Higher contrast paper developer

[janjohansson]

I have a bunch of boxes with medium graded paper but not the possibility of complementing it with either harder nor softer grades of the same paper.


I use dektol 1+2 as standard developer.
Does it exist some developer which would give more contrast?

Would using it at stock concentration give more contrast and how much?

What about methodes? How much contrast change can be achieved through pushing/pulling during the printing process?

Other ways to get higher contrast?

All information very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Jan Johansson

 

[Philippe-Georges]

Look at Tetenal, I think it is Dokumol you need : http://www.tetenal.de/f_photo_consumer_sw_papier_schale_uk.htm

Good luck,
Philippe

 

[juan]

Depending on paper and developer, sometimes you can increase contrast by simply developing the print longer.
juan

 

[ann]

you can underexposure and over develop and it will add about 1/2 contrast.

or use a different ratio of developer.

ie. 1:1 with the dektol

or try ansco 130 at 1:1 or at full strength

another option. LPD at 1:1

 

[donbga]

I have a bunch of boxes with medium graded paper but not the possibility of complementing it with either harder nor softer grades of the same paper.


I use dektol 1+2 as standard developer.
Does it exist some developer which would give more contrast?

Would using it at stock concentration give more contrast and how much?

What about methodes? How much contrast change can be achieved through pushing/pulling during the printing process?

Other ways to get higher contrast?

All information very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Jan Johansson

One of the old Edwal developers (I'm blanking on the name right now) will give noticebly contrastier prints without extended development. David Vestal's black and white handbook illustrates its capacity to increase contrast. I don't know if the Edwal product is still made but I think there maybe a formula for it in Anchel's book or on the web. Sorry to be so vague but you might try a web search on Edwal developers.

 

[Mark Layne]

One of the old Edwal developers (I'm blanking on the name right now) will give noticebly contrastier prints without extended development. David Vestal's black and white handbook illustrates its capacity to increase contrast. I don't know if the Edwal product is still made but I think there maybe a formula for it in Anchel's book or on the web. Sorry to be so vague but you might try a web search on Edwal developers.

Edwal G if I remember correctly
Mark

 

[Rolleiflexible]

another option. LPD at 1:1

Ann, can you elaborate? I use LPD all the time at 1:3. Will going to 1:1 dilution really increase contrast, doing everything else the same? How big of a step up in contrast will it give?

I am assuming you are speaking of a 1:1 dilution of the developer sold as a liquid, not as a powder. The dilutions differ

Sanders McNew

 

[Ole]

Wolfgang Moersch has a range of developers for varying tones and contrast. I've tried the Amidol Plus, and that (two-bath developer) gave me more than three full grades variation on graded paper (Fortezo).

http://www.moersch-photochemie.de/index_e.php

He posts here on Apug occasionally, too!

 

[Shawn Dougherty]

I too would suggest some version of Amidol developer. I've found that amidol not only gives me the ability to create contrast on graded paper by varying dev times, but it also responds extremely well to a water bath, which eliminates much burning. If you're after deep blacks this will certainly do the trick. It is expensive and messy but what in photographys isn't? Good luck. Shawn

 

[Craig]

I have a bunch of boxes with medium graded paper but not the possibility of complementing it with either harder nor softer grades of the same paper.

I've found that Ilford Cooltone developer gives about half a grade more contrast than the regular multigrade developer. It takes longer to develop in the tray thought, sometimes up to 6 min for full devlopment.

 

[nworth]

The Beers developers (and Kodak D-64) are an interesting approach. I often find the need for a quarter or half step contrast adjustment, and these were designed to provide that. Since I use variable contrast papers, I'm not sure how well they work with modern materials, though. Less dilution of your Dektol (1+1 or undiluted) will increase contrast a bit. Developers designed for contact papers (e.g. Defender 54-D, Kodak D-73, etc.) seem to give a bit more contrast then the usual lot. Gevaert GD-16 is supposed to give higher contrast.

Gevaert GD-16 paper developer
For more contrast on contact papers
Metol 700 mg
Sodium sulfite 2.4 g
Hydroquinone 9.7 g
Sodium carbonate 35.1 g
Potassium bromide 700 mg
WTM 1l

 

[dancqu]

Gevaert GD-16 is supposed to give higher contrast.

Gevaert GD-16 paper developer
For more contrast on contact papers
Metol 700 mg
Sodium sulfite 2.4 g
Hydroquinone 9.7 g
Sodium carbonate 35.1 g
Potassium bromide 700 mg
WTM 1l

Where did you dig that one up? I can't find a single source
on the WWW. A Very interesting formula. Are you sure it is
correct? Minus the metol it could be a lith developer; so
little sulfite. It must be a one-shot. Dan

 

[ann]

Ann, can you elaborate? I use LPD all the time at 1:3. Will going to 1:1 dilution really increase contrast, doing everything else the same? How big of a step up in contrast will it give?

I am assuming you are speaking of a 1:1 dilution of the developer sold as a liquid, not as a powder. The dilutions differ

Sanders McNew

No we only use the powder form in our labs . Mix the stock solution per the directions, and then use a 1:1 ratio for printing.

and it does increase the dmax of the paper.

 

[noseoil]

Jan, already mentioned here, but paper can act sort of like film in the development process. If you give less exposure, the highlights will be whiter. If you give less exposure and then follow up with more development, the dark areas will be darker, which makes it seem there is more contrast than in a "normal" print.

