A few newbie darkroom questions...

[Pieter12]

I never said that they were cheap. I said they are great and worth the money.

I believe the OP had posted they were not available.

 

[Lumipan]

Thanks, occasionally I can get used darkroom stuff on the local ads. But can use ebay or whatever, so can buy what I need...

I'll probably get a grain focuser sometimes, but not now...
I didn't feel that my prints were out of focus, but felt I lacked contrast control, so I got the filters first...

And you're right I have a focusing aid on the enlarger. Actually the first time I printed, I have tested if my (eye) focus was right by looking at the aid after focusing and it was the same, therefore I concluded I don't need that...
But now that you mentioned it I'll try again when printing next time, it makes sense to check. Probably in a few weeks when I finish my next film.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I believe the OP had posted they were not available.

Not at FreeStyle?

 

[snusmumriken]

The problem with grain focussers is that only the very best and most expensive allow you to focus across the whole print area. This shortcoming of cheaper types may not be an issue if you have completely flat paper, completely flat negative, top quality enlarger lens and perfectly aligned enlarger. But for the rest of us, focus at full aperture is a compromise between centre and edge. I find my eyesight is best for that.

 

[Pieter12]

Not at FreeStyle?

Sorry it was not the OP, it was post #12.

 

[Sirius Glass]

The problem with grain focussers is that only the very best and most expensive allow you to focus across the whole print area. This shortcoming of cheaper types may not be an issue if you have completely flat paper, completely flat negative, top quality enlarger lens and perfectly aligned enlarger. But for the rest of us, focus at full aperture is a compromise between centre and edge. I find my eyesight is best for that.

Cost? What about repeatedly printing because the focus in not correct? Is there no cost to that?

 

[Pieter12]

The problem with grain focussers is that only the very best and most expensive allow you to focus across the whole print area. This shortcoming of cheaper types may not be an issue if you have completely flat paper, completely flat negative, top quality enlarger lens and perfectly aligned enlarger. But for the rest of us, focus at full aperture is a compromise between centre and edge. I find my eyesight is best for that.

An expensive grain focuser is not going to solve any of those problems, just point them out. Something that would be evident in the print, anyway. If you are printing 8x10 or even 11x14, with anything larger than 35mm film it can be difficult to get the focus spot-on even with perfect eyesight.

 

[snusmumriken]

An expensive grain focuser is not going to solve any of those problems, just point them out. Something that would be evident in the print, anyway.

Yes, that’s true. But at least you could see what you were doing, centre and edge, as you adjusted focus. You can’t do that by reference to the now wet print!

If you are printing 8x10 or even 11x14, with anything larger than 35mm film it can be difficult to get the focus spot-on even with perfect eyesight.

I believe you, as I have no experience of larger formats, but why is it different?

 

[MattKing]

believe you, as I have no experience of larger formats, but why is it different?

Because the grain is so fine, and therefore difficult to see

 

[Sirius Glass]

An expensive grain focuser is not going to solve any of those problems, just point them out. Something that would be evident in the print, anyway. If you are printing 8x10 or even 11x14, with anything larger than 35mm film it can be difficult to get the focus spot-on even with perfect eyesight.

A good grain focuser saves me time and money getting the enlarger focused once so I can move on with the rest. Nothing worse than making number of prints, only to find that everyone was a little out of focus. Pennywise, pound foolish.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Because the grain is so fine, and therefore difficult to see

Hence another need for a grain focuser.

 

[snusmumriken]

The OP doesn’t have a problem with focus, without a grain magnifier. Neither do I. My earlier point (to him) was that the cheaper focusers are a bit limited, and that if your eyes are good maybe not a priority purchase.

I (and presumably the OP) have been blessed with good eyes. Even though I now wear glasses, I don’t waste paper through inaccurate focussing. (I do waste it through other causes, though.). It’s only really for images consisting entirely of clouds or mist that I have found a grain magnifier useful.

But I am puzzled by this format issue. Printing 16x12” from 35mm, the film grain is barely visible with the naked eye. So I focus on details of the image, not on the grain. Those details must surely appear more crisply defined and easier to focus given larger negatives at lower magnifications?

Another format-related issue is that if you use a glassless negative carrier, which some of us 35mm users prefer (it’s another much-argued topic), the negative can ‘pop’ out of focus due to heat, and setting up focus just once for a batch of prints may not be realistic. I’ve found it pays to check focus just before each exposure. LF users are more likely to favour fully glassed negative carriers, where focus should be less fickle.

 

[Lumipan]

I haven't printed bigger than 5x7 paper yet, as my trays can't fit bigger paper I actually like the format as it is pretty forgiving. I'll go to bigger formats when I'm more proficient.
I can't buy everything at once, so grain focuser will wait and until then I'll have fun

 

[Pieter12]

Printing 16x12” from 35mm, the film grain is barely visible with the naked eye. So I focus on details of the image, not on the grain. Those details must surely appear more crisply defined and easier to focus given larger negatives at lower magnifications?

