light source for 810 contact prints?

[Songyun]

I don't have enough room for an enlarger, but I would like to make 810 contact prints. How do I make a workable light box? (I am using ilford's MC paper)

[David A. Goldfarb]

Weston used a light bulb with some tissue on it. He could adjust the height to change the exposure. If you're not doing alternative processes that require a UV source, you don't need anything more than that.

[Songyun]

Weston used a light bulb with some tissue on it. He could adjust the height to change the exposure. If you're not doing alternative processes that require a UV source, you don't need anything more than that.

How about filters for the Ilford paper?

[David A. Goldfarb]

So use a lamp with a reflector smaller than 6" in diameter for filters. If you want to get fancy, you could attach a gel holder to the reflector.

[cjbroadbent]

I.S.E., Japan make a nice simple contact printing frame. Hang a reading light from the ceiling with a fridge bulb inside, a lens cap covering the shade and with a penny-sized (US) hole in it. At 3ft. above you get a sharp point source and a 30 sec. exposure on Bergger Portrait Mat. You will need a ruby mask for white edges.

[Dan Schmidt]

I think you can get 8x10 size filters you could lay over the glass holding the negative in contact with the paper

[ic-racer]

I think you can get 8x10 size filters you could lay over the glass holding the negative in contact with the paper

Roscoe gels work great. Put them close to the light source, as any dust on them will show up to about 6" or so above the contact unless you use diffuse light.

[Songyun]

I.S.E., Japan make a nice simple contact printing frame. Hang a reading light from the ceiling with a fridge bulb inside, a lens cap covering the shade and with a penny-sized (US) hole in it. At 3ft. above you get a sharp point source and a 30 sec. exposure on Bergger Portrait Mat. You will need a ruby mask for white edges.

Chris, Do you have a link to the contact printing frame?

[cjbroadbent]

I don't have a link for the contact frame. More details though: (Multiple Contact Printer) ISE Products Co.LTD 12-16 Miniamimagome 6-Chome, OTA-KU Tokyo 143.
See photos below of this frame, the lamp, and a real contact printer by Fatif (has glass drawer for dodging tissue).

[bglick]

question: For contact prints, or even film to film contact transfers, wouldn't a collimated light source be desirable over a diffused light source? It seems a diffused light source would send rays through the exposed film in all directions towards the paper. Yet, a collimated light source would produce uniform straight rays that all enter "near" perpendicular to the film, through to the paper.

Since the film and paper are in direct contact, I realize this represents a good scenario, but it won't stop light from entering the exposed film on angles, and when passed through to the paper, it will not be as sharp as possible vs. a collimated light source. Has anyone ever experiment with this?