Least Wasteful Way to Test Mystery Paper?

TimVermont · Oct 25, 2009

I've been given several envelopes of unknown double weight glossy B+W paper. No external packaging, no instruction sheets inside the envelopes. Three foil envelopes, two plastic envelopes, two fold overs - I'm guessing the last two are Orwo. My plan is to use a small strip to find max black, then print a 21 step tablet and count how many steps to try and guess the paper grade. Is there a better way, and how may steps should I expect for say a grade 3 or a grade 2?
Thanks!
Tim

Jeff Kubach · Oct 25, 2009

I'm could be wrong, the way you mention is the way I go.

Jeff

Aurum · Oct 25, 2009

I was going to suggest something similar, but you're already there

jvo · Oct 26, 2009

walk back the cat...

i did not want to assume that you already asked where your friend got it from and asked them, and so on... if so, then excuse me.

i agree with others on your method as well...

Thomas Bertilsson · Oct 26, 2009

Just a thought here. Do you know if it's graded or variable contrast?

Mike Wilde · Oct 26, 2009

look to the Ilford MGIV etc. data sheets. They have a table that shows ISO density range per grade for their different papers. ISO density is ordinary log density X100 as I recall. So if you ahve a 1/2 stop step wedge, then each step is .15, and if the paper goes from first non white to last before total black (once dried) in 6 steps, you have a .75 paper range of ISO 75. AS to MG or not, try one as 150Y, and a second as 150M, then see if the number of steps between non wihte and not full black changes as far as the number of steps involved.

My primary paper tester step wedge (I use old paper, and calibrate to it all the time) is about .5" wide by 4" long, so a full test takes very little paper. I usually start by taking a sheet of 8x10 and cut it down t 2 5x7's and test on the 2- 1x5 by cutting them to 4 .5x5 bits.

TimVermont · Oct 26, 2009

JimO said:
i did not want to assume that you already asked where your friend got it from and asked them, and so on... if so, then excuse me.

i agree with others on your method as well...

They are from a widow who had no interest in her husband's work. I'm assuming they are graded papers as there was nothing in the entire darkroom to suggest VC paper was ever used. No filters, no color/VC heads, nothing.

TimVermont · Oct 26, 2009

Mike Wilde said:
look to the Ilford MGIV etc. data sheets. They have a table that shows ISO density range per grade for their different papers. ISO density is ordinary log density X100 as I recall. So if you ahve a 1/2 stop step wedge, then each step is .15, and if the paper goes from first non white to last before total black (once dried) in 6 steps, you have a .75 paper range of ISO 75. AS to MG or not, try one as 150Y, and a second as 150M, then see if the number of steps between non wihte and not full black changes as far as the number of steps involved.

My primary paper tester step wedge (I use old paper, and calibrate to it all the time) is about .5" wide by 4" long, so a full test takes very little paper. I usually start by taking a sheet of 8x10 and cut it down t 2 5x7's and test on the 2- 1x5 by cutting them to 4 .5x5 bits.

Excellent suggestion on the data sheets, thanks!

dancqu · Oct 26, 2009

Test 2 Up on 5x7

I cut 8x10 to 5x7. Using a single size easel and
turning the 5x7 paper 180 degrees two exposures
are made. At least the first two steps must be black.

David Vestal suggests counting every visible edge
twixt steps; always one more than steps. Fewer
edges, higher the contrast and visa versa.

The speed of the paper relative to other papers
may be determined. Each additional Max black
step makes the paper a half stop faster. Dan

TimVermont · Nov 12, 2009

Update, and thanks again to everyone for their suggestions. The three foil envelopes of paper were no good, all brown-purple straight out of the envelope. Both plastic envelopes are good, actually the paper is beautiful, slightly warm-tone, about a grade 2.5 and oddly enough extremely sensitive to my well shielded, well filtered sodium safelight. No idea what it is, just going to enjoy it until it is gone. The last two are indeed Orwo (metric cut, funny paper smell among other clues) very slow, but very nice with a little orthazite added to the developer.

Least Wasteful Way to Test Mystery Paper?

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency