Having some printing issues w/ 4x5

[BigSteveG]

For some reason my prints form 4x5 are coming out extremely light. I'm doing as I normally do w/ small format negs and can't figure out why the issue is cropping up. Using a Durst-Pro, w/ 150mm Condensors (curved sides facing ea other.) 150mm schneider lens. The image projects onto the baseboard properly. Take the metering shadow then highlight w/ Analyser Pro, then using indicated filter, then expose the paper. The 1st thing I noticed was the image took a great deal longer to come up in the developer. Am I underexposing for some reason? Is there some adjustment I need to make? This never happens w/ small format so I'm wondering whwere I'm going wrong.

[Mark Woods]

Sounds like you under exposing the paper. Try for a longer exposure or more light and see if that helps.

[Ash]

Double your exposure time, learn to use test strips over the analyser, or else use the anazlyser, then work out a factor to multiply your exposures by to get a better time. Test strips work for me.

Otherwise check your developer, make sure it's fresh and concentrated enough. Remember to check exposure after stopping down your lens - not before (sounds silly but I've done similar things and kicked myself).

[BigSteveG]

arrghhh....test strips!!! No other choice then. What about using a higher intensity bulb?

[Ed Lajoie]

This problem is easily solved. Do a minimum time/maximum black test of the paper first and then proceed to expose and develop your negative. Without proper proofing, you'll never know how good you are.

[snuck]

Not being there, it would be hard to speculate as to what's happening, but if you're printing from a LF neg, chances are your enlarger height is higher than usual, making for slightly longer exposure times. However... I would check the usual suspects first, such as a small aperture.

In addition, in the case of Omega color enlargers with the light box diffuser/mixing box I found once that the light bulb burnt out, but there was another wee little secondary light source within the thing that was actually giving me prints albeit with brutally long exposures for really dull light pictures.

[lenser]

Steve,

If I read your post correctly, you added the filter AFTER checking the exposure. That will subtract light (just like exposing film in the camera)!!!!

Sounds like you might try to meter or test AFTER adding the filter and then expose and print. See if that makes the difference.

Definitely do test strips as well.

Good luck.

Tim

[Brian Ellis]

Test strips are wonderful, not so much for determining exposure - with experience you can get a decent proof just by looking at the negative - but for getting ideas about how the photograph should be printed or how particular parts of it should be printed. Some of my best photographs were printed in a way I never would have thought of if I hadn't seen a test strip.

[Mark Woods]

Very good advice Brian! I've had similar epiphanies.

[BigSteveG]

Steve,

If I read your post correctly, you added the filter AFTER checking the exposure. That will subtract light (just like exposing film in the camera)!!!!

Sounds like you might try to meter or test AFTER adding the filter and then expose and print. See if that makes the difference.

Definitely do test strips as well.

Good luck.

Tim

The Analyser meters, then adjusts exposure time based on the chosen filter. So the filter is actually inserted after the meter reading is taken. SO it's a little different than the traditional in making test strips. Will give that a shot as well the max black test mentioned in earleier post. Thanks to all.