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Soft Contact Prints
I'm using Dektol at room temperature, about 70 degrees. The paper is foggy in the highlights, I know that it's old. I'm using a condenser enlarger. The negatives are the same one's I've printed before and got sharp contact prints. The glass is clean. Maybe I should just order some new paper, and see if that helps? I'm not using a contact frame. Just simply a peice of glass.
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Soft Contact Prints
I'm not using a contact frame. Just simply a peice of glass.
Did you make the prior prints with this same set up? This might be your problem, glass is not completely flat many times and if you dont have some kind of support underneath the paper, the ripples in the glass might not make good enough contact with the paper. Try putting a piece of felt or rubber underneath the paper and then the glass on top, this might help.
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Soft Contact Prints
I believe that if the glass is squeezing the paper and film emulsions together in perfect contact, you are achieving maximum sharpness regardless of developer, light source or any other factor.
From experience however, I wouldn't have too much faith in a piece of 1/8th inch windowpane to weight down film and paper.
Go to your glass store (catering to commercial store windows) and get a piece of 1/4 or 1/2 inch glass. They will grind the edges smooth to protect from cuts. It should be an inch or two larger than your paper on all sides. Pay extra, if you have to, for special careful handling with no scratches.
If you normally purchase 100 or 250 sheet boxes of paper and have a humid darkroom, another sheet (same exact size as your paper) kept inside the paper carton will prevent raw paper curling during storage.
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Soft Contact Prints
Hello.
Using old, old paper usually results in "fog" for me, giving the print a dis-colored look rather than a loss of sharpness. Overall contrast can be altered, but the fogging will persist. Sometimes a chemical can be added to the developer, which I do not know the full name for, but it starts "benze...or benez...", and can reduce or elminate the fogging. Old or exhausted developer sounds like it might be the problem. It can reduce contrast significantly, if not compensated by extending the time. Other points mentioned above are also important considerations.