8x10 contact prints compared to 4x5 enlargements?

[Michael R]

There won't be any difference at a five foot viewing distance. Get rid of your microscope and enjoy the real world of photography.

Drew’s eyes have built-in microscopes and also filtration to match various standard illuminants. True story.

[Michael Kadillak]

Good to know!

I will convert one of my contact printers to AN

and test

Thanks Drew

Save your money because you do not need anti newton glass for contact printing because you only have one glass surface, not two as in a negative carrier. Standard 1/8" shop glass is perfectly adequate. I just changed the glass in my 8x20 and 11x14 contact print frames last week.

[Michael R]

I think what Drew is referring to is the potential for Newton rings to form at the interface between the film base and glass (since both of those surfaces are highly reflective (unless it is a film such as Tri-X 320 that has a bit of tooth). I would suggest starting with regular glass first.

Save your money because you do not need anti newton glass for contact printing because you only have one glass surface, not two as in a negative carrier. Standard 1/8" shop glass is perfectly adequate. I just changed the glass in my 8x20 and 11x14 contact print frames last week.

[xkaes]

Drew’s eyes have built-in microscopes

I'm glad I don't have that problem.

[Tin Can]

Have plenty of AN 11X14

Bought in lock frames a decade ago

I sold 2 long ago on this forum

Not selling any now

Save your money because you do not need anti newton glass for contact printing because you only have one glass surface, not two as in a negative carrier. Standard 1/8" shop glass is perfectly adequate. I just changed the glass in my 8x20 and 11x14 contact print frames last week.

[Michael Kadillak]

Have plenty of AN 11X14

Bought in lock frames a decade ago

I sold 2 long ago on this forum

Not selling any now

Just wanted to make sure that future readers of this post understand that having surplus anti newton glass and putting it to use is not the same as a necessity to contact print with it because anti newton glass is hard to get and is expensive. Shop glass works fine for this application. Only when you have two glass surfaces in relative close contact to each other does the "risk" of Newton Rings come into play and even then it is not a given that the phenomena could manifest itself. If it does, then you can deal with it at that time. Glossy paper (immaterial how reflective it is) and contact frame glass will never be a concern.

[Oren Grad]

I think what Drew is referring to is the potential for Newton rings to form at the interface between the film base and glass (since both of those surfaces are highly reflective (unless it is a film such as Tri-X 320 that has a bit of tooth).

Yup. In my darkroom, printing HP5 Plus using regular glass in a felt-lined spring-back contact printing frame reliably produces florid Newton's rings. Frame design doesn't matter - I've tried several.

[Sal Santamaura]

Just wanted to make sure that future readers of this post understand that having surplus anti newton glass and putting it to use is not the same as a necessity to contact print with it because anti newton glass is hard to get and is expensive. Shop glass works fine for this application. Only when you have two glass surfaces in relative close contact to each other does the "risk" of Newton Rings come into play and even then it is not a given that the phenomena could manifest itself. If it does, then you can deal with it at that time. Glossy paper (immaterial how reflective it is) and contact frame glass will never be a concern.

Michael had it right. Nothing to do with two glass surfaces.

...the potential for Newton rings to form at the interface between the film base and glass (since both of those surfaces are highly reflective (unless it is a film such as Tri-X 320 that has a bit of tooth)...

320TXP is a joy in that regard. If one likes its characteristic curve, contact printing it is most pleasurable.

...I would suggest starting with regular glass first.

I've never had any success, irrespective of ambient temperature /relative humidity, in avoiding Newton's rings when contact printing other films with glossy base sides. One workaround is to fix, wash and dry an unexposed, undeveloped sheet of 320TXP, then use it as a spacer between other films' bases and the non-anti-Newton glass in either a contact frame or enlarger negative carrier. Never a ring again in that configuration.

[Michael R]

Indeed, it’s hard to imagine how it wouldn’t be a frequent problem in contact frames. If there is imperfect contact, and there is specular reflection between the two surfaces, Newton rings will form around the contact area.

I wonder why we don’t read of this more in the writings of photographers who did a lot of contact printing (Weston, for example). Unless maybe the bases of old films were less shiny or something.

Yup. In my darkroom, printing HP5 Plus using regular glass in a felt-lined spring-back contact printing frame reliably produces florid Newton's rings. Frame design doesn't matter - I've tried several.

[willwilson]

Michael, I was thinking the same thing. Drew? Anyone? Thoughts?