Darkroom Dave

I'm sure Dave Butcher has been mentioned here before, but I just came across this video on youtube this evening:

Maybe I missed it, but what grade filter was he using to make his test strip? This isn't the technique I use.

2-1/2

He didn't adjust his time for the higher filter factor of the #5 filter.

Split grade, as I learned and practice it, involves working with the high grade exposure first, finding an exposure that brings the shadows to the brink of the desired black, then filling in the highlights and "completing" the shadows with a suitable low grade exposure. What he's doing seems like extra steps. I must be missing something.

bvy said:

Split grade, as I learned and practice it, involves working with the high grade exposure first, finding an exposure that brings the shadows to the brink of the desired black, then filling in the highlights and "completing" the shadows with a suitable low grade exposure. What he's doing seems like extra steps. I must be missing something.

Click to expand...

I always do the low filter exposure first. Works very well for me, as I'm more interested in the mid-tones and highlights than the shadows.

His technique is interesting, since his Grade 5 exposure doesn't account for the paper sensitivity issue at Grade 4 and above. But as long as the prints look good, it doesn't really matter.

My personal approach is to do a low grade exposure with a filter between Grade 0 and Grade 3, depending on the negative. I dial in the highlights where they have nice tone that is just a hair light. Then I go to the Grade 5 filter and work on shadows, and also to give the highlights a blast to complete them, sometimes quite generously to really make them come alive.

What I like about split grade printing is that we get the opportunity to work on different aspects of the print separately. Then when it's all combined into the final print I like how the whole becomes better, if we do our job well.

Thomas Bertilsson said:

I always do the low filter exposure first. Works very well for me, as I'm more interested in the mid-tones and highlights than the shadows.

Click to expand...

Same difference though. Darkroom Dave's (Ilford's) technique involves arriving at a reasonable 2.5 grade exposure first, then exposing the high and low grade exposure's for exactly half that time. I can't find a split grade print I've made where the two exposure times were exactly the same. If, as I suspect, this only gives you a starting point for further refinements, then the 2.5 grade exposure seems like a step that doesn't add much value.

I have never used any timer under 5 seconds with reasonable predictability ..

Good video other than that to show the possibility. I always use a low filter and a 5 filter, I will establish a time based on the low filter and then use the 5 filter to establish a contrast range.

Never would I change the time for the five filter and I use a method of 1/2 hit, 1 hit, 2 hit and so on with the 5 to get my final feel of the print.

My timer is always set between 8-15 seconds for predicable results and as well for dodging and burning, with counting all the time.

I have been printing almost exclusively on Ilford MGIV FB (both regular and warmtone, and now FB classic) and I have never been able to get the contrast above about 3.5. I have a Devere 504 with a dichroic head that I calibrated so that it is speed matched. I just test recently tested the same enlarger with Ilford filters placed below the mixing box and go the same result. After a certain point, there is just no more contrast.

So, given that, would split-grade printing work if my highest contrast was less than filter grade 4?