Kentona Problem

Jack Lusted · Sep 15, 2006

I've just bought a small pack of Kentmere Kentona to try out (I usually use Kentmere Fineprint and I like it a lot). However the results seem to be odd to say the least. Blacks have a definite greenish cast and the whites are a dirty yellow colour - especially around the edge of the paper.
I tried developing an unexposed sheet - still a dirty yellow, but this time with purplish blotches! I also fixed one sheet with out development and it came out a nice clear white as one would expect.
Processing has been in Nova quad processor using Nova developer, Ilford stop and Hypam fix. All chemicals were fresh. Also tried Fotospeed Warm Tone developer - same result, but perhaps not quite so bad.

I've tried to get some help from Kentmere, but their technical chap has not been in for the last couple of days, and also 'Silverprint' (from whom I bought the paper) again they could offer no help or suggestions (other than the obvious - use fresh chemicals).

Any other ideas??

tim rudman · Sep 15, 2006

I would try Kentmere again in a couple of days. They are always helpful in my experience. There was a period of some coating/emulsion washing problems a while ago so it could be that you have an affected batch. If you have the batch number I'm sure they can tell you if this could be the case and replace if appropriate.
Tim

pentaxuser · Sep 24, 2006

I haven't used Silverprint or Kentmere but if there was a known problem with a batch, it's a bit worrying that neither of the two asked you for the batch number. Especially if you told them about the problem being there with a different developer.

It sounds as if neither company want to take ownership of the issue or help. Surely the first rule of customer service. There's plenty of evidence from it's involvement on this site that Ilford do not take such negative attitudes

pentaxuser

pentaxuser

c6h6o3 · Sep 24, 2006

Jack Lusted said:
I've just bought a small pack of Kentmere Kentona to try out (I usually use Kentmere Fineprint and I like it a lot). However the results seem to be odd to say the least. Blacks have a definite greenish cast and the whites are a dirty yellow colour - especially around the edge of the paper.
I tried developing an unexposed sheet - still a dirty yellow, but this time with purplish blotches! I also fixed one sheet with out development and it came out a nice clear white as one would expect.
Processing has been in Nova quad processor using Nova developer, Ilford stop and Hypam fix. All chemicals were fresh. Also tried Fotospeed Warm Tone developer - same result, but perhaps not quite so bad.

I've tried to get some help from Kentmere, but their technical chap has not been in for the last couple of days, and also 'Silverprint' (from whom I bought the paper) again they could offer no help or suggestions (other than the obvious - use fresh chemicals).

Any other ideas??

I've only made a few prints with this paper, developed in amidol and fixed in a plain hypo fixer. It is yellow in the fixer. However, the yellow goes away after only a minute or two in the wash. It will then exhibit a beautiful warm brown/black color, at least if it's developed in amidol. In my opinion, it is magnificent paper. Don't give up on it.

Mark Layne · Sep 24, 2006

Brief Selenium toning eliminates any green cast quickly. Kentona is a wonderful paper
Mark

c6h6o3 · Sep 24, 2006

Mark Layne said:
Brief Selenium toning eliminates any green cast quickly. Kentona is a wonderful paper
Mark

What dilution did you use? I used really strong selenium solution and it turned the prints a nauseating purple.

Mark Layne · Sep 25, 2006

c6h6o3 said:
What dilution did you use? I used really strong selenium solution and it turned the prints a nauseating purple.

I seldom use anything stronger than 1:20 more likely 1:30. This gives good control over colour shift.
The green cast goes quickly even in dilute selenium
Kentona can give nice browns in various dilutions of Viradon
Mark

Jack Lusted · Sep 26, 2006

Managed finally to get through to someone at Kentmere who wasn't a receptionist. He said that the batch no. had given trouble before (soft emulsion). Sent him the pack of paper on Thursday and am now awaiting a reply.
WRT washing - as the results were so yuck they did not have my usual full treatment - just 10min, hypo clear and another 5 mins or so - nothing accurate.

skillian · Sep 26, 2006

Jack,

Can you post the batch number they gave you so the rest of us can avoid these batches?

Thanks!

Jack Lusted · Sep 26, 2006

Scott,
unfortunately I didn't note the number down before sending the stuff back.
However, chappie from Kentmere phoned me this evening. He agreed that the prints I had made were duff, but he used some paper from the middle of the pack and he said that it was fine. Apparently what happened was caused by chemical fogging.
Frankly this surprises me as the pack's seal was only opened just before use.
The paper was only in my home for one day before opening - all the chemicals were fresh and correctly diluted. So this is all still a bit of a mystery.
Anyway, he is sending me a new pack which I'll look forward to trying out.
The only thing I wonder is whether the paper had been stored badly at the retailer - or if it was seriously old.
Never mind, I'll try out the new pack and see how that goes.

