Starting Over

[Jon Middleton]

I'm setting up my darkroom using some old gear I purchased quite a while ago from a retiring pro. My goals are modest, shooting, developing and making smallish enlargements in black and white. Maybe 11x14, most likely 8x10. My only previous experience doing this stuff was back in the 70's and 80's, 35mm roll film. When I bought the old gear in the early to mid 90's it included some paper, shown in the photo. I also have some old Oriental Seagull and Ilford paper I bought new, some of it from Calumet, so you know it's old, circa 1985. I also have some Plus-X dated 1/93 and Tmax dated 2/94, which have both been stored in the freezer.

I've never used the RC papers much, back when I bought my Zone VI, Fred Picker consistently badmouthed them, calling it Polycontrastless. Are graded papers used much anymore? Is any of the stuff above worth using? I shot a test negative with the Plus-X, developed with HC110, 1:15 solution as shown in Adam's book, "The Negative", and it seemed to be okay.

Not really sure which way to go with this, just looking to enjoy the journey. Any suggestions are welcome, if there are better materials now, different B&W chemistries, etc.

[Erik Larsen]

I would not discount using the film and paper, it might be very useable? RC paper is fine if you like the look. Graded papers are not as widely used as vc papers these days but if you tailor your negative for the grade you have you should be happy. I would suggest using what have first to get up to speed in the darkroom then buy new supplies. Printing is a lot of fun, enjoy it!

[Drew Wiley]

Graded papers are nearly extinct, and in the meantime, numerous superb fiber-based VC papers have been marketed. RC papers are still a despised step-child, but are otherwise entirely suitable for just having fun, experimenting, and even getting good-looking prints; and they too are now of the variable contrast rather than graded category.

And bless the memory of good ole Fred Picker, now up there in his Boot Hill grave, adjacent to the other patent medicine wagon salesmen who died from drinking their own elixirs.

[John Kasaian]

I'll second Erik Larsen's advise.

I prefer graded fiber based papers but there aren't as many options available as in days past.
Foma Fomabrom FB and Ilford Galerie are two graded papers you may want to check out.

[Jon Middleton]

Graded papers are nearly extinct, and in the meantime, numerous superb fiber-based VC papers have been marketed. RC papers are still a despised step-child, but are otherwise entirely suitable for just having fun, experimenting, and even getting good-looking prints; and they too are now of the variable contrast rather than graded category.

And bless the memory of good ole Fred Picker, now up there in his Boot Hill grave, adjacent to the other patent medicine wagon salesmen who died from drinking their own elixirs.

Yep, he had some opinions. A bit crotchety.

Guess I'll mess around with the RC stuff. I've always liked the fiber-based papers better. Guess I'll need how to use my enlarger (Super Chromega) to adjust the contrast on the VC papers.

[Vaughn]

How fun! The HC-110 will be fine for both films. Depending on how the paper was kept, it will be questionable (in a freezer, great, otherwise...?)

I suggest making contact prints of your negatives...low contrast to show what detail is in the shadows and highlights. You might find them useful in picking images to enlarge, and in judging negative quality...one of the best uses of RC paper. Keep exposure and developing notes of the negatives so you can repeat the successes.
And I found 4x5 contact prints as finished prints to be quite nice.

[Ulophot]

I'm sure others with experience with color heads such as your Chromega will chime in with some suggestions for filtration; lots has been offered on that in articles over years. I don't know how the filters stand up to fading, but that may be a variable. With the old paper, it will be chancey to expect any results you get to repeat themselves with fresh paper. You might find, for instance, that using maximum magenta filtration while zeroing out the yellow, does not yield as robust a high-contrast as fresh paper will. However, take a negative of somewhere near normal contrast and normal range, and see what happens at max magenta and max yellow. And yes, do take good notes!

Have a ball! And welcome back to the wonderful world of B&W film and prints!