Kodak Studio Proof

[Thomas Bertilsson]

What is this paper? CAT 143 3077. Kodak 'studio proof' paper. I have a box of it. It says it's printing out paper. Gives a reddish-brown image tone, and that it's contact speed, single weight. Expired in 1982. Came free with a bunch of other stuff.

The box also says 'The Good Look starts on quality Kodak paper'. That was a while ago...

- Thomas

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

It's POP. Try making contact prints on it by exposure to UV or the sun. If you like them, gold tone and fix (or maybe fix and gold tone--I haven't tried it, but that's the usual routine with silver gelatin POP).

I think the original purpose of this product was for wedding and portrait studios to give clients proofs that wouldn't have a long life, if they weren't toned and fixed.

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Probably not very suitable for paper negs, then, if it's that slow? And if it needs UV light.... Gads. Got no UV source...

I'll try it, see what happens. It might be completely fogged. It'll give me an excuse to buy gold toner. Spendy stuff... Needs a very good excuse to convince the boss of the household I really need it. This just might cut it, because she doesn't like to throw stuff away...

Thanks!

- Thomas

 

[Guillaume Zuili]

Thomas,
You get much more contrast and it gets really faster with the sun. No need of UV light.
Gold tone and fix. Terrific stuff.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

The sun is a remarkably consistent source of light. If it wasn't, the sunny 16 rule wouldn't work. And if you've got a split back frame, you can check its progress. It probably loses some density during toning and fixing, so you probably want to overexpose it.

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

That's good news. I'm venturing into alternative printing processes eventually, so learning to deal with the sun as light source is pretty much ideal for me.

Gold tone first and then fix? Strange order of things! Regular fixer, like Ilford Hypam OK?

Thanks for the very helpful advice!

- Thomas

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I'd look up the instructions for Centennial POP and go from there--

http://www.albumenworks.com/directions.html

Two-bath plain hypo might be better. A rapid fixer might bleach the image too quickly.

I think the tone then fix recommendation is to reduce bleaching.

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Thanks, David. I know what to do now. I've got plain hypo at the house, will order gold toner soon. If I come up with anything good, I'll post my results here.
- Thomas

 

[Guillaume Zuili]

1 Overexpose the print big time
2 Rinse in running water.
2 Gold (or platinum,whatever), usually for 5 up to 10 minutes.
3 Fix in plain Hypo, 2 baths. 5 minutes each.
Toner and Hypo will bleach the print. Regular fix will kill the print
Careful, Heavy dry down.
Careful Highly addictive...
G.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

As far as the exposure goes, for albumen I usually want the print to look about two stops overexposed when I take it out of the frame. I'm not sure if you need that much for Kodak Studio Proof, but it's probably somewhere between one and two stops.

Try it for landscapes or other contrasty scenes like indoor/outdoor shots. POP is self-masking, so once the foreground comes in, you can continue to expose the print for more highlight detail, but you won't lose the shadows.