Multitone paper

[redbandit]

the retailer says merely contrast 1-4. Is it doable to get something near contrast grade 5 from it?

 

[koraks]

What paper?

Anyway, probably not, but there's some margin for being creative in the definitions. If you're optimistic, you could stretch the definition of grade 5 a bit and call a grade 4 a grade 5 instead. That would get you there.

Paper grades have ballpark definitions in ISO-R terms. There's some margin for fiddling. Paper datasheets often/sometimes include actual ISO-R figures for the grades; that tells more of a story than the grades.

Here's a list of approximate ISO-R's for paper grades:

ISO(R)	Paper Grade	Notes
35-50	5	Very hard
50-70	4	The equivalent of the old “vigorous”
70-90	3	Hard normal
90-110	2	Soft normal
110-130	1	Soft
130-160	0	Very soft; may or may not be available as graded paper
160+	00	Normally available only as a VC paper grade

Taken from here: https://www.rogerandfrances.com/paper-grades/ Give that page a read; it's informative.

PS: Don't confuse ISO-R with film ISO. They have little to do with each other.

 

[otto.f]

If you work with a color enlarger or one with built in variations of magenta and orange in the light head, you can add a Ilford magenta filter under the lens having put the light head at Gradation 4. Or an extra blue filter, 85 if I remember well

 

[koraks]

If you work with a color enlarger or one with built in variations of magenta and orange in the light head, you can add a Ilford magenta filter under the lens having put the light head at Gradation 4. Or an extra blue filter, 85 if I remember well

Neither will make a paper produce more contrast than it's inherently possible of. In cases where there's doubts about the effectiveness of the magenta filtration of a dichroic head, just the Ilford filter or a blue filter will suffice; additional dichroic filtration won't add much of anything.

PS: I'm not familiar with color enlargers that have orange filtration. Magenta on subtractive systems, and green on additive ones.

 

[Kino]

What paper?

Inkpress Multitone:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/826216-REG/MultiTone_MTG810100_Black_White_RC.html

 

[koraks]

Thanks, @Kino. The description suggests grade 1 through 4, so a more restricted range from the more usual 0-5 or even 00-5.

 

[otto.f]

PS: I'm not familiar with color enlargers that have orange filtration. Magenta on subtractive systems, and green on additive ones.

Right

 

[redbandit]

I had to ask as im about to start blowing though my remainder of multitone 5x7, as i am not a 5x7 person... And was twiddling with my ilford stock

the ilford came out perhaps 2 shades lighter and brighter then the rest of what i am using,, and the highlights were as bright as the portion of paper that had slid under the adjustable bar on my beseler borderless easel.

I mean the portions of highlight in the negative frame.. when touching the unexposed portion of paper for ilford were the same color after development. With Foma and multitone they were slightly greyish.

 

[koraks]

@redbandit keep in mind that sensitivity and contrast are different things. That one paper requires more exposure for the same highlight density in itself does not say much about contrast grades. Just sayin'....

 

[aparat]

the retailer says merely contrast 1-4. Is it doable to get something near contrast grade 5 from it?

I have recently tested this paper and found it to be excellent. For example, the current Ilford MGV RC Glossy selenium toned Dmax is around 2.24 (from 2.14 untoned), whereas Multitone is 1.86 untoned and 2.16 toned . The difference between 2.16 (Multitone) and 2.24 (Ilford) is unlikely to be perceptible by most people, except maybe for some eagle-eyed photographers. I consider that to be a very good result for the least expensive paper on the market today (at least in the US).

As far as contrast, both papers span a similar range of contrast (as measured by the ISO definition) with Ilford Multigrade under the lens filters. I only tested 7 filters with Multitone, but that should be enough for a lot of people. Here are comparison tables and plots:

 

[Kino]

I had to ask as im about to start blowing though my remainder of multitone 5x7, as i am not a 5x7 person... And was twiddling with my ilford stock

the ilford came out perhaps 2 shades lighter and brighter then the rest of what i am using,, and the highlights were as bright as the portion of paper that had slid under the adjustable bar on my beseler borderless easel.

I mean the portions of highlight in the negative frame.. when touching the unexposed portion of paper for ilford were the same color after development. With Foma and multitone they were slightly greyish.

If the Foma and Multitone are showing some signs of density in the unexposed areas, and they are fresh, you need to do a safe light test. They may be more sensitive to the color of your safe light or you are keeping them out under the safe light too long.

https://www.kodak.com/content/products-brochures/Film/KODAK-A-Guide-to-Darkroom-Illumination-K-4.pdf

Otherwise, to rule out paper fogged from heat or age, take a small snippet of each of the Foma and Multitone out under complete darkness, develop, stop and fix these samples to see if they density is already there.

 

[MattKing]

I expect the B&H listing information is simplified, in order to not disappoint customers without the ability to maximize the contrast range from the paper.
I find it interesting that the manufacturer, Inkpress, doesn't even list the paper on its otherwise quite comprehensive page of product details.

 

[aparat]

If the Foma and Multitone are showing some signs of density in the unexposed areas, and they are fresh, you need to do a safe light test. They may be more sensitive to the color of your safe light or you are keeping them out under the safe light too long.

https://www.kodak.com/content/products-brochures/Film/KODAK-A-Guide-to-Darkroom-Illumination-K-4.pdf

Otherwise, to rule out paper fogged from heat or age, take a small snippet of each of the Foma and Multitone out under complete darkness, develop, stop and fix these samples to see if they density is already there.

Good point!

I should also add that I did the Kodak safe light test with both Ilford and Multitone in my small darkroom space lit by three 5x7 safelights with red filters (similar to this Doran brand at B&H) and both papers passed the tests perfectly, with no density added by the safelights, that is. Amber lights might give a different results, though. I haven't tested them, yet.

I tried some cheap LED red bulbs, and they did not pass the test, with either paper.