NO Deep Black Multigrade Paper

[Ko.Fe.]

I printed on fresh Ilford RC MG Glossy paper and it gave me crazy blacks.
I used Dektol.
If you read Ilford RC paper instructions, total submerge time in all liquids is five minutes maximum.

 

[Kilgallb]

Apples and oranges, Kentmere VC is not Multigrade.

VC stands for Variable Contrast

 

[Kilgallb]

The last Ilford Multigrade Rapid (developer incorporated) that I used was MG Rapid III, nice stuff but the paper turned brown after a few years in album storage. Are there any developer incorporated papers still available?

You could test by attempting to process a sheet of paper in a tray of accelerator rather than developer.

Simon Galley when he used to be on this forum was emphatic that all Ilford paper does not have incorporated developer.

 

[Kino]

How long do you develop your prints? If the image emerges after at least 30'', then 3' is the absolute minimum I'd develop, probably more. Apart from that, chances are that your developer is significantly oxidised and needs to be replaced. Generally speaking, try to keep as much air as possible out of the bottle, try using smaller bottles for a start.

+10

Develop to completion; don't yank it out when blacks look good or just at minimum time. If you exposed the paper properly, you can leave it in way beyond the minimum time and not hurt the image.

If you are low on your temp, you are not getting proper density @ suggested minimum developing time.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Hi Darkroom Friends,

I am new to apug, this is my first post, i have a few problems in my darkroom printing process, the biggest one is the multigrade rc paper is not going deep black like i have it at the professional lab i can some time do my prints.

my enlarger is a durst m605 with color head, in the pro lab there is a very good condenser enlarger.

i store my chemicals in a 5l botle 2l chemicals 3l air for 3 weeks now, the image appears after 30-45 seconds.
should i really hold the developer in a bottle without air?

The temperature in my lab is about 15 deg celsius.

is the developer the problem ?

thanks for your help
Dragan View attachment 200928

doesn't sound unusual to me;I get a Dmax of 2.15 with that paper's pearl surface.glossy may get you 2.2. However ,my processing temp is 20C!

 

[Robin Guymer]

In cold climates an effective low budget tool for keeping the developer, stop & fix at 20c is a Heat Gun from the hardware store. A hair dryer blows too hard at a low temp, where as a heat gun is high temp low air pressure so it won't blow the developer all over the darkroom. Swirl it over the tray fluid and they will be up to temp quickly. Caution though, connect via a RCD point and don't drop it in the tray.

 

[fdonadio]

Adding nothing to the conversation, I agree with everyone that said there are two issues:

1. Low temperature; AND
2. Underdevelopment.

Development time is dependent on temperature. It takes more time to develop at low temperatures. The solution is:

1. Extend development time; OR
2. Heat the developer to an adequate temperature.

 

[M Carter]

For tray warming, got to eBay. Search for "Salton Hotray". They're tempered glass warming trays of various sizes, with temp. control knobs. Priceless for lith printing. Handy for parties. They get hot as hell though, so take care, keep them low, and get a glass tray thermometer.

 

[Eric Rose]

Two words. Ansco 130. Ok one word and three numbers

 

[mshchem]

Two words. Ansco 130. Ok one word and three numbers

Great developer!
Trivia that I can't resist. Anthony and Scovill company started over around 1802, English gilded brass button manufacturers had a oligopoly on the American market. Anthony and Scovill started a rolling mill to make brass sheet and fabricate buttons.
Along comes Louis Daguerre , invents a process that needs finely made copper sheet. , Anthony and Scovill eventually become ANSCO they get into photography in a huge way. Along the line they buy a company, the first to produce film. Ol' George Eastman kicks them up pretty bad, the photo division merges with Agfa sometime in the 30s (?)
Scovill fasteners are still alive and well ,not so huge but they make zippers, snaps etc.
I was always fascinated with Ansco, Edwal, etc. formulas. I remember, I think the number was Edwal 106, used Monaco (Edwal's brand of glycin)
Sorry I won't hijack the thread. Couldn't resist.

 

[darkroommike]

Simon Galley when he used to be on this forum was emphatic that all Ilford paper does not have incorporated developer.

Strange I can not find that quote. Ilford at one point made two series of RC papers the "Deluxe" line was not developer incorporated but the "Rapid" line had developer incorporated emulsions and worked just fine in Ilford's Ilfoprint and Kodak's Royalprint processor (stabilization machine on steroids) with an alkaline activator, rapid fixer, and wash at elevated temperatures. No current Ilford RC paper is developer incorporated but some of the old stuff was. The point is moot since those developer incorporated papers were phased out about 1990. If in doubt you could still test your paper with a strong carbonate solution.

 

[Kilgallb]

Strange I can not find that quote. Ilford at one point made two series of RC papers the "Deluxe" line was not developer incorporated but the "Rapid" line had developer incorporated emulsions and worked just fine in Ilford's Ilfoprint and Kodak's Royalprint processor (stabilization machine on steroids) with an alkaline activator, rapid fixer, and wash at elevated temperatures. No current Ilford RC paper is developer incorporated but some of the old stuff was. The point is moot since those developer incorporated papers were phased out about 1990. If in doubt you could still test your paper with a strong carbonate solution.

Current paper is what he meant.

 

[darkroommike]

VC stands for Variable Contrast

Yes but the Kentmere VC paper may have different characteristics than Ilford MG paper.