times of up to 4 minutes are normal – only then will you get a top-quality print!!!
I somehow suspect that your paper isn’t coated at all (it can’t have gone off after 3 years!), can you feel an emulsion layer? Why not hold a piece of Vario Classic up to the sun; normally the coated side turns a bit yellowish after a while.
I look forward to your reply
Michael
micha
Hi, I’ve just had a look at the expiry date on the developer concentrate. It’s already a year old. I’m just surprised because my 15-year-old Orwo Baryt is turning black, just like the Kodak RC. There’s emulsion on it. It’s turning a really sickly yellow. The photos do come out, mind you, just not at their best.
I’m at a loss.
Well, anyway, the film development is working.
Micha
Gast
Hi Micha
Well, we’re getting closer to the heart of the matter now. Based on your first post, I thought there was absolutely nothing wrong with the paper – no defects, not even any grey areas. But judging by your latest post, that doesn’t seem to be the case; you’re simply missing the maximum defects, which is obviously not what the manufacturer intended.
So, one reason could, of course, be the developer. You say it’s a year old... hmmm, do you mean:
1.) that it is a year past its expiry date, or
2.) that you opened the concentrate a year ago, or
3.) did you buy it a year ago, store it in its original sealed packaging at no more than 25 degrees for a year, and the best-before date hasn’t expired yet either?
Regards,
Michael
Gast
I opened the bottle a year ago and topped it up with Protectan. I’ve never had any problems with old developer before. I can’t see an expiry date on it right now.
So does that mean I can only use this stuff for my PE paper now?
Micha
Gast
Hello!
I think that’s where the problem lies – even with Protectan, hardly any developer lasts for a whole year (OK, perhaps Rodinal in the case of negative developers...) – you really should use the stuff up within 3 to 6 months...
With PE papers, it still works because of the developer substances stored within them; where these are missing, it becomes clear that the developer has gone off.
If you don’t develop very often, you might want to switch to smaller packs – some developers are also available in 250 or 500 ml bottles; or use powder developers – N113 is supposed to be extremely stable and long-lasting (I haven’t tried it myself, but my 1 l bottles of Eukobrom and Neutol WA are usually used up within 3 months...)
Gast
I always transfer freshly opened developer concentrate into 250ml glass bottles (filled to the brim) – it keeps much longer than in a half-full glass bottle.
Furthermore, developers that bring out the blacks beautifully – such as Laborpartner Brom 3 or Paterson Acuprint – are particularly interesting for baryta paper, perhaps combined with a subsequent selenium toner
Size
Günther
Gast
I always transfer freshly opened developer concentrate into 250ml glass bottles (filled to the brim) – it keeps much longer than in a half-full glass bottle.
Furthermore, developers that bring out the blacks beautifully – such as Laborpartner Brom 3 or Paterson Acuprint – are particularly interesting for baryta paper, perhaps combined with a subsequent selenium toner
Size
Günther
Gast
Sorry, I meant "half-full plastic bottle", of course
Gast
I have exactly the same problem:
Newly purchased Vario Classic + newly purchased Eukobrom 1+9 – 3 minutes. (Or Moersch Catechol 1+5 – 4 minutes): Soft contrast and no deep blacks, even with an exposure time of 5–8 minutes for a 20x30cm print from a 35mm negative, using a Durst M800 with a colour head (YMC set to zero and multigrade filters under the lens).
My negatives are developed in PMK and have a greenish tint. Could that be the cause?
Jacques
Phil_2000
My negatives were developed in PMK and have a greenish tinge. Could that be the cause?
Hello,
That is very likely the cause: Vario-Contrast papers generally have one emulsion that is sensitive only to blue light and a second emulsion that has been made sensitive not only to blue but also to green light by means of sensitising dyes. Due to the green tint of the negatives, only the green emulsion is exposed, resulting in very low contrast.
In short: Turn the M(agenta) control on your colour head inwards until the projection of the negative appears reasonably neutral in colour. That is then the base filter setting for gradient 2. Roughly speaking, at least. In general, I also recommend not using the multigrade filters because of the conveniently available colour head (especially not under the lens!!!). Just remember this as a rule of thumb:
One gradient softer => 40 units of yellow,
one harder => the same number of units of magenta.
Best regards,
Philipp
