Print contrast issue

[bill2424]

I have a negative I made in the 80s and printed several times in the past with good results when printing with a #5 filter. I haven't printed it in a few years and attempted to print it recently but can not get the same contrast I did before. Is there a paper that might give me more contrast
then Ilford Classic? I have printed it on Ilford paper before when it was MGFB paper. I have thought of trying to intensify the negative but worry about damaging the negative.

[revdoc]

I'd try a new set ofMC filters before anything else. They do fade over time.

[bill2424]

I'll give that a try thanks

[Vaughn]

If you decide to intensify, and if the negative has enough meat to it, selenium toning is safe. Soak bath, tone 1:4 to completion, rinse, HCA, wash.

But good luck in printing!

[Pieter]

I have a negative I made in the 80s and printed several times in the past with good results when printing with a #5 filter. I haven't printed it in a few years and attempted to print it recently but can not get the same contrast I did before. Is there a paper that might give me more contrast
then Ilford Classic? I have printed it on Ilford paper before when it was MGFB paper. I have thought of trying to intensify the negative but worry about damaging the negative.

Same enlarger (a diffusion head won't give you as much contrast as a condenser), darkroom, safelights, developer?

[Huub]

I never tried it myself, but in several posts here and on photrio on the topic of printing soft negatives it is suggested to use a #47 blue filter to achieve the maximum possible contrast.

[esearing]

If your #5 filter is working correctly and you can't get enough contrast - try bergger CN with Ansco 130 developer 1:1. Also try your developer at different temperatures or dilutions, longer exposure/development, or maybe a different developer.

[Jeroen]

Old paper developer? Old paper?

[ic-racer]

made in the 80s and printed several times in the past

As far as I know the current #5 Ilford filter for the contemporary Ilford MG paper is different than the #5 filter from the 1980s. The new 4 and 5 filters look 'salmon' color.

https://www.photomemorabilia.co.uk/Ilford/Multigrade/tn_7%20filter%20Multigrade.jpg

198442

[Drew Wiley]

MGWT will achieve a deeper DMax than Classic, so that could be a factor.

[Vaughn]

Off the wall -- your safelight. You might want to run a test on your safelight situation to see if it is cutting your contrast any on the new paper.

[jose angel]

If things get very difficult, don't discard digital processing. This may be an occasion to use it (I don't think it's me who writes this... :eek:)