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Thread: Selecting a Paper for Zone Calibrations?

  1. #1

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    Selecting a Paper for Zone Calibrations?

    I'm interested in member input regarding the following.

    I'm about to do a round of calibrations for 4x5 HP5. Usually, I purchase 25 sheets of Gallerie 8x10 Grade 3 FB paper on which to base these film calibrations. I don’t print on this paper, I merely use it for testing. Here’s my logic:

    > I use a VC FB paper for printing. If I were to use this paper for testing, the question becomes, at what filter setting do I conduct my testing? (I use a color head for my VC printing.) What filtering gives me a middle ground contrast? In this regard, Gallerie 3 gives me a nice, consistent paper on which to test.

    > I’ve heard that Gallerie 3 is actually between a typical grade 2 and grade 3 paper. So, it’s a little more snappy than a typical grade 2. Since I like a print that’s kind of snappy, I figure I should do my testing on such a paper.

    > I suspect that Ansel Adams didn’t expect to be printing a negative for all time on the same paper that he used for calibrating that negative. Papers change.

    When I print, I print to taste on VC paper, which will be Ilford VC Warmtone FB.

    QUESTION: So, before I start this round of calibrations, does this sound like a reasonable approach, to test on a different paper than that used for printing? Would you change the contrast grade of the testing paper? What suggestions would you offer?

    [As background, after testing the ASA for film, (usually half of published ASA), I'll develop a sheet of film at Zone 0. (Pretty much filmbase + fog.) I'll use this sheet to determine the minimum exposure required to achieve maximum black on my testing paper. (Gallerie 3 FB.) Next, I determine the development that gets me a nice Zone 8 and use this as my N development. (I pivot my highlights on Zone 8, vs. Zone 7.) Then, I use the testing paper to create a step tablet and evaluate my N development. I may want to increase or decrease it a little, depending on the results. Once the N development is determined, it's easy enough use a densitometer to determine the other developments, N+1, N-1, etc.]

  2. #2

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    Re: Selecting a Paper for Zone Calibrations?

    Why don't you test with the paper that you normally use with a grade two filtration? It seems to me that you are inducing a deliberate error with the method that you use.

  3. #3

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    Re: Selecting a Paper for Zone Calibrations?

    Neil - you can do a calibration on any paper, but why not just use the paper you intend to use in the end? If you want to compare the Gallery with the WT FB that's fine, but it seems like a lot of extra work.

    Use your WT FB with a grade 2 or 3 filter and take it from there.

    I'd also use a step wedge to make the exposures and not a Zone 0 sheet, you can get the Zone 0 from the wedge. You can get a full curve of info from the step wedge with one exposure.

  4. #4

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    Re: Selecting a Paper for Zone Calibrations?

    I'm interested in member input regarding the following.

    I'm thinking about getting a weed whacker. But I don't want to try it on the weeds in my lawn. How about if I whack some gravel? What size and color stones would be equivalent to my weeds? Or would concrete be better?

  5. #5
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    Re: Selecting a Paper for Zone Calibrations?

    Use the paper you intend to print on, at the filtration you'd like to use as your standard.

    Read Phil Davis's "Beyond the Zone System" if you'd like to understand why, or if you want a discussion of calibration that takes full account of paper as well as film characteristics.

  6. #6

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    Re: Selecting a Paper for Zone Calibrations?

    I've got some Haloid VC paper that should be good for calibration purposes. It expired about 50 years ago, but that shouldn't make any difference....

    On a serious note, Don, Kirk and Oren have given you good advice......follow it

  7. #7
    おせわに なります! Andrew O'Neill's Avatar
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    Re: Selecting a Paper for Zone Calibrations?

    Neil,

    You really should be testing on the paper that you are actually going to be printing your images on. Are you using contrast filters or do you have a dedicated head? Make step tablets on your VC paper of choice. Measure their reflection densities and then draw curve with data (DR for each filtration). Filter numbers on the bottom of the graph, densities on the vertical axis. This way you can find which filter will give you a "so called" grade 2 contrast. Then you can print your "normal" negatives with this filtration. I've been doing it this way with filters, even with just a blue and green filter for split grade printing, for years. I use a densitometre, but visual inspection of the step wedges (count the number of steps) is just as effective to work out the density range. Afterall, we don't look at prints with a densitometre.

  8. #8

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    Re: Selecting a Paper for Zone Calibrations?

    Interesting responses. I should mention that I've always gotten good results with my process, but thought that I would get some input.

    I can't use filters in my setup. I'm using a Beseler 45S with a Beseler adapter on my Zone VI enlarger. I could use a Stouffer's step wedge negative and a handheld reflection densitometer that I picked up to select a filtration. Is there a paper-independent definition of what constitutes "Normal" contrast for B&W papers?

    Any input on how varying the "Normal" contrast by some amount affects the effectiveness of the zone system that results from the testing?

    Once I got away from a condenser enlarger and graded papers and used a Zone VI enlarger and head or my current setup on VC papers, it was anyone's guess what settings would yield a "Normal" grade 2 paper suitable for testing. I felt like I had my feet firmly planted in the clouds. This drove me to select a graded paper for testing. Even with the condenser enlarger, I was using Kodak or Ilford filters with an Agfa VC paper. Again, what's "Normal"?

  9. #9

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    Re: Selecting a Paper for Zone Calibrations?

    Assuming you believe your basic film processing to be pretty much on target, I'd say the following....

    "Normal" paper doesn't matter if you are ordinarily printing on a specific paper. What does matter is what you do use and that's the only thing that matters. If for example, you usually use some oddball paper that is contrasty as heck, and you get best results from it for your purposes, then it should be your standard and you should test to find your normal negative that works well with your chosen paper and outcomes. Why sort out a film processing routine for materials you don't use?

    Were you teaching a class for beginners, some middle of the road process would be a good stating point for folks who don't yet have a photographic "personality" - no personal needs and routines to accommodate. But you have found Ilford VC Warmtone FB to suit your needs. Have you the records on filter settings to sort out some middle of the road setting that represents your typical filter pack?

    OR

    If you are unsure of your basic process, or unhappy with it, and wish to completely restart and recalibrate to a very standard negative, then do tests with a graded paper, grade 2, if you want to get rid of the issue of filter pack entirely, and force your film process back to something close to a plain vanilla negative. I'd ask around here about what grade 2 papers are something like Ilford VC Warmtone FB.

  10. #10

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    Re: Selecting a Paper for Zone Calibrations?

    This should give you some idea of where to start should you decide to test using the paper you intend to use for printing.

    http://www.ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/...2015431815.pdf

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