Developer for negatives destined for contact printing?

[Stephanie Brim]

I spent quite a bit going through old threads and couldn't find one that answered my question exactly, so here goes nothing.

I'm going to start contact printing on the weekend. I've got paper (Emaks grade 3), paper developer (Liquidol), fixer (TF-4), and the film I'm planning to use (Foma 100/Arista Ultra 100). But...I just can't decide on a film developer.

One reason is that I've never contact printed before and I, as of yet, don't know the type of negative to be looking for. I'm having issues choosing a developer because of this.

What exactly are the benefits of, say, a pyro-based developer for the contact printer? I understand it has to do with the stain, but I don't think I understand the specifics of what the stain actually does for the printing.

What are some non-pyro developers that are very good for contact print friendly negatives?

And, last but not least...

Is there a book that I should look into on contact printing in particular? I'd be very interested in that as well.

 

[2F/2F]

For contact printing negs, unlike negs that will be enlarged, a developer (or a film) that is super sharp or super grainless does not have as important of an impact, so you pick a developer more for what it will do to tonality and contrast. Because burning and dodging is generally much more difficult with a contact print than with an enlargement, getting the neg developed as close as possible to the desired tones and contrast is really the biggest concern. As you know, you can do this with any developer.

The best thing to do would be to expose a step wedge, develop the film, and contract print it to your preferred paper. There will likely be a bit of a difference in contrast between an enlargement and a contact from the same neg, especially with a condenser enlarger. (Usually my prints done with my B22 condenser enlarger need about 1/2 a grade higher filter to look like the contacts.)

 

[Stephanie Brim]

I'll be using the bare bulb method for a while.

 

[BradS]

Like most things, if you can't get a good negative with D-76....nothing else will be any better. I'd start with whatever you're used to using with Fomapan as it has unusual characteristics. There is also something to be said for only changing one thing at a time. The change is that you're contact printing...so, keep everything else in your process kinda the same.

 

[CBG]

Presuming you are looking to contact print on an ordinary silver based paper, the only essential difference is that you'll need a bit more contrasty neg for contact printing if you are used to optimizing your negs for a condenser enlarger. A contact print will render something like one grade softer than you are used to. The result is that you will want a bit longer development time that what you do now. No big deal. Depending upon what film/s you use now, you might need to test out something like 10 to 25% longer developing.

What choice of developer isn't dictated by whether you contact print or enlarge, but by how you want to render the image. If I understand it right, pyro is very able to maintain highlight separation. Other developers are at their best at enhancing shadow separation - very dilute developers, two bath developers and the like.

 

[Anscojohn]

As above, a neg which will print properly with a diffusion or cold-light source will print properly by contact.
Keep it simple.

 

[CBG]

It won't take a huge modification. Something like one grade harder to overcome the softer rendition of contact printing. You could just use paper or filters one grade harder too...

 

[doughowk]

I try to get the density range of the negative to match the exposure scale of the paper. This isn't super critical since you can still dodge/burn and, more importantly, masking for when the DR is greater than the ES. If you don't have access to a densitometer, you can get a pretty good idea of your neg's DR with a light table, a step wedge and dark paper with a couple of holes for the neg and step wedge comparison. For the ES I usually rely on the manufacturer's specs & grading (or other photographers who have a reflection densitometer).

 

[removed account4]

for work that i have to submit i over develop a tiny bit and contact print on azo,
the development as stated by others is a bit more than condenser enlarger .. about the same as a cold light head
( i don't have a densitometer or anything fancy, i just eyeball it )

BUT ... for my own work it is overprocessed a TON and the film is bulletproof
(developed to completion ? )
you might say i am becoming more and more of a fan of mortenson the more i contact print sheet film.
i use regular old photo paper, nothing faddish or fancy i am using ilford fbmg these days. when i run out, maybe i'll used something expired ...
with my flood light it was taking about 100seconds ... no burning or dodging necessary.

if you want to have fun, and don't mind a surprise since you will have no idea what is on film
until it is printed that is .. i highly recommend this ...

otherwise, stick to the main road

 

[2F/2F]

That is so interesting, because I always notice a slight (about 1/2 grade) loss of contrast when moving from a contact to an enlargement with a condenser enlarger.