As I was checking my film development time with a new thermometer over the weekend, it occurred to me that, although the phenomenon is widely recognized by experienced B&W darkroom workers, the loss of contrast from contact print (proof) to enlargement is rarely mentioned in books and tutorials discussing the process, including the Zone System. I don't recall offhand whether Adams mentions it, though he speaks of camera and lens flare/internal reflection diminishing contrast. I don't remember hearing it from Picker's printing video. Many photographers prefer to make a distinctly softer contact, to reveal full detail, and then tend to increase contrast in the enlargement. I find now that the difference tends to be a 1/2 grade, so that a 1 1/2 proof is close to 2 in enlargement.
The issue presented itself to me a few years ago as I was returning to the darkroom after many years' absence, testing for a different developer, a new meter -- in short, plenty of variables. I was at first shocked that, after carefully controlling for a "perfect" Zone I - VIII in the 4x5 contact (for the densitometrists reading this, I don't densitometrize), my initial enlargements were showing I - VI 1/2 or VII. A year of studious weekend work later, matters were much more under control, and the contrast difference no longer appeared so extreme. It may largely have been due to my previous concentration in photojournalistic photography, mostly 35mm, in which I learned to coax a print from just about any negative and, although I certainly tested quite a bit, after such a long hiatus and shifting formats, I was both more aware of the difference and surprised at how much relearning I had to do! I don't think I used to proof at 1 1/2, but I did prefer a gentler, more "supple" negative, since extra-long contrast ranges were par for the course.
Just a thought.
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