Fomabrom 112 fogged?

[Susan Glover]

Hi all, just opened a package of fomabrom 112 Variant. And every test print looks like the paper was flashed! It did create a nice solarisation fx, but that wasn't what I was going for I double checked the TDS and it's safe for red light, it went straight from the safe bag. So I'm stumped. First time using this, but before I email the seller just wanted to know if it could be something other then defect. Developer/ Fix was ilfasol and rapid fix. Stop was plain water.

Thanks for any help,
Susan

 

[Sirius Glass]

Welcome to APUG

I do not have a suggestion, but welcome, you have come to the right place.

 

[Susan Glover]

I thought that was a super fast response for an answer ! Thanks for the welcome though.

 

[jeffreythree]

Have you tested a piece in complete darkness? I don't know how old your paper is, but my habit of buying old papers means a piece gets tested for fog right off the bat followed by a coin test to see how long it can stay in my spaceflight without fogging.

 

[Susan Glover]

Have you tested a piece in complete darkness? I don't know how old your paper is, but my habit of buying old papers means a piece gets tested for fog right off the bat followed by a coin test to see how long it can stay in my spaceflight without fogging.

It's in date (2018) but I think a go in complete darkness may be worth a try.

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

Welcome to APUG...

We just had another thread where at least part of the unexpected fogging problem turned out to be safelight related. There is a very quick and easy safelight test described in post #25 of that thread that requires no processing, along with a simplified (no pre-flash) coin test in post #16 that does require processing.

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Ken

 

[Susan Glover]

Welcome to APUG...

We just had another thread where at least part of the unexpected fogging problem turned out to be safelight related. There is a very quick and easy safelight test described in post #25 of that thread that requires no processing, along with a simplified (no pre-flash) coin test in post #16 that does require processing.

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Ken

Welcome to APUG...

We just had another thread where at least part of the unexpected fogging problem turned out to be safelight related. There is a very quick and easy safelight test described in post #25 of that thread that requires no processing, along with a simplified (no pre-flash) coin test in post #16 that does require processing.

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Ken

Thanks Ken! The CD/DVD test gets kudo points for being weird and wonderful . But I'll try the coint test or print w/ and w/o safelight. I'm already inclined to believe it is the safelight.

 

[Doremus Scudder]

The test to check if your paper is fogged is as follows: In total darkness tear a sheet in half (or cut two strips, it doesn't really matter). Develop one of the pieces, stop and fix as normal. The other piece goes directly into the fix without being developed. After both pieces are fully fixed (everything up to this point in total darkness, of course), turn on the room light and compare them. If the developed piece is not as white as the fixed only piece, then there is fogging. This could be due to age, poor storage conditions, etc. If that is the case, then return the paper to the seller along with your test strips as evidence if needed.

To test your safelight, follow the procedure outlined on p. 5 in the Kodak publication K-4 here: http://www.kodak.com/global/en/consumer/products/pdf/k4.pdf .

Best,

Doremus

 

[Michael W]

I've been printing on 112 a fair bit recently and it is very easy to fog. I wound up printing in near darkness. Probably the safelights need replacing, but MGIV in the same room works with no problems with all safelights on, tested out to eight minutes.

 

[piu58]

> printing on 112 a fair bit recently and it is very easy to fog.

I use formabrom 111 (only an other surface) and it behaves normal. I have a conventional red light in the dark room, a bulb wit a red filter (around 40 years old now).

 

[Susan Glover]

Thanks guys! These are all great responses. And the surface quality of this paper (even fogged) will push me towards figuring it out, especially with all your help.

 

[gail nelson]

View attachment 151083
Hi all, just opened a package of fomabrom 112 Variant. And every test print looks like the paper was flashed! It did create a nice solarisation fx, but that wasn't what I was going for I double checked the TDS and it's safe for red light, it went straight from the safe bag. So I'm stumped. First time using this, but before I email the seller just wanted to know if it could be something other then defect. Developer/ Fix was ilfasol and rapid fix. Stop was plain water.

Thanks for any help,
Susan

 

[gail nelson]

View attachment 151083
Hi all, just opened a package of fomabrom 112 Variant. And every test print looks like the paper was flashed! It did create a nice solarisation fx, but that wasn't what I was going for I double checked the TDS and it's safe for red light, it went straight from the safe bag. So I'm stumped. First time using this, but before I email the seller just wanted to know if it could be something other then defect. Developer/ Fix was ilfasol and rapid fix. Stop was plain water.

Thanks for any help,
Susan

Hi Susan: At the end of 2015 I kept opening packs of Fomabrom 123 and they were all fogged! I kept having to send all back to Freestyle, tried other packs and then gave up. I did a little research and found that the 123 would be discontinued because of sensitivity to fogging. Maybe the 112 is the same regarding the sensitivity. I was really upset because I hand color, and this paper was beautiful for that. I've been hand coloring for 20 years and have experienced all my favorite papers being discontinued. So I have yet to find a replacement for the coloring. I'm now using Ilford Art 300. It's really textured and some of my customers don't like it and it's not my first choice. Ilford Classic is terrible for hand coloring as it really "grabs" the paint and doesn't let me move and blend the paint. If anyone has real experience with hand coloring with papers there are still in existence please let me know!

 

[Aleksej6]

Hi, I am using Fomabrom 112, never had such a problem, and I use red light and amber light in my darkroom. Probably yours has taken light, control your paper safe.

 

[Lachlan Young]

Fomabrom Variant's emulsion is pretty sensitive to safelights, as is their liquid emulsion. Compared to Ilford's papers, it is quite a bit more orthochromatic - it's in about the same spectral sensitisation range as Ilford Ortho+ film, though obviously quite a bit slower in speed. Ilford's data sheet shows that Multigrade Classic is sensitised to about 550nm, but they recommend a 580nm cutoff safelight. Fomabrom Variant seems to be sensitised to about 575nm, so you'd want a safelight more in the 600nm range - aka a Kodak 1A or Ilford 906.

 

[MartinP]

Why are you using film developer for paper? It is nowhere near active enough.