Contact printing 6x7 negatives?

Hello Folks, I am in the process of developing and contact printing medium format negatives for a client. When I developed the first roll, I noticed that they were 6x7 negatives. And now, moving on to the next step, how the heck do I arrange these 10 frames on an 8x10 sheet of paper? I cut the roll into two strips of three and two strips of two frames. Those strips do not lend themselves to arrangement. I can't just use two sheets of paper, because there are about 70 rolls in the batch.

Any experience? Any suggestions? As usual, I seek the wisdom of the web.

Thanks in advance,

-- Mark

Try 8½ x 11-inch paper?

Ken

Ken Nadvornick said:

Try 8½ x 11-inch paper?

Ken

Click to expand...

+1

You cannot fit ten 6cm x 7cm negatives on a single 8x10 sheet, just as you cannot fit ten 6cm x 7cm negatives in a single standard sheet of negative protectors.

I took this as a challenge.

An only ways I could figure you could *possibly* do are:

Method 1:
Cut them all up in 2 up strips.
Place one on long way along the 10" side
Place remaining on short way parallel to 8" side
You can actually place total of 11 frames this way.

Method 2:
Cut two 3 up strips and place them along the long side
Cut the remaining on single frame and put them along the short side

Method 2 can easily fit all frames but I doubt your client would be pleased if you cut his negs in one frame each pieces.
Method 1 can just barely fit but rebate will be outside the paper. It will require you to very VERY carefully position each frame.

If I were you, I'd just get a box of paper and do two.... Method 1 really isn't practical. Method 2 is not likely please your client.

This is the best I can do to help you out.

Good Evening, Mark,

Start with what Ken says, slightly larger paper; with a little cheating, enough information from all ten frames can usually be squeezed on. Consider, however, that few of us get 10 exposures per roll which we actually want to print anyway. Sacrificing a worthless frame leaves 9 frames which will fit easily (strips of three, horizontally), even on an 8 x 10 sheet.

Konical

who makes 8 1/2 x 11 enlarging paper and where do you buy it ?
thank you, regards, ma.d.

Foma do a 9.5 x 12 inch - Fomaspeed 312 is a flat RC paper

madiaz said:

who makes 8 1/2 x 11 enlarging paper and where do you buy it ?
thank you, regards, ma.d.

Click to expand...

Ilford makes 8 1/2 x 11 RC paper. You can get it at Freestyle.

Jon

madiaz said:

who makes 8 1/2 x 11 enlarging paper and where do you buy it?

Click to expand...

Click here.

Ken

Hi,

Ilford and Kentmere make 9,5 x 12 " paper, which would work perfectly, but I haven't seen it in B&H or Adorama. Not sure if it is obtainable in the USA. It certainly is in the UK, from Ag Photographic, Silverprint etc. It is locally available in South Africa through specialist importers, which is where I get my stock. The way I cut my frames for 6x7 is 2:3:3:2, and I leave the rebate on to make it easier to handle the end strips. I use Printfile sleeves for 4x3 frames. Some of the labs use 3-channel sleeves that are on a roll. They usually then cut the film 3:4:3 with the rebates on, and cut the sleeve to length. Both ways will allow you to use 9,5 x 12 " paper. If I were a client, I would not want to get a film back in single frames. It will make scanning more laborious, and there is a better chance of damaging a frame. It is also more difficult to sleeve and retrieve from the sleeve afterwards. So leave it like you have it now, and then use larger paper. If you don't find the ideal size, then use the next larger size trim it back with a guillotine. Another possibility is to buy roll, and cut to size with a guillotine. I am sure your client is worth more to you than skimping on photo paper.

Thanks for the info, Folks. As usual, very thorough. I'll start with 8 1/2 x 11 paper.

-- Mark

Foma is making Fomalux, special contact paper. Available in Sp grade only.

Good Evening, Mark,

Start with what Ken says, slightly larger paper; with a little cheating, enough information from all ten frames can usually be squeezed on. Consider, however, that few of us get 10 exposures per roll which we actually want to print anyway. Sacrificing a worthless frame leaves 9 frames which will fit easily (strips of three, horizontally), even on an 8 x 10 sheet.

Konical

Click to expand...

This is the problem I have when I shoot. Since I bracket my shots for landscapes, I get three sets of three leaving the 10th picture with a choice to take without bracketing or not taking it. I usually take it anyway.

Good Evening, Allen,

I often do exactly the same thing. Of course, you can always save up those tenth frames until you have enough to fill up a separate contact sheet.

Konical

Hello Folks, thanks for all the suggestions. I did get some Ilford 8 1/2 x 11 from B&H, and it is working out fine. I'm not happy about the wasted space on the 8 1/2 x 11 page, but it's better than wrestling with 8x10.

It's so much easier with 6x6, 6x9, 6x12, and 6x4 1/2


Cheers,

-- Mark