Not Happy With Prints - Low Impact/Too "Neutral"(Greyish)/Not Enough Contrast

[winger]

Stoo, Thank You for your your guidance. I've been in the darkroom for only 1 1/2 years, and for only one evening per/week. 'Wish I had more, so time learning/absorbing is abit lean for now, but it's all coming slowly but surely. I use Ilford Multigrade IV RC Deluxe Paper Pearl with either Delta 100 or PanFPlus films, Dektol developer.

Do you have any APUGers near you that you can watch or who can watch you in the darkroom? Some things are learned much more easily with a quick personal lesson.

 

[craigclu]

Some years back, I volunteered to help resurrect a local high school's darkroom. It had gradually become a storeroom and after clearing it out, I was happy to see that it was equipped with decent equipment (Beseler 45XL's, MXT's and a few 23CII's) that were fitted with 6 element Rodagon and Companon-S glass for all formats. Our first actual printing session left me disappointed with flat results as you described. I'll spare you the trouble-shooting details but it turned out to be an almost indiscernible slight haze in the lenses. A quick initial exam of them had me thinking the optics seemed new appearing. A bright light, careful exam allowed it to be seen. I brought a known optic from home and the issue cleared up. It was such a subtle amount of haze that at first, I couldn't convince myself that it could have the dramatic effect that it did.