Jack Lusted · Oct 5, 2006

Well, I've been having a go with the new pack sent from Kentmere.

The results are a bit odd - processing the paper in Nova slot processor with Nova developer the problem was reduced but still there - especially where the clip was attached to the paper. When the same neg was printed on Kentmere 'Fine Print' no problem at all!?!

Got out my dishes and dish processed in Fotospeed Warm Tone. Worked fine on both 'Kentona' and 'Fine Print'.

Now all I need to do is to put the Fotospeed Dev in the Nova, and the Nova dev in the dish and try again.

This is really most odd and I can only think that I'm missing something really obvious. Is the Kentona much more sensitive to contamination?? There again I've been using fresh dev in all my trials??

Essentially I'm really stuck with this.

Having said all this, Kentona really takes on a beautiful tone and once I've solved these problems is likely to be worth it.

catem · Oct 5, 2006

I've used Kentona quite a lot, but always in trays. I do find it can sometimes be sensitive to contamination e.g. by tongs. In my experience 'Fineprint VC' is rather less sensitive.

You can get different (warm) tones from Kentona, depending on the developer you choose, the shifts can be quite powerful.

I don't know what the answer is, but I personally would give careful processing in open trays - with clean tongs - and see if you can get consistent results.

Cate

Bob F. · Oct 5, 2006

Not sure about contamination as I've only used a few sheets so far, but the emulsion certainly seems quite fragile when wet and easily marked by tongs and the Nova clip - especially if you bend the paper. Next time I use it, I'll have to remember to be more gentle with it and see if that makes a difference. I do not experience the same thing with Fineprint.

As for colour: here's a work print of Kentona in Ilford Warmtone developer that I uploaded to another thread:

Cheers, Bob.

Mark Layne · Oct 5, 2006

Although I haven't tried it yet I suspect Kentona might give an interesting cold colour in Ilford Cooltone
Mark

Donald Miller · Oct 5, 2006

I have recently tried Ketona. I found that if the fixer is not fresh that problems with splotches or tinting of the base can occur. However with fresh fixer I find that the paper is really quite nice. I toned in KSRT 1-9 and it tones nicely...albeit rapidly. One needs to watch the color shift in the dark values or it can overtone.

This paper is wonderful in MAS Amidol formula for enlarging paper.

This image is one of the prints that I recently made on Ketona.

Jack Lusted · Oct 5, 2006

Bob F. said:
Not sure about contamination as I've only used a few sheets so far, but the emulsion certainly seems quite fragile when wet and easily marked by tongs and the Nova clip - especially if you bend the paper. Next time I use it, I'll have to remember to be more gentle with it and see if that makes a difference. I do not experience the same thing with Fineprint.

As for colour: here's a work print of Kentona in Ilford Warmtone developer that I uploaded to another thread:

Cheers, Bob.

Ahh - I wonder if mechanical stress might therefore be the problem - once the Sun has gone down I'll return to the darkness and do some experiments...

doughowk · Oct 23, 2006

I just tried Kentona for the 1st time & am experiencing a creamy tint to the border & highlights. I used fresh developer ( Agfa Neutos WA) for less than 60 secs, a water bath for 2-3 minutes (neg is high contrast), water stop bath, and 2 bath hypo fixer (Sandy King's formulae) with 2nd bath fresh (mixed just minutes before). In each bath for 5 + mins). Initially, the border is white after coming out of 2nd bath; but during rinse (under lights) the border starts turning creamy. Any suggestions?

TheFlyingCamera · Oct 23, 2006

To avoid the greenish tint to begin with, try using a developer without bromides, like the Ansco 130, Amidol, PPPD, or even the Ilford Warmtone/Cooltone developers.

c6h6o3 · Oct 24, 2006

TheFlyingCamera said:
To avoid the greenish tint to begin with, try using a developer without bromides, like the Ansco 130, Amidol, PPPD, or even the Ilford Warmtone/Cooltone developers.

Kentona in Amidol (Michael Smith's formula) does not go green, even with 4cc of 10% KBr/liter of working solution. I have developed Kentona in Amidol from the Chinese bulk purchase with 8cc/liter of KBr and it was a warm, brown-black. There was no green at all. Personally, I like green and wouldn't get rid of it if it appeared.

Kentona Problem

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