Is it possible to print Portra 160 on llford Multigrade ?

[ezphotolessons]

Sure. I do understand the pessimism though. Mucking about making two generations of pos/neg intermediates is something many people won't want to bother with to make a print.

mucking about is fun, and it opens-the-eyes too the original-postmaker that anything is possible, and it's all fun. i hope the original-poster gets-addicted to making-prints, there's nothing like it

 

[logan2z]

In the video they show strips of Phoenix (I) negatives.

I'm not sure what film that is, but I don't think it's Phoenix as that film was introduced in 2023 and the video is 4 years old. There's also a comment on that video from Ilford Photo in response to another poster's comment that reads:

Obviously we'd prefer it if everyone only shot our black and white films and stayed away from colour

That's probably not something Ilford would have said after the introduction of their own color negative film

 

[tcolgate]

In the video they show strips of Phoenix (I) negatives. That's a bit of an oddball because there's no orange mask to contend with, and contrast is far higher than on any normal CN film.

I hadn't noticed it was phoenix, I can see that maybe working a shade better, but I have seen others try with regular orange masked films too.

The main thing though is it doesn't hurt to give something a try. Getting used to just trying things seems pretty central to darkroom work. Results that are unacceptable to one person may be fine, or even desirable to another.

Creating an interpisitive might be a bit of a stretch for a beginner, but even then, it's all learning (I'd try the straight print first though, and try and understand the results).

 

[mshchem]

I'm not sure what film that is, but I don't think it's Phoenix as that film was introduced in 2023 and the video is 4 years old. There's also a comment on that video from Ilford Photo in response to another poster's comment that reads:

Obviously we'd prefer it if everyone only shot our black and white films and stayed away from colour

That's probably not something Ilford would have said after the introduction of their own color negative film

I was wondering about timing as well. The negatives shown do look like Phoenix at first glance. Probably some odd stuff.

 

[koraks]

Well, whatever it is, it's not a regular CN film:

mucking about is fun, and it opens-the-eyes too the original-postmaker that anything is possible, and it's all fun.

...some of the time. "Try anything once", people sometimes say. Without taking it literally, I'd say 'sure'. But I think many people consider it more fun to just head into the darkroom with a set of negatives that work for the print process they have in mind.

 

[tcolgate]

I think the colour grading on that thumbnail is deceptive. The sheet she holds at the start a clearly orange masked. As are the ones on the light table

 

[mshchem]

Well, whatever it is, it's not a regular CN film:
View attachment 412789


...some of the time. "Try anything once", people sometimes say. Without taking it literally, I'd say 'sure'. But I think many people consider it more fun to just head into the darkroom with a set of negatives that work for the print process they have in mind.

Possibly? now we know the secret source of Adox Color Mission I

 

[koraks]

I think the colour grading on that thumbnail is deceptive.

You're probably right; the edge markings remind me of Fuji:

 

[Don_ih]

No, Don.

Yes, I'll remember that. When I want to take a b&w photo of a red car on a grassy field, to cancel out the red, I'll put a red filter on the lens. I'll expose for the grass. I'll let myself be surprised.

 

[tezzasmall]

Exactly what @AZD says. Long exposure times, high contrast grade; results are hit & miss. If the print must be a darkroom print, then it can work this way. But for a technically better print, scan the color negative and then output in whatever way desired.

I too have developed AND printed an old C41 film in b/w chemicals. The negatives were a bit thin but I was able to print them on RC MG paper at grade 5. The exposures weren't too long at all when printed as 7" x 5" prints.

The film was found after an old camera was bought in a charity shop. The purchaser of the camera then approached the photography club to which I was then a member, and as I was the only person who still used a darkroom, I volunteered to give it all a go, with no promises. Yes, the prints lacked a bit of contrast and the grain was a bit more obvious, but the receivers of the prints were more than happy with the results.

This story was then reported by a local newspaper, of which was later picked up by another paper. The biggest surprise of all, was that the family in the pictures were traced and the now grown up children were very grateful for the prints. So all I can add, is to give it a go.

And if you get it in your head to search out some Panalure, don't bother. None of it will be any good.

Koraks' advice is likely the best and easiest way to go.

As for Don's advice, I would say it's down to the individual. Lots of older papers are being bought up by lith printers, like myself, and we find the majority of it to be fine to print lith on, although older papers have a tendency to have fog, so it's a chance one takes if it's going to be used for its original purpose. But, there is a LOT of panalure paper on eBay, at quite low prices. It's the p+p that hurts the most. But, if I did it again, I'd definitely look at purchasing a pack with fingers crossed.

And yes, as said, scanning and then printing the negatives on an inkjet is probably the easiest route, but I for one would definitely try to make a print or two in the darkroom first, with or without some panalure paper.

Terry S
UK

 

[koraks]

I too have developed AND printed an old C41 film in b/w chemicals.

That's a different scenario though. When developing C41 negatives in B&W developer, you can end up with very pronounced grain and a lot of additional density due to the silver-based yellow filter that won't be bleached out in this approach. These negatives can be even harder to print in terms of overall density, but you don't have to deal with the issue of the somewhat unpredictable spectral response of a color negative on multigrade paper. I've also done this; i.e. develop Fuji 200 CN film in something like Rodinal or so and then optically enlarged. Worked OK-ish; very long exposure times and a bit grainy, but the prints came out fine.

 

[Frank53]

Is it possible to print Portra 160 on llford Multigrade ?

must be possible.
When I set my Heiland controller to Portra 160 and Ilford MGIV, I get grade 3.4 at 21sec and aperture 4.0. Size 20x30cm. Bit longer than most b/w negatives.
Never printed color negatives myself.

 

[tcolgate]

A boy off topic, but I did quite like Ilford XP2 in id11, and have printed from it fairly easily..