Tips for Contact Printing?

[neil poulsen]

I've been doing some contact printing; I've done very little of this in the past. It has it's differences from printing through an enlarger.

For those who contact print on a regular basis, what are suggestions and tips that you would offer for an efficient and successful contact printing experience?

What are recommendations for a light-source? (I was using an enlarger with a color head for a light-source.)

[Alan9940]

Contact printing is really not all that different from enlarging and the same tips/tricks work for both. Dodging and burning the contact print is a little different--not necessarily as easy to see the area you're affecting--but, on the other hand, I've always found that contact prints seem to "print themselves" and don't require much, if any, manipulation. I use my enlarger when contact printing on VC or graded papers, and a bare bulb for printing on contact printing papers such as Lodima and Adox Lupex.

[Pere Casals]

What are recommendations for a light-source?

Neil, I use this:

186645

Press R for safe light, Yellow or Purple for split grade printing.

With some testing you find what exposure time of yellow gives same middle gray than purple, then by balancing the exposure time with each color you have variable contrast with MG papers. You also burn shadows or highlights with the grade you want.

Yellow makes the same than green, because yellow is green + red, having the red no effect. Also purple does the same tan blue. Blue or Purple is high contrast, green or yellow is low contrast.

It's better to use yellow and purple (than green-blue) because the additional red allows to see better while burning/dodging.

I place the bulb 2m high, under it I place a cardboard with a hole to better control exposure, the remote IR command can adjust power, but when you press R you get full power, so I find the convenient way is the cardboard with a bore.

Also a smaller light source (because of the bore) helps sharpness if contact is not perfect. I use a 8mm glass on the neg+paper, so no lock needed.

I glued a little plastic on R-Y-P buttons to (in the remote) locate where they are without looking at.

[Willie]

Lodima paper, or another contact printing specific silver chloride paper?
http://www.michaelandpaula.com will have some information on contact printing. That is mostly what they do/have done. They sell Lodima paper, a product they have made to their specifications.
Enlarging papers work but contact printing paper is a bit easier to control and has a greater tonal range.

[John Kasaian]

FWIW, I use an enlarger for a light source and a Printfile "proofer" to hold the negative against the paper.
An old Kodak exposure guide to determine the exposure and a timer plugged into the enlarger.
Certainly not the only way to do things but it has simplified my work flow.
Oh, and a short string of red LED Christmas lights for my safe light.

[Tin Can]

Pere, I am going to try the party bulb, I have been using an Elwood 5X7 enlarger at 1 meter without a lens, just a lensboard hole, but I found I needed to make a lead pencil center filter on Pictorica to even out the light. I used my spot meter to check falloff.

Just ordered this bulb (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZK5Z1PY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3G2LM08WXEDG6&psc=1) from Amazon.

Some us have a pile of contacts prints to make ASAP!




186645

Press R for safe light, Yellow or Purple for split grade printing.

With some testing you find what exposure time of yellow gives same middle gray than purple, then by balancing the exposure time with each color you have variable contrast with MG papers. You also burn shadows or highlights with the grade you want.

Yellow makes the same than green, because yellow is green + red, having the red no effect. Also purple does the same tan blue. Blue or Purple is high contrast, green or yellow is low contrast.

It's better to use yellow and purple (than green-blue) because the additional red allows to see better while burning/dodging.

I place the bulb 2m high, under it I place a cardboard with a hole to better control exposure, the remote IR command can adjust power, but when you press R you get full power, so I find the convenient way is the cardboard with a bore.

Also a smaller light source (because of the bore) helps sharpness if contact is not perfect. I use a 8mm glass on the neg+paper, so no lock needed.

I glued a little plastic on R-Y-P buttons to (in the remote) locate where they are without looking at.

[Pere Casals]

Just ordered

This bears witness to much class ! I like it, the RF command is much better than the IR one I have,

no need to point to the bulb, with adhesive velcro strips it may be attached to the contact frame, for total convenience

also it has presets ! You may make a preset for each grade with the right power, o to balance power for both extreme grades to have same exposure effect.

You can also use it with a timer, but then you may want to a red safe light filter between the bulb and the paper, like in the enlargers, or a cover, because you may need to power the bulb while you select the color.

[Tin Can]

Yes and if I have 10 of them for a party all will work from one remote.

I read Amazon feedback before buying anything.

Even if i don't buy from Amazon.

[Thom Bennett]

The best guide to contact printing on silver chloride papers:

http://www.michaelandpaula.com/mp/azoamidol.html

http://www.michaelandpaula.com/mp/onprinting.html

RIP MAS.

[Tin Can]

Yes, RIP MAS!

I have read the link many times. I have a personal aversion to Amidol. My problem.

I have both Lodima and a large pile of old AZO.

I will be testing both shortly.

I won't be posting scans of results. My problem.

I may or may not use AZO or Lodima for the current Print Exchange.


The best guide to contact printing on silver chloride papers:

http://www.michaelandpaula.com/mp/azoamidol.html

http://www.michaelandpaula.com/mp/onprinting.html

RIP MAS.

[Alan9940]

186645

Press R for safe light, Yellow or Purple for split grade printing.

With some testing you find what exposure time of yellow gives same middle gray than purple, then by balancing the exposure time with each color you have variable contrast with MG papers. You also burn shadows or highlights with the grade you want.

Yellow makes the same than green, because yellow is green + red, having the red no effect. Also purple does the same tan blue. Blue or Purple is high contrast, green or yellow is low contrast.

It's better to use yellow and purple (than green-blue) because the additional red allows to see better while burning/dodging.

I place the bulb 2m high, under it I place a cardboard with a hole to better control exposure, the remote IR command can adjust power, but when you press R you get full power, so I find the convenient way is the cardboard with a bore.

Also a smaller light source (because of the bore) helps sharpness if contact is not perfect. I use a 8mm glass on the neg+paper, so no lock needed.

I glued a little plastic on R-Y-P buttons to (in the remote) locate where they are without looking at.

Wow, this is an interesting idea! It sounds like you're contact printing on to VC enlarging papers. Do you think the bulb is bright enough to print on the much slower silver chloride papers like Lodima? I assume one would use the white or blue light for these papers?

[Pere Casals]

Wow, this is an interesting idea! It sounds like you're contact printing on to VC enlarging papers. Do you think the bulb is bright enough to print on the much slower silver chloride papers like Lodima? I assume one would use the white or blue light for these papers?

Alan, the LED effectiveness is around x10 the tungnsten one, so a 6W led is like a 50 or 60W tungsten. If a 50W bulb was enough for Lodima then the 6W LED will also be, but if you go to that then get the one that Randy posted, the RF remote command is better. Even you may place it inside the enlarger if you want, because RF signal should reach easier the bulb.

... so you convert a regular enlarger to a "split grade enlarger", with no need to place filters in the drawer which is bad if enlarging a negative because the projection may move...