how to increase paper contrast?

alien · Apr 21, 2006

Hello all!

Here is my problem:

I use Paterson FX 50 to develop my negatives. Usually I can develop them easily so that I can print on grade 2 to 3 - so perfect.

Unfortunately my developer has gone bad, and I did not notice. So I developed negatives with VERY low contrast - the picture however is there.

I can print some with Grade 5, but some are still too soft.

I use Ilford Multigrade - is there any paper developer, that would give me an extra grade, or is there a toner I could use to increase the contrast after the print is finished?

By the way, I still use the same FX 50 - I get good negatives now by using double concentration of the developer. At least I can use it up and don't have to pour it away - and the negatives are just fine.

Thanks for your inputs!

Ansgar

Marco Gilardetti · Apr 21, 2006

Usually, you'd want to work ON THE NEGATIVE with a reinforcing solution. There are some commercially available, or you can mix one yourself.

alien · Apr 21, 2006

oh, I did not know that!

does that work with the finished negative, too (i.e. when it is all fixed and washed)?

Where can I look for this?

Thanks

Ansgar

ann · Apr 21, 2006

you can use selenium to intensify the negative.

However, you can also try some other things with the developers i.e. straight rather than diluted; underexpose the print over developed it as one with film for increasing contrast, are two options that may or maynot be helpful.

Bob F. · Apr 21, 2006

You may want to try one of these (http://www.silverprint.co.uk/chem8.html) - never tried them, so you might want to wait for someone with experience to pop up before trying... I seem to remember there is a highly toxic mercury intensifier available somewhere too...

Good luck, Bob.

<edit: PM sent >

Marco Gilardetti · Apr 21, 2006

Yes, they indeed work after washing and fixing.

There is one Kodak intensifier product which should be commercially available in UK. You should ask your dealer. The formula was called IN-6, I seem to recall.

Many people claim to have obtained even better results by processing the negative in a Selenium toning bath. You may want to try the latter as it's very easy to find. In this case, I would recommend pre-washing the film again before toning.

Marco Gilardetti · Apr 21, 2006

Uh, perfect. The Speedibrew Chromium intensifier on the page suggested by BOB F. is based on one of the most classic formulas ever. It'll bleach the negative, which will have then to be re-developed again in a developer containing a high ratio of hydroquinone.

It is probably what fits you best. If you're printing on paper 5 and it's still not enough, I doubt Selenium would be sufficient.

reellis67 · Apr 21, 2006

I have read, but not personaly attempted it, that negatives may be raised as much as one whole grade in contrast by toning them with a sepia toner. The reference is in The Photographer's Toning Book: The Definitive Guide by Tim Ruddman.

- Randy

Gerald Koch · Apr 21, 2006

you can use selenium to intensify the negative.

If you have to resort to grade 5 paper then selenium toner will not provide enought intensification. It provides less than 1 paper grade in my experience. Even chromium intensifier may not provide enough. Your best bet might be one of the mercury intensifiers.

Claire Senft · Apr 21, 2006

If you use a ferricyanide bleach..2 teaspoons of potassium ferricyanide and a half teaspoon of potassium bromide in a pint of water and allow them to bleach for about five minutes and redevelop them in a staining developer such as PMK or Pyrocat HD you will with each cycle gain contrast. Do this:

prewet your negatives for a couple of minutes
bleach until a good deal of the negative density is gone
wash for 5 minutes
put into the staining developer and agigtate for 10 minutes.
wash the negative for 10 minutes.

Each cycle will give more stain density to the highlight and midtones proportional to the original density. The best way to determine this is to start with a single negative that has already been printed that has shown itself to have insufficient contrast. Dry it at the end of the first cycle and reprint it. The gain in contrast is best judged by printing not visual observation. You should not experience any loss of sharpness or increase of grain. Repat as necessary with additional cycles.

Then process all the other negatives similarly.

j-fr · Apr 21, 2006

alien said:
Hello all!

I use Ilford Multigrade - is there any paper developer, that would give me an extra grade, or is there a toner I could use to increase the contrast after the print is finished?

