Caffenol for printing

If been trying out Caffenol recently and like what I’ve been getting using some Tri-X that expired in 1991. While there is nothing new about doing this and there is a wealth of information online, I noticed that less is said about using it as a print developer. I gave it a try and am happy with the results, however I am wondering is anyone has information or experience regarding its capacity as a print developer. I am mixing up 16 ounces of the Delta-Std recipe and I get the equivalent of 2-3 8x10 prints before things look underdeveloped. I am making 4x5 prints and developing in a tube on an agitator for 12 minutes.

I had the same experience using caffenol as a paper developer. I would either lengthen the develop time or just add some coffee and vitamin C to the solution. It’s certainly not a very stable developer but you can get some decent pictorial effects if you are willing to play around with it.

Doesn't it stain the base of fiber papers really, really badly? I imagine it works fine on RC paper perhaps with a little added b+f.

koraks said:

Doesn't it stain the base of fiber papers really, really badly? I imagine it works fine on RC paper perhaps with a little added b+f.

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A stain or a tone, yes. I just added 2 images to the Gallery from yesterday's printing session, scanned in color, so you can see the result. I read somewhere that adding salt to the brew will shift the tone to something else. I may have to give that a try.

That's actually a pretty nice tone. Btw, my worries are mainly about the image borders; personally I prefer to keep those clean.
I'm curious what the salt will do. I know table salt in large quantities acts as a restrainer just like bromide - you just need like 10 or 50 times as much of it to have the same effect. But you can shift a warmtone emulsion towards reddish/pink hues with it. I don't know if it'll have any effect on the actual coffee stains though. The days of putting salt instead of sugar into my parents' coffee are too far behind me.

johnwwyatt said:

I had the same experience using caffenol as a paper developer. I would either lengthen the develop time or just add some coffee and vitamin C to the solution. It’s certainly not a very stable developer but you can get some decent pictorial effects if you are willing to play around with it.

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I mixed up 16 ounces and was pouring about 6-8 into the drum for each print and pouring it back into the container after each use. I am printing small, 4x5. I am thinking I might try testing it as one-shot developer since I know that only a couple ounces are needed in the drum to keep the print wetted.

VinceInMT said:

I am making 4x5 prints and developing in a tube on an agitator for 12 minutes.

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Isn't 12 minutes to develop a 4x5 print a little tedious? What, in your opinion, are the benefits of caffenol that outweigh the 12 minute development time?

faberryman said:

Isn't 12 minutes to develop a 4x5 print a little tedious? What, in your opinion, are the benefits of caffenol that outweigh the 12 minute development time?

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I am not sure what the benefits are of Caffenol at all but am curious so am trying it out. Sometimes, trying out something new will create an ah-ha moment that leads to something else. It’s like drawing with a new pen and finding that it opens some possibilities.

As for the 12 minutes, that is not tedious. I am using a tube and an agitator base so I don’t even have to be there once it gets started. In fact, I walk from the darkroom to my man cave next door and work on a database project that catalogs all my recordings and, eventually, all my images. Multitasking.

VinceInMT said:

I am not sure what the benefits are of Caffenol at all but am curious so am trying it out. Sometimes, trying out something new will create an ah-ha moment that leads to something else. It’s like drawing with a new pen and finding that it opens some possibilities.

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You said you were happy with the results so I was trying to find out what it was about caffenol that was making you happy.

Not a direct answer to your question, faberryman but it can produce quite a nice tone. I saw caffenol printing in a video by a man called Ribsy and the effect was similar to a light-chocolate effect that may or may not be possible with sepia. My impression is that to get the same light brown effect with sepia runs the risk of it being more yellowish-brown

Anyway for what it is worth here's the video:


pentaxuser

faberryman said:

You said you were happy with the results so I was trying to find out what it was about caffenol that was making you happy.

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I guess I meant that at this point I was happy that I got a result.

I tried it years ago. I couldn't get a deep enough black, but for one image shot on HIE, it was well suited. I remember I had to make the developer quite strong... I also remember the smell of tuna, when the print was placed in the fixer At least that is how it smelt to me...

I find caffenol smells a bit fishy once the alkali hits the coffee. My sense of smell is pretty dull, so I don't mind, but my partner says it's rank.

revdoc said:

I find caffenol smells a bit fishy once the alkali hits the coffee. My sense of smell is pretty dull, so I don't mind, but my partner says it's rank.

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So I'm not the only one! I like the smell of tuna!

I decided to get my question about the capacity of Caffenol as a print developer by running a test. I selected a negative shot on Tri-X from 1991, developed in Caffenol Delta-Std. It was shot with a Bolsey B2 rangefinder. I am making prints on Ilford MGRC cut into 4x5 sheets.

The first image I did as a reference, traditionally developed in Dektol 1:2. I used 40Y 80M for contrast.



Next I mixed up a 16 ounce batch of Caffenol Delta-Std, or at least close to it: 22 g instant coffee, 10 g Vit C, 12 g washing soda. The Vit C are tabs with filler.

Next I did an exposure test and developed it in Caffenol for 12 minutes. I use a Unicolor tube, 8x10 size, on a Unicolor agitator base. I rinse with water, 5 rinses, and then fix for 3 minutes, again in the tube. I selected an exposure time, 12 seconds at f/8. (I am using a Beseler 23C with a 50mm Schneider with filters in the drawer below the lamp.)

I figure that at this point I have put 1 print through the Caffenol developer, 20 square inches. Now I print 10 prints, all the same exposure, and process them at 2 at time. I figure that this will exhaust the developer a bit faster than doing this one at time. I stir the developer and then pour about 4-5 ounces into the tube for each batch.

Batches 1,2, and 3 look pretty similar but by batch 4 it starts to look a bit thin and even more so with batch 5. I am concluding that 16 ounces of of developer, reusing it each time, is good for about 140 square inches.

Here are the photos from each batch, named by batch number, shown 1-5, left to right.





I think the next thing to look at is using it as a one-shot developer. The little trough in the tube holds 4 ounces and I am curious at to whether 4 ounces would be adequate for an equivalent to an 8x10 print, or 80 square inches.

I do like using Caffenol for my old, expired film, just because, especially if I'm shooting with my Bolsey B2, again just because. Using it as a print developer is an interesting tool to have in my kit but I'm not sire that I'll be using all that much.

Try adding sodium sulfite to the developer. That should make it last longer.