Old MGIV

[David Lingham]

Does anyone knows of any ways to print with old outdated paper? I’ve been given a couple of large boxes of old MGIV that don’t appear to have been stored all that well. I have tried processing in both PQ and Multigrade, and realised the paper is really lacking in contrast and has an overall grey fog. I have added 50mls of 10% Potassium bromide to the developer and this reduced the background fog, but the paper is still about two grades down on contrast and I don’t think it will produce a decent conventional print. I know MGIV will just about lith, but I don’t like the look. Not wanting to waste free paper, I thought I’d ask if anyone had any ideas?

 

[bernard_L]

1. As concerns contrast, two grades is more than you can gain via Se toning (approx 1/2 grade). Consider intensification of negatives meant to be printed on that paper; there again, Se won't cut it; Mercury and Dichromate methods are effective, but use toxic chemicals.
   
2. Or... plan to shoot some rolls/series intended to print on that paper, and develop them more. Use a long scale film, meaning, e.g., FP4 or TX400 are OK, PanF is not.
   That is what would do if I were in your shoes. Actually, I am, with 30-year old Portriga and Galerie on my hands. But haven't tried yet.
   Suggest an initial, limited test at +50% dev time.
   
3. The above suggestions will address lost contrast, but not lost Dmax. Test your paper for Dmax (expose to room light...) against a known good paper. Se toning will help somewhat with Dmax.
   
4. As concerns residual fog, try ferricyanide bleach. Recommend re-halogenating ferricyanide (use your KBr), this allows to see the effect in real time. Have running water nearby to stop the action. Do a search for appropriate concentrations; better err on the side of high dilution.
   
5. Use your paper to do lumen prints (google if needed to know about lumen...).

 

[Ian Grant]

Once the contrast has dropped that much there's little you can do, a contrast developer like ID-14 might work, it'll help with any fogging as well.

I have a large 127cm X 30m roll of MG)V RC that I bought for work I'd guess around 1997, I made two prints so maybe used about 3 metres, I've not tested it for a while but hopefully it'll be OK (Work paid for it - £327.40 a roll now). I've Multigrade III RC that still works OK and have recently been printing on Kodak Polymax or Polycontrast RC that's a similar age. My problem is rarely printing on RC papers or I'd have used up the 30m roll a long time ago.

Ian

 

[removed account4]

hello david
lumen prints, retina prints, or lith prints ar the best things to do
with old paper, or ,,, fix it all out, and use it as a substrate
for aother emulsion.

have fun !
john

 

[esearing]

bromoil perhaps? - I remember reading that bromoilist like a flat image with less than pure whites. something to do on cold winter evenings.

 

[David Lingham]

Thank you all.

Bernard, I can bleach away the fog, but the real issue is the contrast.

John, Lumens, great idea. thanks.

 

[rjbuzzclick]

Not really what your asking, but you could also use it for paper negatives, if you do that sort of thing.

 

[Logan Becker]

I'm not the most informed on techniques, but a while ago I did find a few sheets of some 20+ years old Agfa MG FB and printed from an HP5+ negative. I had a very limited quantity and cut very, very small test strips and got my exposure up to around 100 seconds or so. I remember having to use some heavy magenta filters and developed for what I normally do with FB papers, and the image came out fairly decent in my opinion. Very likely to be better ways out there but that's my $0.02