Ansgar

I have had a similar problem. Ilford Multigrade at filter 5 was not enough. A very hot and strong developer, Eukobrom 1 + 4 at 40 C solved it. Rather easy, no extra chemicals. Good luck!

j-fr

Ole · Apr 21, 2006

I've had good results from bleaching the negatives and redeveloping in a staining developer. For maximum effect (I needed that, I wanted to print a thin negative on POP) use basic Pyro/Soda developer: 1 liter water, 2 teaspoons pyrogallol, 2 teaspoons sodium hydroxide. Dissolve each ingredient in half the water, then mix the solutions immediately before use. Lifetime of the user solution is measured in minutes, so the developer dies just about when development is complete.

alien · Apr 21, 2006

Dear all,

thanks a lot for all this advice!

I will have a close look at the negatives in question, and I hope to be able to post a 'mission accomplished' note here soon! I will let you know exactly what I did and what it did for me - I hope it will help someone else another time!

All the best to all of you

Ansgar

dancqu · Apr 22, 2006

alien said:
Dear all, thanks a lot for all this advice! Ansgar

And there's more yet. Two observations actually.
That #5 filter may not be delivering any more than
grade 4, if that. Very likely the grade in the highlight
areas is even less. I think Graded #5 paper is no
longer available. You may do better though
with an honest to goodness Graded #4
and a high contrast developer such
as Beer's #7.

Perhaps your bromide levels are low. I've read of
and am about to test a claim that bromide
will increase contrast. Dan

removed account4 · Apr 22, 2006

hi

i am not sure if you can get it anymore, but agfa used to make/sell a paper
that made it very easy to print very very thin negatives.
when we moved 6 + years ago, i put my box "someplace safe" along with all the other darkroom stuff i can't seem to find. if i come across it, and you still need to print out the film, i'll send you some of what i have if you pm me your address. the paper might be fogged ( rc paper at least 15 years old ) but still, it might still do the trick.

good luck!

john

abeku · Apr 22, 2006

Interresting reading about redeveloping the negatives, I've to try that!
What I've done with thin negatives is to print them at grade #5 in order to obtain some decent contrast, and then further enhance the contrast by bleaching the print and in some cases tone it in selenium. I've been very satisfied with the results.

gainer · Apr 22, 2006

Probably the most you can do the easiest way is to raise the pH and concentration of the developer you have and increase bromide content so as to allow maximum development time. With VC paper you might try a blue color separation filter and more active developer. You can always combine these ploys with bleach-redevelopment of the negative. These combined will almost let you resurrect imaginary images. Do the operations on the negative as last resort because bad things can happen. It couldn't hurt to make a copy of the negative on film for insurance. You can do anything you want with the copy.

Gay Larson · Apr 22, 2006

I can't tell you how much I appreciate all that I learn on APUG. Thank you for the infomation and thanks for asking the question.

fschifano · Apr 23, 2006

jnanian said:
i am not sure if you can get it anymore, but agfa used to make/sell a paper that made it very easy to print very very thin negatives.

Years ago and no doubt long gone, there was a paper from Agfa, Brovira #6. If you printed a normal to moderately high contrast negative on it, you got nothing but blacks and whites.

Shmoo · Apr 23, 2006

Also, depending upon how much contrast you want, you may want to go straight to a lith neg and not mess with your original neg. It might give you what you want.

S

dancqu · Apr 23, 2006

Shmoo said:
Also, depending upon how much contrast you want,
you may want to go straight to a lith neg and not
mess with your original neg.

And that brings up the subject of direct negatives.
Read up on that at Unblinking Eye; Less is More.
Search Articles. Dan

Woolliscroft · Apr 24, 2006

Over-developing the print will make a slight difference, say 2-3 minutes with plenty of aggitation.

David.

Mark Layne · Apr 24, 2006

Try lith developer
Mark

j-fr · Apr 24, 2006

Mark Layne said:
Try lith developer
Mark

I've tried Tetenal Dokumol with Multigrade Paper. Didn't work, flat and greyish.

j-fr

how to increase paper contrast?

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