Do you print 4 x 6's?

[rpavich]

Noob to the darkroom here.

I've been printing 8 x 10 and 5 x 7 but I wondered if anyone prints 4 x 6? I noticed that nobody seems to sell 4 x 6 paper (except for printable post cards)

Do you just trim down 5 x 7 paper when you want to print 4 x 6 or does anyone just not do that?

 

[MattKrull]

Do you just trim down 5 x 7 paper when you want to print 4 x 6 or does anyone just not do that?

Pretty much.
Labs tend to print 4x6s without borders, which is hard to do in a dark room. For 5x7 I use my 3-in-1 non adjustible easel, and that gives me 1/4" borders for a 4.5" x 6.5" image. If I really wanted it to fit in a binder I could chop those down after the fact, but really, I just leave them as is.

 

[rpavich]

Thanks Matt, I guess I'll try that.

 

[bvy]

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/114740-REG/

 

[rpavich]

Thanks, I wonder how I missed that. 500 sheets...wow. That will last me a lifetime.

 

[fotch]

Back in the days that 3.5x5 were standard, retailer labs offered 4x6 to make their offering more attractive. Since 5x7 cut in to 2 is easiest for the home dark room, I would either print that or just print 5x7 and be done with it. Or print 4x5 & crop a little bit.

 

[fotch]

Also available were easels that would hold 8x10 paper with masking so you could print 4 prints on 1 sheet and cut later.

 

[bvy]

Thanks, I wonder how I missed that. 500 sheets...wow. That will last me a lifetime.

It's about twenty cents a sheet, which isn't bad. If you're printing larger, you can use these for test strips or prints. They'll go fast.

 

[rpavich]

Good point. Right now I'm tearing 8 x 10's in half. This has to be more economical.

 

[bvy]

Also available were easels that would hold 8x10 paper with masking so you could print 4 prints on 1 sheet and cut later.

Combination easels.

 

[MrBrowning]

I haven't used it but came across it while looking for other photo papers.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Adorama-Var...710775?hash=item4d3ae72d77:g:hSgAAOSwyZ5UpSu6

 

[gone]

My preference would be 5x7 for 35mm, just to have something to work with on the edges. It's funny how print sizes got "standardized", when it's fine to print any size you like. Back when I used to send my film out to a lab, I liked the 4x6 machine prints that the labs made just for my own reference, but when they started printing everything on colour paper instead of true B&W it was a pretty big hit in image quality, at least to my eyes.

At home, I use 8x10 as a minimum size for 35mm, which doesn't work that great for full frame printing. There's lots left over at the top and bottom. I spent too much time painting before going to photography, and still think that 8x10 is a little bitty print.

 

[bergytone]

I just slice up 8 x 10 to get three 4 x 6, and you get a nice left over 2 x 4 that you can use for 'wallet size' prints, or for test strips. It's probably the most economical. Still probably costs 5 cents per 4x6 print, but at least you don't have to buy 500 sheets.

 

[miha]

Yes! All the time. I have a couple of Fomatone 4x6 boxes of 100. I call them album prints and they do end up in albums which is where (narrative) photographs belong if you ask me, rarely on walls, but nowadyas everyone prints 8x10 and above. I miss single weight BF papers, Agfa Record Rapid to be precise

 

[MattKing]

I just slice up 8 x 10 to get three 4 x 6, and you get a nice left over 2 x 4 that you can use for 'wallet size' prints, or for test strips. It's probably the most economical. Still probably costs 5 cents per 4x6 print, but at least you don't have to buy 500 sheets.

Same here.

If you are doing multiple prints of the same negative, you can leave the 8" x 6" piece together, and print it one half, flip around, and then the other half, leaving two prints on a sheet, to be trimmed after drying. This cuts the time spent developing.

8.5" x 11" paper will cut into four sheets of 4.25" x 5.5", if those will serve your needs.

 

[rpavich]

Wow. Thanks for the good information everyone!

Very helpful crowd.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

I like chopping 5x7 RC paper in half. I have one of those 4-in-1 easels that makes perfect borders. Great way to make some quick proof prints. Highly recommend it.

 

[Chan Tran]

Noob to the darkroom here.

I've been printing 8 x 10 and 5 x 7 but I wondered if anyone prints 4 x 6? I noticed that nobody seems to sell 4 x 6 paper (except for printable post cards)

Do you just trim down 5 x 7 paper when you want to print 4 x 6 or does anyone just not do that?

I have masked easel that I can print 4 4x5 on a sheet of 8x10 paper. I can print 4 different frames on the same sheet of paper not 4 prints of the same frame.

 

[Black Dog]

We could send letters

Yes! All the time. I have a couple of Fomatone 4x6 boxes of 100. I call them album prints and they do end up in albums which is where (narrative) photographs belong if you ask me, rarely on walls, but nowadyas everyone prints 8x10 and above. I miss single weight BF papers, Agfa Record Rapid to be precise

Perfect for the APUG postcard exchange!