Color to B&W - What Paper??

mtbbrian · Jul 4, 2007

Are there any papers still being made or that are still available that make it possible to print a better B&W print from a color negative?
I know Kodak made one "back in the day", it was the only one I knew of that you could do this with, I just forget what it was called.
Thanks!
Brian

bdial · Jul 4, 2007

The Kodak paper was called Panalure.

htmlguru4242 · Jul 4, 2007

I've had decent results with ilford MGIV. The printd lack contrast, but are otherwise pretty good. It was only slightly low in contrast; proper developer changes could probably make it look good. I also once saw a print that the printer said was done on grade 4 graded paper. It looked excellent. The issue with using mg paper is that the different colors seem to result in different contrasts in different color areas. Sorry for possible spellibg or firmatting mistakesd here: I'm on a blackberry and wow is the keyboard puny.

pentaxuser · Jul 4, 2007

I too have had success with Ilford Multigrade IV. Most prints required grade 3.5-4 but weren't noticeably grainier than prints from B&W negs which is or was allegedly a problem. Maybe I was lucky with my choice of negs but I couldn't see any real tonal problems either.

I think the average "man in the street" viewer would not have known that it was B&W from colour negs.

I was impressed. It's worth giving it a go.

pentaxuser

tjaded · Jul 4, 2007

I've printed quite a few color negs onto various b&w papers...the key is, as mentioned above, a minimum of 3 contrast filter/grade paper. I was never all that happy with the results, but it can be done.

AgX · Jul 4, 2007

A bit off topic, but have you thought about making a b&w internegative to print from?

dancqu · Jul 4, 2007

AgX said:
A bit off topic, but have you thought about making
a b&w internegative to print from?

That should read, " ... internegative from which to print?

A very interesting suggestion. I'd suppose some have done
that. Perhaps enlarged direct reversal negatives could be
made using a slow fully panchromatic emulsion. What
film though?

Among other subjects on color negative I've a series of
Photos of the endangered Spotted Owl in it's native habitat.
Cover and feature article potential. Dan

Craig · Jul 4, 2007

I've had amazingly good luck getting XP2 printed at the local minilab on colour paper. The tones were excellet and it looked like a true B&W print.

dancqu · Jul 4, 2007

Craig said:
I've had amazingly good luck getting XP2 printed at
the local minilab on colour paper. The tones were
excellet and it looked like a true B&W print.

Likely those B&W prints were made on some B&W
chromogenic paper; not a color paper. IIRC Kodak
and some others produce those B&W papers, color
processing. Dan

kaygee · Jul 4, 2007

If you can find any old backstock, the best luck I've always had was with the Agfa VC RC papers, minimum of a 3 grade filter, but I usually ended up using a 3.5 or a 4.

I've attempted doing this with the Ilford Multigrade IV, but I just didn't like the results as much.

Craig · Jul 4, 2007

dancqu said:
Likely those B&W prints were made on some B&W
chromogenic paper; not a color paper.

Nope, regular Fuji Crystal Archive, the same as used for the colour negs.

tjaded · Jul 5, 2007

B&W negs on color paper, no problemo. Color negs onto B&W, can be done but not a straight guarantee of good results.

panastasia · Jul 5, 2007

The Kodak paper was called Panalure.

It wasn't FB, RC only - no great loss IMO.

AgX · Jul 8, 2007

there are panchromatic b&w papers

Ilford Harman offers two papers with a sensitation up to around 700nm (intended for optical printing with digital machines). Not the most ideal form of three seperate bands (though it is questionable whether this would really be necessary for b&w printing), but rather continuous with a strong sink at 580nm.

This should work fine for printing from colour negatives with some filtering for the mask.

Ask Simon Galley to make it available in sheets.

Color to B&W - What Paper??

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