Tandemfahren
Hello everyone!
After a long break from the enlarger, I’ve picked it up again and have had a go at split-grade printing.
It’s easy – my RH StopClock can remember the times, so my scatterbrained brain doesn’t need to worry about it.
My first question is: aren’t insert filters better suited (in other words: is the yellow filter ‘softer’ and the magenta one ‘harder’ than the filter discs from the colour head)?
Secondly: if using insert filters, are there also sets available containing only 00 and 5?
And thirdly: on my first attempt, I simply performed an exposure with full yellow filtration and full magenta. Is there anything wrong with that, in terms of control? I mean, because of the different filter densities?
It should be clear that the gradient calculated by the StopClock is just poetry, but I don’t really get it.
Cheers
TR
The problem with insert filters is that you risk jarring the head if you fiddle with it or change filters in the middle of an exposure. With the colour head, I always screw the two corner filters in extremely carefully (yes, as gently as possible, of course).
I don’t think the insert filters are available as a set of two. I suspect, however, that these insert filters are better suited to black-and-white paper than a colour head, or that they provide ‘more precise’ corner filters, allowing you to control the local contrast of certain subjects even better. Generally speaking, though, I’ve never reached the limits of the colour head (and certainly not in the soft-focus range).
Nevertheless, I wouldn’t fiddle with any filter drawer when using the split-grade – the risk of the head shifting slightly would be too high for me. But perhaps that’s also because the drawer is a bit stiff for me.
TR
Oh, and regarding density: OF COURSE you need to calibrate your light meter once for maximum magenta and once for maximum yellow – separately. The black points here are completely different even at the same density (!)
Tandemfahren
Hi Thomas,
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Now that you mention it... I’ve just pulled the drawer out and pushed it back in, and you’re right, it’s really stiff. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea after all.
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On the subject of density and measuring: at most, I measure the highlights for soft exposure, and then I turn up the magenta until the shadows look right to me. I don’t measure anything else; I just compare it with the grey scale.
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Thanks!
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Frank
TR
As I said, I’m always very careful. When doing test strips, I turn the controls quickly, but for the final print, after the first exposure: I take a deep breath and turn both controls carefully and steadily, so as not to move the head in any way.
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What I haven’t tried yet, though, is this: does a filter held in front of the lens visibly reduce the image quality? Because that would be the easiest option.
Tandemfahren
Well, if you still need your hands for dodging and so on, you’d need a mechanism to hold the lens in place.
Basically, it would be good to know whether the sharpness suffers.
So I’m going to take the liberty of officially assigning this research task to our member Timo:
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Tihim!‘ Thomas and Frank have a question for you! Could you do a test strip for us?
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Thanks,
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Frank
sputnik
Now that you mention it... I’ve just pulled the drawer out and pushed it back in, and you’re right, it’s quite stiff. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea after all.
It really depends on the enlarger you’re using. If its construction is really sturdy and vibration-free,
changing filters between exposures isn’t a problem.
If the density I can achieve with mixed light isn’t enough for me, I’ll sometimes fit the condenser head and change the filters several times per print.
Ever since I had the experience of the print itself coming out razor-sharp EVEN AFTER I’d banged my head properly against the enlarger between the two exposures, I don’t worry about it anymore.
I must say, though, that my M605 head is mounted on the M805 column, which is truly as sturdy as a tank.
sputnik
Take a deep breath and carefully, gently turn the two knobs so that you don’t accidentally move the head.
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I do think the bit about taking a deep breath is a bit over the top. After all, you’re not actually holding the enlarger in your hand.
When the adjustment motor of a split-grade head is running, you can definitely feel vibrations if you place your hand on the head.
However, an enlarger should be designed to be so vibration-free that this slight vibration subsides immediately once it stops.
If, however, it’s so loose that it actually shifts position when you turn the filter wheels, then given today’s rock-bottom prices, I’d really look for something decent.
Otherwise, working with it is rather annoying, isn’t it?
TiMo
Tihim!? Thomas and Frank have a question! Could you do a test strip for us?
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Hi Frank,
I did a test today.€
I used Stouffer transmitted and reflected grey wedges. Gradient determined according to Lambrecht’s Way Beyond Monochrome, Second Edition, page 308.
Paper: ADOX MCP
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With full magenta on the LPL, I get 1.0 log. Gradient 2.5.
With a Paterson Grade 5 filter under the lens, I get 0.9 log. Just about gradient 3.
With both filters, also 0.9 log.
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The last time I tried to get above gradient 3, it ended similarly. I can’t achieve a really hard contrast of 0.6 log. At this point, I don’t care what the values are.
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Cheers, Tim
Tandemfahren
Hi Tim,
Thanks a lot, but that’s a bit of a let-down... When I get home, I’ll measure some streaks from the Kaiser-Bomber and compare MGIV with MCP.
Do you have any other paper to compare it with?
Best regards, Frank
Tandemfahren
So: Kaiser VCP7002, Stouffer wedge in third-stop increments on MGIV and Adox MCP with full magenta exposure results in:
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???????? ------------Drum roll-------------
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For both papers, a 0.6 logD exposure range (what’s that called in German, anyway?), i.e. grade 5 as it says in the book. I couldn’t tell the sheets apart.
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Snagged an Ilford filter set on eBay today for next to nothing (and an EOS 3, almost for free! Yippee!). Before the test strips, unfortunately. I’ll let you know how it goes.
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So Tim, is your MCP mouldy or something? It’s obviously not down to ‘my’ dear LPL, otherwise the filter film would have made a difference, wouldn’t it?
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Nüchtli,
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Frank
TiMo
Hi Frank,
We had this issue with low contrast a few months ago, didn’t we?
It’s definitely not the enlarger, because my other enlarger produces the same results.
That would mean all my MCP paper must be faulty. All the packs have behaved the same so far.
I’ll give Foma paper and Easy Print a go in the next few days.
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Cheers, Tim
TR
I do think that business about taking a deep breath is a bit over the top. [...]
Otherwise, the work is rather a bit of a pain, isn't it?
Hi there. Nah, I only do that with the final print. I spend about three hours on a picture like that. So fiddling around with the filters at the end doesn’t really make much difference. It’s a bit like always using the mirror lock-up on a camera: you’ve been standing in front of your subject for five minutes already and have measured and adjusted everything. So you use the mirror lock-up just to be on the safe side. You’ve got time anyway.
