grade 4 paper vs. vc paper and Chromega head

[vinny]

So I've got some low contrast negs (lots of them) that don't print well even at "grade 5"* (170M) on my color head with vc fiber (kentmere glossy). I'd like to stick with ansco 130 developer. Will using something like grade 4 fomabrom do better?





*it has been said that you can't obtain gr5 or even gr4 using a colorhead. Both my 4x5 and 10x10 enlargers use Chromega colorheads.

[Drew Wiley]

Just project thru a deep blue 47 filter. But you will need to add just a pinch of white or green light also (yellow OK), to get DMax on Kentmere (you need at least token exposure of both emulsion layers, even though most of the density will be achieved on the high-contrast blue-sensitive layer). It's doubtful that you'll find any graded paper out there nowadays that will have more contrast.

[Eric Biggerstaff]

You can selenium tone the negs at 1+1 for 5 minutes and increase the contrast by about +1. This might allow you to print them more easily.

[ic-racer]

So I've got some low contrast negs (lots of them) that don't print well even at "grade 5"* (170M) on my color head with vc fiber (kentmere glossy). I'd like to stick with ansco 130 developer. Will using something like grade 4 fomabrom do better?

I'm not familiar with that developer so I can't comment on that. I have had good results with Dektol and Ilford Multigrade developer in terms of producing GR 5 with Omega heads. You have confirmed the magenta filter totally covers the light supply at 170. ie the filters are zeroed correctly per the manual.
You have checked all the other usual things like light spilling around the image area of the negative, lens is clean and stopped down at least 2 stops, safelight is safe, no stray light leaking from the head onto the paper etc?

You might want to get a non-calibrated step wedge. It is inexpensive and really useful when diagnosing contrast issues.

[bob carnie]

Vinny

I would first off get a small pack of grade 4 and 5 graded paper , also test with some flash if the 5 gives you too much contrast.
Then go to the larger paper
look at nigeldickson.com the black and white portraits specifically , they are done with grade 5 and flash by Nigel.

regards
Bob

[vinny]

Bob, I can find grade 4 (freestyle sells some foma). Does anyone make grade 5 anymore?

I'm going to try the blue filter first since I'm pretty sure I have one around.
Ice-racer,
This isn't an issue with my enlargers. I don't have any issues with the majority of my negs but there are plenty I underdeveloped or shot things like snow on snow under overcast conditions so those negs need all the help they can get.

And yes, my colorheads go to 170.

[bob carnie]

Not sure about the grade five, the digital paper I use is a Grade 4 galerie emulsion, I do not know if even that comes in cut sheet.

You may want to look into the Slavic papers , I used a grade 4 Slavic for lith printing and it was incredible, they may make a grade 5

[Jim Noel]

So I've got some low contrast negs (lots of them) that don't print well even at "grade 5"* (170M) on my color head with vc fiber (kentmere glossy). I'd like to stick with ansco 130 developer. Will using something like grade 4 fomabrom do better?
Yes, the Grade 4 paper will most likely produce greater contrast. Even when new, the Chromega filters would only produce a density range up to almost 3 1/2. As they age, their density decreases resulting in even lower contrast. How do I know this? Some years ago I felt limited when using a Chromega for VC printing so I did a rather exhaustive series tests which resulted in my eliminating the color head and installing a VC-CLS head designed for the job.



*it has been said that you can't obtain gr5 or even gr4 using a colorhead. Both my 4x5 and 10x10 enlargers use Chromega colorheads.

[Kirk Gittings]

Selenium tone the negatives first.That will give you an extra grade of contrast at the start.

[Andrew O'Neill]

So I've got some low contrast negs (lots of them) that don't print well even at "grade 5"* (170M) on my color head with vc fiber (kentmere glossy).

Try changing papers? I used Kentmere years ago and found its contrast range very limiting, especially at the high end. All I could get out of it was a grade 3.5.