You can be sure if you use a grain focusing device.

 

[Roger Cole]

I have several grain focusers and use them BUT...

I have experimented with focusing by eye and then comparing to using the grain focuser, and I nail focus by eye, every time. EVERY TIME, assuming there's some detail or visible grain to focus on. It's worth pointing out that I am very near sighted and to focus like this I take my glasses off and get my eyes about 6" from the image. At that range I have well better than "normal" vision.

The grain focuser is easier, though.

 

[albada]

I have experimented with focusing by eye and then comparing to using the grain focuser, and I nail focus by eye, every time. EVERY TIME, assuming there's some detail or visible grain to focus on. It's worth pointing out that I am very near sighted and to focus like this I take my glasses off and get my eyes about 6" from the image. At that range I have well better than "normal" vision.

In effect, your eyes have built-in loupes.
That's cheating!

Mark

 

[Pieter12]

I have several grain focusers and use them BUT...

I have experimented with focusing by eye and then comparing to using the grain focuser, and I nail focus by eye, every time. EVERY TIME, assuming there's some detail or visible grain to focus on. It's worth pointing out that I am very near sighted and to focus like this I take my glasses off and get my eyes about 6" from the image. At that range I have well better than "normal" vision.

The grain focuser is easier, though.

At 6” my head blocks the image.

 

[Sirius Glass]

You can be sure if you use a grain focusing device.

+1

 

[Roger Cole]

At 6” my head blocks the image.

Mine doesn't. Seriously. I'm leaning in from the side. It's easy to do. It also puts my head at almost exactly the same height as it is when using a grain focuser, most of which sit about 4-6" above the easel at the eyepiece.

 

[Luckless]

Grain focusers and stop/EV based digital timers are worth the value.

I find my Paterson micro focus finder to be more than enough for my needs of printing 8x10s and 11x14s. But if you do a lot of work where your edge detail is critical then one of the fancier models that plays nicer near the edge is likely worth the investment.

Also, don't be like me and try to teach yourself to use one on a fine grained negative. The band where the grain shows as sharp focus is very narrow, and the fine focus knob on my Omega D5 let me skip right through it at first without really noticing much of a change from a Delta 100 6x6. It was far more obvious on negative from a roll of HP5, and focusing with it was super easy to learn what I was actually looking for while adjusting the fine focus knob.

I can still skip over the grain on some of my Delta 100 negatives, but the grain focuser makes it easy to feel confident that I have it as sharp as it is getting compared to trying to adjust and looking at the projected negative with a magnifying glass.


For my test strips, I've taken to doing 4x5 sheets that I put into a simple black cardstock holder and mask, and hold the whole thing against my easel with a few magnets. One end of the holder has evenly spaced notches so I can pull the sheet out to align 'the next test' with the open slot in the mask. Combined with a stop based digital timer that supports pre-set series of exposures doing test runs is a breeze.

I can still mess up testing series of contrast grades, but so much harder to mess up a basic timed series, and it leaves me with an apples-to-apples comparison of the same section of the print to make my decisions on.

 

[Lumipan]

I have developed a new film, it is a bit overblown, but still might be nice.
Here is one example: https://www.photrio.com/forum/threa...odinal-stand-development.198591/#post-2671298

I put a 4000K LED E27 bulb in my Meopta Opemus III enlarger and have tested it against the 3000K and the tungsten 100W. It seems that I can get the same (or similar) results with all 3 bulbs, just with different times and multigrade filters.
The lamp that was in the enlarger when I got it is a regular (not opal) transparent glass tungsten E27 bulb. And there was a paper diffusor on top of the condenser lens. Without it you can see the filament in the projection, that is, the light isn't uniform. I like the LEDs as they heat a lot less and the summer is very close, not to mention the availability and price. I tried to find some info on LEDs on the forum, but didn't find any conclusive info whether to use them or not. Any first hand experience?

I found some info on the Multigrade filters online, so now I'll go and try to make my first 'proper' print with the filters.

Make a test strip with 2 1/2 filter and try to do split grading with 0 and 5...

I figured that filters do prolong the exposure times in comparison to non-filtered exposure...

Any advice is welcome, thanks

 

[albada]

I tried to find some info on LEDs on the forum, but didn't find any conclusive info whether to use them or not. Any first hand experience?

Some LED bulbs work better than others. I suggest buying about three bulbs of different brands, and select the one that works best. "Best" means (1) illumination on the easel is uniform, and (2) grade 0 and 5 contrasts look correct.

Mark

 

[Lumipan]

Some LED bulbs work better than others. I suggest buying about three bulbs of different brands, and select the one that works best. "Best" means (1) illumination on the easel is uniform, and (2) grade 0 and 5 contrasts look correct.

Mark

Both of these seem to work, the 4000K is quicker... I have made a few prints, I'm quite happy with the result. Much better than it was without the filters...