Contact Printing Color

JustDave · Mar 28, 2009

Out of curiosity, have any of you who shoot LF ever contact printed color?

I was thinking, If i got filters like these and shined them on the contact printer, I could contact print a color negative or slide on to R-4 or Ilfochrome paper respectively.

It's just that, I see these large formats sheets of print and slide still sold for color and I'm wondering how in the World they're still being used.

I'm guessing that most of you guys get your slide or negative (process your own?) and then flatbed scan them and print from there.

fschifano · Mar 28, 2009

I haven't, but I see no reason why this won't work. I use my enlarger as a light source for making contact sheets and contact prints from 4x5 negatives. Using either the built-in filters of the dichro head or a variable contrast filter works for contrast control with VC papers. Why wouldn't color correction filters work the same way for color contact prints? In your case a dichro head would be a lot more convenient; but if you don't have one, these are fine.

Nick Zentena · Mar 28, 2009

Far easier with a colour head. You don't need anything more then a 35mm/MF enlarger and they can be cheaper then a set of filters. Contact sheets for smaller formats are the same idea. The only hard part is if you want to use an analyzer but the Jobo website used [might still] have instructions for this.

nickandre · Mar 28, 2009

That's how you do color printing. You use color filters or a dichro head to adjust the color balance to achieve a neutral print.

Just like they were before (and scanning for the weak.) You can get 11x14 enlargers. They're not common, but they do exist. And you can print billboard sized from something like that. Our photo class will be taking a field trip to a place where they print large format B+W work up to 11x14. Should be interesting.

You don't need a color analyzer. You can use your eyes.

I do RA-4 work. I've done Medium format and I may start 4x5 work with it as soon as I get the 4x5 dichro enlarger in.

Photo Engineer · Mar 28, 2009

I do contact prints in color with my enlarger as light source and the elevation set such that it covers the full contact printing frame.

PE

JustDave · Mar 28, 2009

Photo Engineer said:
I do contact prints in color with my enlarger as light source and the elevation set such that it covers the full contact printing frame.

PE

I'm assuming with a dichroic enlarger or filters in a drawer so the light source has the color corrections before hitting the negative & paper combination?

Photo Engineer · Mar 28, 2009

That is corrrect. I have both an enlarger with a filter drawer and one with a dichro head. Either works well! The filters should be in the negative carrier or above in the light chamber in this case, never beneath the lens. (well, with contact prints even this probably would not matter)

PE

Bob-D659 · Mar 28, 2009

Photo Engineer said:
The filters should be in the negative carrier or above in the light chamber in this case, never beneath the lens.

PE

Hmmmmm, going to have to try that and see what a colour enlargement looks like.

PHOTOTONE · Mar 28, 2009

I used to shoot 8x10 color negatives of products and make large-quantity of color contact prints, with type stripped (litho neg of type) in. I made myself a contact printing box with lid, a piece of opal glass, and a surplus dichro head aimed from the side into the interior of the white painted box which has some styro baffles inside to even out the light on the glass. I arrived at the correct even illumination by taking light-meter readings of the glass at various points.

But, more simply you can just use your contact printing frame and use the light from your dichro head enlarger, just as if you were making bw contact prints.. 8x10 color contact print from 8x10 neg looks real good. Modern color paper is very sensitive to light, so you will need to stop down your enlarger lens to get reasonable exposure times.

nickandre · Mar 28, 2009

If you haven't tried color work it's great fun. The gloss paper is especially great. I would start with that. There's no contrast to worry about. Just shoot box speed, process normally, and print. I use room temp trays in my laundry room w/ kodak chemistry and a cheapo enlarger off ebay. Works fine.

Contact Printing Color

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