Experiences with New Grade 3 AZO

Francesco · Aug 12, 2004

I will share mine - I find it to be soooo slow that it requires nearly 3 stops more exposure than the corresponding time for Grade 2 - the old Grade 3 needed only 1 stop more (my variables). Nevertheless, it still retains the wonderful colour and tonal quality of the old Grade 3. The new Grade 3 has in fact rekindled my belief in Grade 2 - i.e. to get the best out of AZO one must strive for a negative that prints well on G2.

sanking · Aug 13, 2004

Francesco said:
I will share mine - I find it to be soooo slow that it requires nearly 3 stops more exposure than the corresponding time for Grade 2 - the old Grade 3 needed only 1 stop more (my variables). Nevertheless, it still retains the wonderful colour and tonal quality of the old Grade 3. The new Grade 3 has in fact rekindled my belief in Grade 2 - i.e. to get the best out of AZO one must strive for a negative that prints well on G2.

Francesco,

Where is the new AZO Grade 3 manufactured? I have been experimenting with some of the Grade 3 manufactured in Canada, of fairly recent production, and exposure times were only just slightly more than for the Azo #2.

Sandy

Alex Hawley · Aug 13, 2004

sanking said:
Francesco,

Where is the new AZO Grade 3 manufactured? I have been experimenting with some of the Grade 3 manufactured in Canada, of fairly recent production, and exposure times were only just slightly more than for the Azo #2.

Sandy

Sandy, I believe Michael answered this over in the Azo forum. Look for his posts on the new Grade 3. If I remember right, it was said Kodak made a slight error in the formulation resulting in the slowness.

I still like the tonality of Grade 3 over Grade 2, and that hasn't changed. To make up for the speed difference, I just moved my light down to two feet above the printing frame.

This was all with J&C 200 negs developed in ABC. Just about to start using PyroCat so we'll probably see some changes again.

Francesco · Aug 13, 2004

Sandy, if you purchased your Grade 3 before June this year then you have the Canadian one. I think that the post June Grade 3 is made in Brazil (please check with the AZO forum on this). One thing I am certain of is that this new one is much slower than the Canadian G3 that you have. I made prints on both and the difference in speed is startling. The results are just as good though.

Alex Hawley · Aug 14, 2004

I just finished a round of prints, one of them on the new Grade 3. Like I alluded to previously, moving my light bulb down to twenty-four inches above the printing frame greatly reduces the necessary exposure time. That's the only downside I can see to the new G3. Everything else seems to be the same.

Francesco · Aug 14, 2004

Alex, I think I will do as you do and lower the bulb a foot. Great idea!

c6h6o3 · Aug 14, 2004

Francesco said:
One thing I am certain of is that this new one is much slower than the Canadian G3 that you have. I made prints on both and the difference in speed is startling.

This same difference in speed was also noted with the Canadian Grade 2 as opposed to the prior run which had been made in Rochester. (i.e., 3 minutes as opposed to 45 seconds - 300W bulb at 3 ft.). The Canadian Grade 2 had the additional difference of being softer in contrast, which attribute, as I understand it, is not present in the new Grade 3. Do we see a pattern emerging here?

Alex Hawley · Aug 14, 2004

c6h6o3 said:
Do we see a pattern emerging here?

I think you've uncovered a plot Jim. Those Digital Executives at Father K are conspiring to drive all of us Azo Heads MAD. By slowing the paper speed, we will spend more time in our darkrooms increasing our exposure to amidol and pyro. As we all know, this results in a fine madness, which will eventually clense photography of all Azo Addicts ending the market once and for all!

We need General Jack Ripper and his B-52 Wing from Burpelson AFB to make a pre-emptive strike and end this threat to our precious Azo addiction.

c6h6o3 · Aug 15, 2004

Alex Hawley said:
As we all know, this results in a fine madness,

...not to mention the elimination of our precious bodily fluids. Since amidol is 2,4-diaminophenol dihydrochloride, the similarity of "dihydro" to "dehydro" has not escaped me. Note also that chlorine is a halogen, as is that most evil of all elements, fluorine.

Alex Hawley · Aug 15, 2004

That confirms it. I'm digging out my CRM-114 Discriminator and sending the "Go" code for Wing Attack Plan R. Let's get this thing on the hump. We got some flyin' to do!

Experiences with New Grade 3 AZO

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