masking colour negs with ortho film

[SeanEsopenko]

I was planning on getting orthographic film for making masks because I can handle it under a safelight (compared to the FP4+ I've been using at the moment). I just learned that ortho film isn't sensitized to red light. Will this cause problems if creating masks with it for colour negatives?

[polyglot]

It means that the mask will have less effect on the blue/cyan areas of the image, i.e. where there is only red light coming through the negative. I've not tried it but I suspect that that might be suboptimal because it will be poor at masking blue skies.

[Drew Wiley]

Indeed, it will drastically alter the appearance of the final print itself by being blind to
certain parts of the spectrum and exaggerating others with respect ot contrast. You
want a true panchromatic film, preferably with a decent straight line so you don't get
the same balance over the entire range of the original film. FP4 and TMax100 are both
excellent films for masking.

[SeanEsopenko]

Indeed, it will drastically alter the appearance of the final print itself by being blind to
certain parts of the spectrum and exaggerating others with respect ot contrast. You
want a true panchromatic film, preferably with a decent straight line so you don't get
the same balance over the entire range of the original film. FP4 and TMax100 are both
excellent films for masking.

That's what I thought. Thanks.

I've heard some people use night vision goggles when working with film in the darkroom. Are these any good (http://www.ebay.com/itm/AN-PVS7-style-civilian-IR-Night-Vision-Goggles-NOD-NVG-NVD-Infrared-PVS-7-/110754076751?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c975184f#ht_500wt_1185)?