From: Carl Weese (cweese@earthlink.net)
Date: 01/24/01-04:47:17 PM Z
Rocky wrote:
> I have followed the directions from the New Platinum Print for
> processing Arista (HP5?) and TXT in Rolo Pyro. The difference is I use
> Unicolor Drums and a Bessler rotary base. All other variables,
> temperature etc., were held the same or very close to the instructions.
>
> I shot identical negatives with TXT then processed one in my normal
> manner with XTOL 1:1 then one with Rolo Pyro. I also did this with the
> Arista.
>
>
>
> The ones processed in XTOL 1:1, both TXT and the Arista print in
> an Edwards 11x14 black light printer at 5 or 6 minutes. I use B&S
> chemistry (16-8-16 Palladium-8 Platinum) for an 8x10 with large black
> border, Cranes Cover Paper 90#, Ammonium Citrate developer. All at about
> 70deg. F.
>
>
>
Rocky, first please explain "(16-8-16 Palladium-8 Platinum)": there are
too many numbers here. Do you mean 16 fo, 8 Pd, and 8 Pt? That would be
a neutral color, high contrast (for platinum) mixture. Both metals
together should equal (or be one drop more) the amount of ferric.
Next, it sounds as though the negs are simply overdeveloped. The print
drum and rotary base may give much more aggressive development than the
Jobo with Expert Drums system I used to arrive at the times stated in
TNPP. ABC+ (rollo) requires quite precise timing (compared to PMK pyro
in trays for example) and will readily give too much contrast if time,
temperature, or agitation goes beyond what the film wants. My ABC+ pyro
negatives usually print in 13-20 minutes (shorter for flat scenes,
longer for contrasty scenes) while my HC110 negs print in 4-10 minutes.
I actually find the longer exposure can give a better workflow, though I
agree that times approaching 30-45 minutes are a drag.
To rescue these negs, try printing with a much softer paper. You could
try all-palladium: it will lower the contrast and decrease the exposure
time compared to a 50/50 Pt/Pd mix. It will be much warmer in color. You
can switch to Platine paper to reduce the warmth quite a bit. You could
try a POP (ziatype) print with little or no Pt in it: this will give
*much* lower contrast, fairly neutral color, and faster printing time
unless the highlights need tons of pushing in. Self-masking will help
prevent losing the shadows during this long exposure.
Your good results with XTol surprise me a bit because I found it quite
anemic for producing Pt level contrast negatives.
If you want to bleach out the pyro stain to reduce the effective
contrast of these negatives, this may be possible but off the top of my
head I don't know a technique for it. Perhaps someone else does.
---Carl
Website with online galleries and workshop information at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~cweese/
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