> ... I have contacted my negs with the ortho for interpositives, and
enlarged the
> positives to make the large neg, but I use both positive and negatives in my
> multi-layer gum prints, so more often than not I enlarge to make a positive,
> and contact to make a negative. Developing of film is in 1:6 or 1:8 Dektol,
> for about a minute or so with continuous agitation. Stop, fix, wash, and a
> minute soak in photoflo.
>
> My biggest problem is with the contrast of the film. Even when shooting
> under the flattest conditions, and developing for a flat negative, the film
> is so high in contrast that I think I spend more money burning and dodging
> than it may be worth.
>....I was under the impression, at least with dupont ortho film
> (??) that controlling its contrast was not possible.
Risa, we use lith film for gum printing & everything else at school, and if
the original isn't too contrasty I use it myself because it's so
cheap.(About 30 cents a sheet for 8x10, a dollar for 12 by 18 inches.) I
think your main problem is that "continuous agitation." Lith film is
*VERY* sensitive to agitation.
Agitate for the first 15 seconds, then *VERY* gently every 15 seconds or
so for a minimum of 1 1/2 minutes -- shorter development with such light
agitation tends to mottled highlights.
Better than agitating the tray, which tends to cause edge build-up, is
very slow brush agitation (I described this last fall, see the archive!)
But even better, I now find, is rolling the film in a tube, as discussed
here last month. Certainly for larger than 8x10 it's a great boon.
I also think you'll do better to come down on the dilution. Dektol 1 to
12 for 2 to 3 minutes lets you get a handle on contrast. And one more
thing: If Freestyle ships to Canada, get their lith film, because it's
*WORSE* than the fresh dupont or Kodak or whatever. In other words, the
brand name film is made for good dot reproduction, very contrasty. The
cheaper housebrand at Freestyle would give you dot gain (or dot loss) if
you were using it for prepress, but for our purposes -- continuous tone
-- it's *MUCH* better, probably older, foggier, less silver. Whatever,
the "worse" is definitely the better.
And while speaking of large negatives, someone commented about a problem
with N31P being too contrasty! Last fall someone else commented about a
problem with N31P being too flat -- I too find it tends to be flat,
tho longer development picks up the contrast enough for my purposes.
However, after trying various developers, I've reverted to Dektol 1 to 6
to 1 to 8 for the N31P -- not 1 to 2, which I believe the "someone"
mentioned.....
Judy