Re: to make enlarged negatives

Judy Seigel (jseigel@panix.com)
Sat, 19 Oct 1996 02:33:09 -0400 (EDT)

On Fri, 18 Oct 1996 SCHRAMMR@WLSVAX.WVNET.EDU wrote:

> Judy,
>
> Being isolated here in W.Va. and surrounded by a sea of mediocrity,
> I was not aware of Photo Warehouse. As soon as the chickens get off the
> barbed wire fench we use for a telephone line, I will call the aformentioned
> and request a catalog. In the meantime does this film have a number? I

In the catalog it's only "commercial ortho," ISO 80.

I understand, BTW, that you can get them to cut larger sheets than the
11x14.

> am interested. What do you use for a developer? Is it really a LOT better
> than ortho developed in diluted Dektol?
>
> I did try a lot of stuff with ortho. Amidol, Pyro, D-23 (two bath)
> D-76, Selectol, Selectol Soft, you name it. Nothing seemed to be any
> better than diluted Dektol.

A LOT better? How high is up? Get a small box & see what you think. I'd
say it depends on the paper you're printing on, because the grain is
smoother, which might be irrelevant if you're printing on textured
paper.How much smoother? Depends on how adroit you are at getting smooth
grain with the lith. What the commercial film is, in my experience (andas
I recall, haven't used it for a while) is *easier.* It's also heavier base
so less likely to crimp, if crimps bother you...

As for developers, I experimented a lot too and found just *one*
developer that was better than diluted Dektol -- that is, it was better in
tests with the 21-step, quite a bit I think. But I never mixed it up
again to use for actual development.... so many formulas, so little time.
This was a "soft-working glycin" developer, and if you want to try it I'll
dig out the formula.

> You are right. I used to complain about lugging around a 4x5. Now my
> 4x5 seems like a pocket camera. I am thinking of trading in the 8x10
> monorail for a field model. Maybe that will help. One thing, all that
> carting around of the heavy tripod and 8x10 camera plus assorted accesories
> like, for instance, a truss, plus the added expense of large plate holders
> and film does make one do a lot of thinking before tripping the shutter
> release.

Indeed. And since my "esthetic," such as it is, relies on catching
fugitive moments, viewcamera = death.

> > NEVERTHELESS, I am very happy with the negs I am getting and the
> resulting > prints. Terry's developer formula is a bit of a pain what
> with the business > of boiling water (wife watches this proceedure in
> her kitchen with a > dubious eye) and production of rather large amounts
> of sulfer dioxide when > one mixes the sulfite-lye (so that I now mix it
> outside in the driveway > which, no doubt, has a certain amusement value
> for the neighbors) but I > can't argue with the results. Anyway, arn't
> we supposed to suffer as > artists? Maybe photographers don't have to
> suffer.

Are you *sure* that developer is better than something comes in a vial you
just add water to????

> Would you be so kind as to post again the address of the company that
> sells inexpensive, uncalibrated step wedges?

If you order in quantity on school stationary you can get the educational
discount:

Stouffer, phone 219/234-5023, fax 219/232-7989
It's item # T2115


> Bob Schramm who will be the ONLY alternate-process photographer represented
> at the new Artisan Center about to open in Wheeling, W.Va. home
> of the Fantastic Wheeling Festival of Lights and the World
> Famous WWVA Jamboree.>

May your fame & glory never cease to increase ....

Cheers,

Judy