Amidol developer, with this technique and a water bath, works wonders in a print. If you decide to use amidol, it will take a bit of time to figure all this out. Amidol does cost more and is a "one shot" developer (which you mix from dry chemicals and then discard after use), but it is the best way to get really black blacks in a print. The chemicals have to be bought, measured, combined and worked with a few times to really see what is possible, but it is certainly worth the effort when printing. Photographers Formulary (one of the advertisers here) sells a kit or the basic chemicals if you want to try. Best, tim

 

[Gerald Koch]

Try Dektol at 1+1. If this doesn't produce enough contrast then add extra bromide to the working solution. You will have to experiment a bit.

 

[janjohansson]

Thank you all. Now i have some more ideas of what ways to go.
/j

 

[Dave Krueger]

No we only use the powder form in our labs . Mix the stock solution per the directions, and then use a 1:1 ratio for printing.

and it does increase the dmax of the paper.

*smacks forehead*

I use Dektol at 1:2 these days. So, if I switch to full strength or go with 1:1, I will get darker blacks?

I've been using Ilford MGIV RC for my non-display prints and have never been very happy with the blacks.

Sounds like I need to mix up a batch of Dektol at full strength...

 

[Ole]

To back up a few steps first, the Moersch Amidol+ I mentioned is a two-bath developer consisting of an extremely soft amidol developer and a very hard pyrocatechol developer. That combination lets you vary the contrast of a "normal" G2 paper from below G0 to almost pure black/white. It's a little tricky in the beginning, but it's a great tool in the darkroom.

"Deeper blacks" to me does not imply higher Dmax. I've been using Ilford Galerie the past few days, and it's a wonderful paper with really impressive tonality. But for the really, really deep blacks I'd much rather use Bergger Prestige, which has a much lower Dmax and a "velvety" surface. It may not be blacker, but it certainly looks blacker!

If I have any choise at all, I prefer graded papers. I'll be trying the Galerie G1 in a soft developer this week; I have some negatives that are way too hard for G1! And I'll try hard developers too - I have 110 sheets of G1, and very few negatives that match it exactly.

 

[Steve Sherman]

Edwal G is the higher contast developer someone spoke of. It will noticably change the color of the print to the cooler side.

One trick not mentioned here, with graded papers you can often change contrast by changing the color of the light source. Use a deep blue gel above the negative to increase contrast and a medium green gel to effect softer contrast. I use inexpensive Theatre gels, the kind designed to go over hot stage lights, total investment less than $20.00. Not to worry, adding these color gels won't significantly lengthen exposure times, as this is actually additive filtration which is opposite of Variable Contrast Filters which are subtractive in nature.

You can also try heating the developer to about 85 degrees and overexposing and underdelveloping to perserve some warmth in the print.

 

[Roger Hicks]

"Deeper blacks" to me does not imply higher Dmax. I've been using Ilford Galerie the past few days, and it's a wonderful paper with really impressive tonality. But for the really, really deep blacks I'd much rather use Bergger Prestige, which has a much lower Dmax and a "velvety" surface. It may not be blacker, but it certainly looks blacker!

Yes, it's odd, this, isn't it? There's so much subjectivity in it.

I'm slightly puzzled at those who say 'develop more' or 'under-expose and over-develop', as all modern papers are designed to be developed to completion.

But to answer the original post, Fotospeed's Grade Select developer says on the box that it can give the equivalent of grades 1 to 4 on grade 2 paper. I haven't tried it yet, but I do have some waiting to be tried.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

Agfa 108 High Contrast Paper Developer

Warm Water (125F or 52C) 750ml
Metol 5.0 grams
Sodium Sulfite, anhydrous 40.0 grams
Hydroquinone 6.0 grams
Potassium Carbonate 40.0 grams
Potassium Bromide 2.0 grams
Cold Water to make 1.0 liter

Use full strength; develop 1-2 minutes

Source: Photo Lab Index, 1977, Morgan and Morgan

 

[Steve Sherman]

The "over expose / under develop" suggestion is meant only to effect a warmer final image. Most if not all higher contrast developer variations produce cooler prints.

Because Amidol is such a powerful reducing agent it can produce a wide variety of contrast from the same paper and negative, albeit cooler the longer the print stays in developer.

 

[dancqu]

Agfa 108 High Contrast Paper Developer

Warm Water (125F or 52C) 750ml
Metol 5.0 grams
Sodium Sulfite, anhydrous 40.0 grams
Hydroquinone 6.0 grams
Potassium Carbonate 40.0 grams
Potassium Bromide 2.0 grams
Cold Water to make 1.0 liter

Use full strength; develop 1-2 minutes.

Very similar to Beer's 5; make that 5.5 grams each
M and Q. Not so contrasty as Dektol based on those
ratios. I'd say it's got enough chemistry to go 1:1 and
not notice the difference. Beer's 7 which has a ratio of
1:7 M and Q will give more contrast.

That Gevaert formula nworth mentioned this thread
is very interesting. Know anything about it? I've not
found any mention of it. Dan

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

So far, I've found nothing in my archives on the Gevaert GD-16 paper developer, Dan

 

[George Papantoniou]

Wolfgang Moersch has a range of developers for varying tones and contrast. I've tried the Amidol Plus, and that (two-bath developer) gave me more than three full grades variation on graded paper (Fortezo).

http://www.moersch-photochemie.de/index_e.php

He posts here on Apug occasionally, too!

Does he ??? What's his handle ?