PDA

View Full Version : PMK and Variable Contrast Paper



steve simmons
12-Apr-2004, 10:30
There have been several comments about PMK negs not working for variable contrast paper. The comments seem to be that the stain is too self masking for vc paper. The problem is that the film is not being developed long enough and does not have enough contrast. Just develop the film longer and you will have more contrast.

steve simmons

CP Goerz
12-Apr-2004, 11:41
I develop my film for quite a while, as long as I can get away with usually. I've noticed with plain old PMK though that if you develop too long the entire negative picks up in density and no longer scoots the high end up alone, you do lose a bit of the sharpness as a bonus. Adding the 1/8th Tsp of Amidol(PMK+) does help contrast out quite a bit in addition to a small boost in film speed as I'm sure everyone is familiar with.



CP Goerz

steve simmons
12-Apr-2004, 11:42
The only film that may have a problem with base fog is HP5+. Otherwise, developing your film longer should not have the result you've described.

steve simmons

David R Munson
12-Apr-2004, 11:53
I've only had trouble printing PMK negs on Forte paper. Ilford and AGFA FB seems to do fine with it. Bergger, too. And these were BPF negatives, so image stain was very prominent.

Mark Sampson
13-Apr-2004, 07:50
I get results I like using Tri-X, PMK, and variable-contrast paper. Even using an old-style (blue) cold-light. This system was tuned by years of practice, not sensitometry. I will say that ten+ years of working this way has led me to make negatives that print easily, most of the time. And these negs print easily on graded papers, with different light sources, as well. So it's a non-issue for me.