4x5 film/Ilford Direct Positive Paper - Which side is up?

jmoche · Feb 12, 2020

So I've got a few packs of 4x5 film and a few packs of Ilford Direct Positive Paper. I want to load each into 4x5 film holders and use them in a pinhole camera. I have no idea how the film or paper is packaged, however. How can I tell which is the emulsion side in the dark so I load the holders correctly? Something tells me that this is an incredibly stupid question, but I ask it nonetheless...

-- Joe

lantau · Feb 12, 2020

For Film there is a notch. When it is at the top right the emulsion will be facing you.

For the paper rely on the texture of the surfaces. The paper base will feel smooth and your fingers will glide without friction. Best to load out under deep red safe light (the paper only!). You'll see the sheen of the emulsion.

My pack of 5x7 paper shows strong curvature. The emulsion being on the inside.

jmoche · Feb 12, 2020

Thanks!

Ballinderry-Michael · Feb 13, 2020

To avoid ambiguity, here's a picture illustrating what lantau said for film

Andrew O'Neill · Feb 13, 2020

You can handle the paper under a deep red safelight. If you do not have one, then you can get by with just touch. Emulsion side is sticky when touched with clammy fingers....

MattiS · Feb 14, 2020

Andrew O'Neill said:
You can handle the paper under a deep red safelight. If you do not have one, then you can get by with just touch. Emulsion side is sticky when touched with clammy fingers....

+1 - sometimes I have the same problem with fibre based papers.

tezzasmall · Feb 14, 2020

I haven't used my positive paper for a while now, but I do know that the emulsion side is bright pink under daylight. I'm therefore wondering if it is obvious that one side of the paper is darker than the other under a safe-light ? I must check when next in the darkroom = hopefully this weekend.

Terry S

Joe VanCleave · Feb 29, 2020

Fiber paper, like Harman DPP, curls toward the front (emulsion) side, while RC paper slightly curls toward the back.

tezzasmall · Jan 16, 2021

lantau said:
My pack of 5x7 paper shows strong curvature. The emulsion being on the inside.

Joe VanCleave said:
Fiber paper, like Harman DPP, curls toward the front (emulsion) side, while RC paper slightly curls toward the back.

Interesting that we seem to have two different views, of which side the emulsion is on FB and RC papers.

I was in my darkroom yesterday, and had the usual problem of trying to work out which side was the emulsion side of my Ilford FB matt paper.

I find it impossible to tell just by looking at it under a safe-light, but 99% of the time, I can usually work it out with a gentle lick of a finger, which then usually sticks more so to the emulsion side. I have to do this as there is only a very small curvature to the paper, which is also hard to work out on FB. I'm currently using 12" x 16" FB matt, and I have found that smaller sizes have a bit more obvious curve to the paper.

Anyway, checking yesterday both the positive and the usual darkroom papers, I found them ALL to have the emulsion in the curve, just as one does with films.

Terry S

tezzasmall · Jan 29, 2021

In the darkroom earlier, I did another check and found the following with recently bought papers.

The only paper that I checked, that was concave, with the emulsion being on the inside of the curl, as with film, is Ilford's Art 300.

The following papers checked were convex, with the emulsion being on the outside of the curl outwards are; both the 5" x 7" and 10" x 8" Kentmere RC paper and the new Ilford MGV emulsion 3 1/2" x 5 1/2" and 10" x 8" sized papers.

My comment #9 above, only refers to FB papers that I checked initially, but not Art 300, which I only checked today.

To end, I'm finding I'm even confusing myself, so you may want to do as I did today when checking, is to put on the outside of the box, which side has the emulsion on. RC papers in smaller sizes are easy enough to tell, but I think it's harder to tell on larger sheets of FB, and especially matt surfaces.

Phewwwww!!!

Terry S

4x5 film/Ilford Direct Positive Paper - Which side is up?

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