Not-flat prints for first time, trying to understand why.

[Ko.Fe.]

I'm only year into printing. And two days ago for first time my wife looked at the print I made and mentioned it is good for framing and "walling" .
My previous prints were mostly kind of flat. But those I printed recently are vibrant, with "air" in them. More black and white, not just grey. But I'm not sure how I did it.

My 135 negatives were not different in terms of exposure and developing. Same HP5+ film.
Same chemicals - Ilford PQ Universal developer, regular Kodak fixer.
Same enlarger lens - Nikkor 50 2.8. Same filters for contrast.

What was different.
Ilford Deluxe RC paper instead of Kentmere RC.
I used f5.6, instead of f8-11 for enlarger lens.
Negs were from the lens I haven't tried for prints before, it was "experimental" copy of FSU Jupiter-8.

Any ideas why I did really well for first time?

 

[BobMarvin]

It must be the paper. Perhaps the Kentmere paper you used previously was outdated, or improperly stored. Changes in enlarger lens opening or taking lens wouldn't account for the kind of improvement you mentioned. Why not try reprinting a negative that you found "kind of flat" earlier?

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Thank you, Bob. I'll try to print the same neg on Iford and Kentmere next time.
I store my paper in the basement where temperature is constant and around 20C.
The Ilford Deluxe RC was purchased as "not new" in local store on previous week.

 

[winger]

I agree that the paper change is quite likely. If the Kentmere you have is slightly fogged, it will be more grey.

Also to double-check: I once forgot to take a filter out of the drawer when I finished printing. The next time I printed, I didn't know there was already a filter in the drawer and put in another one. Voila - more contrast (too much). Took me a little while to figure out what I'd done.

 

[Rick A]

It could also be just plain old "more experience" with the new prints, a more discerning eye.

 

[Jim Jones]

Different papers have different characteristics. They may also respond differently to VC filters. The lens you had previously used may need cleaning. The "sweet spot" for that Nikkor enlarging lens is probably f/5.6. Stopping down to f/11 may cause a slight loss of grain sharpness in big enlargements due to diffraction.

 

[tkamiya]

I don't think this is a situation where Kentmere was bad and Ilford was good.

I can think of couple of things.

Each paper responds differently to contrast filters. #2 on one paper is not the same as #2 on another. So Ilford may have higher contrast even with the same filter.

Kentmere was somehow degraded. I ran into this recently. Paper I was using refused to build density. Longer exposure or different contrast filter just made the print muddier. Sure enough, using paper from different box fixed the issue.

You mentioned gray rather than black. That tells me your exposure time could have been insufficient for the paper.

Your chemical was exhausted. (self-explanatory...)

I wouldn't argue with the success though....!

 

[MDR]

Kentmere papers have a bit more contrast not a lot but in direct comparison they usually are a bit more contrasty than their Ilford counterparts so the paper was mostly likely fogged did you change your safelight say hanged it a bit further away. Also if you previously used uncoated lenses and now use a coated Jupiter 8 you will see a significant increase in contrast.

Good luck with your next prints

 

[Christopher Walrath]

It's all been said. The paper is probably affecting your prints the most. However, just as Jim said, f/5.6 on the lens is going to lend a wee bit more contrast to the print than f/11. But also at a cost in slightly more grain. Just keep an eye on it. Might try printing against a known result at f/11 when you have nothing better to do and see how much of a difference there might be a store that away in the back of the old thinker-thingy.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I use Print Flat from FreeStyle. www.freestyle.com

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Thanks to all of you! Couldn't wait for long after so many replies. Printed some more. Same setup. As only beginner I'm more less satisfied, with consistency, at least for now
The Ilford Deluxe is on the left, Kentmere is on the right. Different lenses and metering modes for negs. And photogs

Does it looks acceptable in terms of contrast and tonality?

 

[Henry Alive]

You are probably better printing.
Henry.

 

[tkamiya]

I think print on the right can use a tad more contrast.....