>I did want to say that XP-2 is a truly fine and intriguing product, and
>lends itself well to expirementation...I use 6x7 negs for my Pt and gum
>printing...
I've had difficulty in getting good results with Palladium prints with XP-2.
I could barely get an image to register; it was almost as if the "dye clouds"
were transparent to the UV light source. I printed another similarly
exposed negative (same session, subject, similar contrasts and densities)
only shot on Tmax-400 side-by-side with the XP-2 negative and the TMax-400
images had a rich tonal range while the XP-2 image resembled a grey
(actually brown) card.
Has anyone had success with the XP-2 used as a negative for a Palladium print?
Is the spectral sensitivity different for Platinum than it is for Palladium?
I wonder how opaque/transparent is the XP-2 dye to UV light?
>It was commented that XP-2 is a fragile emulsion/base...that is quite
>true...I wouldnt trust it to local quick-print hacks.
Regarding scratches, it is neither better or worse than Kodak Gold-100.
>You WILL get
>scratched negs and geen tinge. Roller processors are rarely maintained as
>they should be even in pro labs...I shudder at the average mini-labs
>maintenance schedule...
Not true with the mini-labs that I owned in the past. All the roller processors
filter the chemistry so that "bits" of material that can scratch are removed.
The Noritsu roller transports that developed our film had concave rollers so
that only the edges of the film were handled. (Can't vouch for other vendors)
Also remember it is in the labs best interest to keep the equipment very
clean since this makes for fewer reprints. My labs were monitored by Kodak
that kept tabs on the chemicals by daily monitoring of control strips. If
you didn't maintain your equipment (regular cleaning schedule) then your
results would not be repeatable. I found that the vast majority of
scratches were caused by dirt in the camera.
You can be a pretty good judge of the quality of your mini-lab just by asking
a few questions. Many lab-owners recognize the value of repeat business and
strive very hard to provide decent results for each customer.
Printing XP-2 is another story. All the colour analyzers in the automated
equipment want to print a colour negative. To get a decent colour cast to
the prints you need to run a test print through the equipment first and then
adjust the balance. Each roll (ie emulsion batch) is different. Few labs have
the time and experience to do this. However, the results can be truly beautiful
since you can get various warm tones ranging from a golden colour to a reddish
brown (and yuck green too if you make no adjustment!).
On a side note, in NYC:
I just saw the Sudek exhibition at the Internationl Center for Photography
in New York City. Truly outstanding. Some prints, of the same negative were
printed in a brown tone, then a cool tone and also on silver-gelatine. I found
these images to be especially informative.
I bought the paperback monograph that has all the images of the show.
It was $40 (ouch) but the reproductions were beautifully printed and,
unlike many books, captured much of the subtle detail from the original prints.
By all means find some way to see the show, but, if you can't then buy the book.
Lots of other stuff to see in NYC. The Taiwan Treasures at the Met is also
very special. Two worthwhile shows at the MoMA too, and great book bargains
at the Strand. Thank-You Judy for the directions, I didn't miss Paris at all!
Robert Hudyma, Email: rhudyma@idirect.com,
Semi-Tech Microelectronics, 131 McNabb Street, Markham Ontario Canada, L3R 5V7