Pulling Film For More Grey Tones Instead Of Filters Used In Printing

DF · Mar 5, 2020

FP4 sometimes is abit too contrasty - not enough grey/mid-tones, so I tried shooting it at 64 instead of 125 and developing for 9 minutes instead of the usual 11, and even though the prints seem to present noticeably less contrast and more "greyness", they seem to have less sharpness and clarity.. When I shot at official 125, I could add yellow filtering in the final prints, so I'm wondering if there's a preference out there and why?

Photonuser · Mar 6, 2020

It's probably time to look into the zone system. John Blakemore's Black and white workshop book has a chapter on the zone system and has chapters on printing, see if your local library has a copy. By exposing your film at 64 and reducing the development time you have compressed the contrast of the scene. Your negatives are probably as sharp, it's just the lack of contrast that makes them appear less sharp. Try printing your new negs with some added magenta filtration, I'm sure they will sharpen right up. Hope this helps.

pentaxuser · Mar 6, 2020

Photonuser said:
. Try printing your new negs with some added magenta filtration, I'm sure they will sharpen right up. Hope this helps.

Does this not give him the more grey prints from his over exposed negs? I always thought that adding magenta takes away the lower contrast grey effect which he appears to want? Thanks

pentaxuser

ic-racer · Mar 6, 2020

Is the grain sharp in the prints? If not, many issues surrounding sharpness in the darkroom can be cured with a glass negative carrier.

Photonuser · Mar 6, 2020

pentaxuser said:
Does this not give him the more grey prints from his over exposed negs? I always thought that adding magenta takes away the lower contrast grey effect which he appears to want? Thanks

pentaxuser

Given we don't have the prints to see what he means by" greyness" and I assumed he had reduced contrast too much and so recommended he add a little magenta to increase contrast slightly.
I routinely rate Fp4+ @64 as that was my personal exposure index after testing. It's hard to give advice without knowing how knowledgeable someone is when talking about this.

pentaxuser · Mar 6, 2020

Yes good point Photonuser We really need to see a print preferably from the "offending neg" or at least a scan that is an authentic replica of the neg.

pentaxuser

kevs · Mar 7, 2020

I don't find FP4+ particularly contrasty; I expose it at 125 ASA and develop in ID:11 1:3 for 20 mins. Normally I print at or around Grade 2 or 3 (although it's difficult to tell with my LED light source!). I prefer not to deviate too far from the manufacturer's advice unless I have to.

There are lots of factors that control contrast. Different devs give different contrasts at different dilutions and developing times. Paper and paper developer can also make a huge difference to the final result. It's useful to take all of these factors into consideration before blaming the film for being too contrasty.

pentaxuser · Mar 7, 2020

Yes like kevs I haven't found FP4+ in my relatively limited experience of the film to be particularly contrasty nor do I recall ever seeing that being associated with FP4+ in any of the numerous film books I have read. Of course one man's contrasty is another man's normal but I'd be tempted to look elsewhere in the process from taking to finished and processed neg.

If we saw the offending neg(s) then it might settle the matter in terms of contrast

pentaxuser

Pulling Film For More Grey Tones Instead Of Filters Used In Printing

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