RE: Shooting long range negs?
You can just purchase the book Beyond the Zone System (by Phil Davis - may he rest in peace) + the complementary analysis software (see: http://www.btzs.org/) and calibrate as instructed... I seriously believe this is the best way to do it. If you extend development times by 30% and still need more contrast in your negatives, then this implies that you should develop even more... BTW, if you don't have enough shadow detail in your prints, then you need to decrease the E.I. - in other words; expose more... The book I mentioned above gives you a scientific methodology to achieve your goal without making several empirical tests which you often found yourself chasing your own tail... Regards, Loris. -----Original Message----- From: Ross Chambers [mailto:maelduin@ozemail.com.au] Sent: Thursday, August 09, 2007 11:06 AM To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca Subject: Shooting long range negs? Dear Folk, I'm trying to achieve salted prints from 5x7 camera negatives. I'm a little hampered by regular lack of access to a densitometer (occasional access is not impossible -- I just don't want to strain the friendship until I feel more confident of results) so I'm eyeballing them as best I can using the step wedge on the light box comparison method. I would appreciate recommendations on the filmstocks / developers that I have available (I've used Fomapan 200 and Kodak 320TXP; Xtol and D76 thus far with results which printed OK on Ilford MG IV VC at grades 2 - 0, but are still flat, but not totally hopeless, on salted paper). I'm paying regard to John Barnier's recommendation to extend processing time by 30%. I have also Arista Ultra Edu 100 and APHS Litho (Jim Galli's evil influence) neither of which I have tried. My developers option is D76, Xtol, HC110, Rodinal and a bunch of raw chemistry. I haven't tried my preciously hoarded Arches Platine yet, I'm using some cheap Canson 100 and realise that this could contribute to the short contrast range. What would any of you successful salt printers grab off my shelf to set out for a printable negative? Thanks - Ross =========================== Ross Chambers Blue Mountains New South Wales Australia maelduin@ozemail.com.au ===========================
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