William Marderness
31-Aug-2000, 20:31
I have heard that POP/Platinum papers work best with a dense negative (which I a ssume means a zone I density of more than .10). One stop more exposure than norm al is a common suggestion.
I have experimented with negative density and contr ast for POP paper using a step-wedge and real pictures. I found that extra expos ure (beyond .10 for zone I) was not necessary or beneficial. I developed the neg atives to high contrast, N+2 development for conventional paper. A normal exposu re (.10 density for zone I) produced the expected separation of tone for zones I I and III on the step-wedge and in the pictures. (Expected separation means good separation around zone III, and slight separation around zone II). Greater expo sure did not change the rendition of the shadows in the prints, but it did block up the highlights, by placing zones VII and VIII too high on the shoulder (when developing for high contrast).
What I have settled on as normal for POP is s tandard N+2 development, with the film rated to give .10 density at zone I. Thi s is 2/3rd stop LESS exposure than my normal EI for conventional paper, because the N+2 development pushes the EI up 2/3rds stop.
Do negatives for POP/Platinum really require a dense negative or just a high con trast negative? After testing this out, I think that the usual suggestion to giv e 1-stop more exposure when developing for alternative processes is bad advice.
I have experimented with negative density and contr ast for POP paper using a step-wedge and real pictures. I found that extra expos ure (beyond .10 for zone I) was not necessary or beneficial. I developed the neg atives to high contrast, N+2 development for conventional paper. A normal exposu re (.10 density for zone I) produced the expected separation of tone for zones I I and III on the step-wedge and in the pictures. (Expected separation means good separation around zone III, and slight separation around zone II). Greater expo sure did not change the rendition of the shadows in the prints, but it did block up the highlights, by placing zones VII and VIII too high on the shoulder (when developing for high contrast).
What I have settled on as normal for POP is s tandard N+2 development, with the film rated to give .10 density at zone I. Thi s is 2/3rd stop LESS exposure than my normal EI for conventional paper, because the N+2 development pushes the EI up 2/3rds stop.
Do negatives for POP/Platinum really require a dense negative or just a high con trast negative? After testing this out, I think that the usual suggestion to giv e 1-stop more exposure when developing for alternative processes is bad advice.