As everyone know, the Harman Direct Positive is no longer available on the market. There is this new product that is very very different but still interesting and i start to make some test with this paper. If you are interested to make some test and experiment with this paper just share here with us your result and the detail of the develop and the pre flashing if any.
Padua (PD) Italy - Series of portrait taken on IMAGO Positive Paper during the Vintage Festival by I-Fotocellula. This picture was taken by Massimo Nalesso. I had to scan with the picture inside the chassis because it is extremely glossy and on the glass of the scanner it generate a terrible effect.
The dark strip at the bottom is due to a preflashing with the dark slide not completely opened.
Padua (PD) Italy - Series of portrait taken on IMAGO Positive Paper during the Vintage Festival by I-Fotocellula. This picture was taken by Massimo Nalesso. I had to scan with the picture inside the chassis because it is extremely glossy and on the glass of the scanner it generate a terrible effect.
This paper is extremely contrasted and, in my opinion, need a good pre flashing to reveal all the shades of grays. Also the develop should be with a more diluted solution and with a longer time. I used the ILFORD PQ Universal 1:14 and the development time was about 3 minutes.
Very nice images, I'd be interested in trying some but it seems like this IMAGO paper is only available in Europe, is there a US source ?
I already ask at the Italian distributor and i will let you know.
Originally Posted by Jim C.
yes very nice images, I would be interested as well. thanks
"WOW! Now thats a big camera. By the way, how many megapixels is that thing?"
Great pictures, and very welcome information about the new IMAGO direct positive paper. Could you explain about the "preflashing", please. What exactly are you doing, and how much of it?
For forum members outside Europe, macodirect.de ships internationally.
I find the paper extremely contrasty. My source, Mr cad in London, recommends PQ developers heavily diluted to lower the contrast but I have found this is still not satisfactory. I do like the contrast for some things but this paper is very difficult to deal with.
Regarding the Pre-flashing of the Direct Positive Paper.
I will try to explain with my word in my terrible english what is and how i made the preflshing. This is my way. Probably there are other ways maybe better but i will explain how i usually do on my paper.
At first why pre-flashing. I always say that it like having a balance that is not perfectly tarated. I mean you add some weight to one of the two plate and it does not move. You will add some more weight and it still not move the needle. Add again some more weight and show now it start to move the needle. You find that the balance need to be loaded with, for example, 150 gr to start reading. After that the balance will read every single little weight even just 1 or 2 gr.
The direct positive paper is the same balance. I add a calculated quantity of light. The light i add to my paper is like adding the 150 gr to the balance. After the pre-flashing my sheet of paper is ready to register every trace of light even the lightest. Before the pre-flashing a big quantity of light will disappear in the deep dark.
How i do the pre flashing. I made myself a little box with inside a 15 watt light like to one used in the owen or in the sewing machines. The light from this box exit only from a narrow cut of about 4 mm wide and long about 40 mm. This narrow stripe is also covered with two pieces of semi transparent drawing paper and the light comes out from this stripe very very soft and wary well diffuse. With the light of this little box on i will remove the dark slide of the chassis and let the light go on the paper for 8 to 10 seconds at the distance of 1 meters form the light source. To calculate the right amount of time you have to pre-flash the paper with your own light or the light of your enlarger you have to make the stripes test and find how many light you can add to the paper and preserve the complete deep black.
I use ILFORD PQ UNIVERSAL in a 1:14 solution for about 3 minutes. The Developer must be fresh. Diluted but fresh because with a aged developer the picture will comes out muddy and not sharp. I saw very very nice result also with a Caffenol development but i still have to try myself.
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