30cm x 30cm Printing Filters

[Andrew O'Neill]

Well, I have an old, vertical graphics camera, a nice new 1212 cold light head (with V54 tube), and a nice 240mm enlarging lens...all I need are some very large filters to slip over the 8x10 negatives.
Does anybody know where one can find large printing filters?

[Oren Grad]

Andrew, there's a related article by Howard Bond in the Sept/Oct '05 Photo Techniques, "Variable-Contrast Printing and Rosco Filters". Ilford discontinued their 300mmx300mm VC filters, so Bond tested Rosco Calcolor filters in different M and Y densities as a replacement for VC printing of 5x7 and 8x10 negatives. He concluded that they work quite well for that purpose. The article includes lots of "how to" details; it's well worth a look.

[Mark Woods]

Get a Cal Color swatch book and put the filters btl. Over the neg could be a nightmare with dust and dirt. I use them to balance the color at the the source and use supplementary VC filters below the lens. None of the filters are in the plane of focus.

MW

[Deniz]

Hey Andrew, long time no see..
Did you get yourself a new camera and set of lenses yet?

[Jacques Augustowski]

Hi,

Could someone give me the Rosco filters name/number for substituting Ilford´s 00 and 5 filters.

Thanks,

Jacques

[Andrew O'Neill]

Thanks Oren. I have that issue. I'll re-read it.
Mark, could you tell me more about the Cal Colour swatch book please? I have been a bit leary about putting filters under the lens...
Deniz, great to hear from you! No gear yet but everything has been approved. Will let you know. We have to get out and take some pics.
Anybody know where I can get Rosco filters?

[Philip_5765]

Anybody know where I can get Rosco filters?

Calumet. I saw some in their San Fran store this past Friday.

[Nick_3536]

I used to use Roscos for spilt filtering. Go to the Rosco website and look at the colour graphs for the various green and blue filters. Then pick a couple you like. I think a couple are #68 and #389 but you should check the graphs just in case I got the numbers wrong.

[Nick_3536]

B&H and Adoroma should have them to. Plus various sources are listed on the Rosco website. But the shops listed seem to be all aimed at the movie industry. No idea if they handle walk in.

[Andrew O'Neill]

Thanks Nick. According to Rosco, Beau Photo in Vancouver, Canada (near me) either has them in stock or can get them. I have also considered split filtering. I used to do that quite successfully before I got a 4x5 Aristo variable contrast head...I got lazy. Can't afford their 8x10 version.

I re-read Howard Bond's article in PT. Very interesting and helpful.

[Mark Woods]

http://www.studiodepot.com/store/index.cgi?cmd=view_category&parent=1006-1049-1155&id=1164

You can order on line at the above web address. Or contact Rosco directly and ask them, or the Studio Depot to send you one of their "professional" swatch books. The professional books are over size, 3"x8" or so and have all of the CalColor filters. BTW, the way they are calibrated is in .30 .60 .90 (sometimes .15) in the given color. The colors are the primaries (RGB) and the complimetaries (YCM). I believe the VC papers have a tech sheet that describes what the different filters are in terms of CC filters. I use the Ilford sheets, but I color balanced my cold light head to work with them and to give a good print with no filter, making that my #2 since I don't have a #2 filter. Works well. I use a CalColor .15 yellow. This took an afternoon of tests, but works well now.

Good luck,
MW