Color Contact printing

[argos33]

Hi all,
I have not done any color printing before and only know the basics of it, so sorry if this is a stupid question:

Is it possible to make color contact prints using 8x10 color transparencies?

I have access to a Jobo CPA with the 3005 drum for 8x10 film if necessary.


Evan

[Mick Fagan]

The short answer is, yes!

The long answer is that the supply of reversal papers has more or less shrunk dramatically over the last few years.

Assuming you don't have access to much equipment, this is how I would do it, and how I have done it.

I have a European 35mm contact printing frame, this takes a full sheet of 8x10" paper and the glass is clear and larger than 8x10".

I use removable magic tape to stick the tranny to the glass, keeping everything as clean as possible with compressed air, to clean the dust off.

In total darkness, I align the paper to the film, then using one hand to hold the paper to the film and the other to lower the hinged glass, then lock down the glass, thereby compressing the paper to have a good contact.

From then on it's simpe to expose then release, load the paper in my 8x10 Jobo paper drum and develop.

I did this with Cibachrome quite a few times. The originals were usually colour negative film shot under dubious lighting. This was enlarged onto Kodak print film which is a C41 process (colour negative) the end result was either a 4x5" or sometimes 8x10" colour corrected transparency.

This was then contact printed for quite stunning results.

Getting correct exposure and colour balance is a bit of an issue, but not too hard once yopu get the filtration correct. If you are a relative newcomer to colour printing, this is a bit of a tall order to pull off succesfully, but certainly not impossible.

As you already have the 8x10" transparency you are ready to start contact printing.

If you have access to either 4x5" or 8x10" B&W film, I would practice with that at least once, this will give you some idea of the logistical things you will have to do in total darkness.

Mick.

[Gene McCluney]

I used to shoot color negatives, and I built a contact printing "box" painted white on the inside, with an opal glass and a lid. In one side of the box I put an old dichroic color head I had hanging around (a Cosar/Mornick) that was intended for a medium-format enlarger. Inside I arranged bits of white foam-core to even out the light on the opal glass. I used to contact print large runs of images made up of a 8x10 color negative of a product, and a litho negative of the product description stripped together with silver mylar foil tape to make a composite.

If you want to print on color print paper, rather than Ciba/Ilfo-chrome, then Fuji and I think Kodak still make internegative film, which you can use to make a fine color negative of your transprency.

[argos33]

Thanks guys. I guess for the amount of time/effort it would take I might as well continue scanning the transparencies and printing digitally. Maybe if I come across some cheap color negative film in the future I will try a setup like yours Gene.

I am curious though, do the color contact prints look as good as the B&W ones? (At least in terms of detail and texture?)

[Gene McCluney]

Maybe if I come across some cheap color negative film in the future I will try a setup like yours Gene.

I am curious though, do the color contact prints look as good as the B&W ones? (At least in terms of detail and texture?)

The benefits of using a negative the same size as the final print holds true to a great extent for color, as well as b/w images. You just don't have as many choices of final print paper stock as you do for b/w.