Do I do change anything using old solutions and paper

[Colin D]

I've got some out of date Afga colour solution and Kodak Endura paper I want to give a try. Is there anything I should do differently (eg. increased exposure of negative or increased developing time of paper, or different filter settings on the enlarger). Should I use a negative with bright colours and high contrast perhaps.

This is my first attempt at colour printing so I am jumping in the deep end, but I have nothing to lose here as the paper and solution were extras and came with the enlarger and a host of other gear I bought.

Thanks

[Nathan Potter]

Well a very tricky and iffy task with out dated material. I've done something similar with outdated Ilfochrome (still am a bit with frozen paper).

You have the three variables, exposure time, developing time and CC filter matrix. You cannot be completely successful without doing some pre testing and even then, depending on how far gone the paper and chemistry is you may be very dissatisfied with the results. Use a negative that you wish to print.

Here's what I do using Ilfochrome.

First I run a print thru the standard process with recommended CC filter for that paper and make sure I can iterate to a print that has about proper exposure. This usually takes several small sheets by varying the exposure and development time. If I can't get something decent (usually decent contrast) then I may want to give up.

Next if the test print looks decent but for the degree color correction (which will likely be poor to terrible) I run a color CC filter matrix as shown below.

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6032/6289901361_d057eea49a.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/argiolus/6289901361/)
CCmatrix-1 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/argiolus/6289901361/) by hypolimnas (http://www.flickr.com/people/argiolus/), on Flickr

This is made by cutting small squares of CC 10, 20, 30, 40 of CMY and attaching them to clear film base in effect covering the full range of possible CMY combinations albeit rather coarsely. My best approach is to print this sandwiched with a neutral grey film shot from a Kodak grey card. Sometimes I'll just use the transparency I want to print (negative in your case). Inspection of the print will indicate which small square is somewhere in the vicinity of a color balance that is useful. Then I'll tweak the CC values beyond that to get something satisfactory.

For the CC matrix I just cut about 1/2 inch off the edge of a 6X6 inch filter set.
Of course this won't work for a dichroic head enlarger so color balance will be more complicated by iteration.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[Colin D]

Thanks Nathan, all that makes sense, the only uncertainty for me is making that CC matrix. I might try doing a run first and seeing if the solution and/or paper is work perservering with. If it is I will have to get the CMY correction filters from somewhere.

[Colin D]

So I ran some paper and solution last night with expected result of print with extreme green colour cast. The contrast is not bad but not fantatic. What changes to the filters should I make to try and correct the green? Or should I forget it.