Splitgrade printing with Color module.

butterflydream · Oct 26, 2006

When I used Durst 805 with ilford multigrade filters, I tried splitgrade printing with satisfiable result.

Now I have my own darkroom where I bought a Focomat V35 with color module. I'm using the table from Ilford technical data of Multigrade paper - the comparison of multigrade filter and color module setting (m & y combinations to filter grades).

This is quite a pain for me to switch between grade 0 and grade 5 combinations by turning the knobs. Grade 5 is easier as that's fully turned magenta (0Y 200M), but grade 0 setting (105Y 12M) is difficult in the darkness.

Is there any tip for this or do you recommend multigrade module or filter holder for ilford filters?

Please don't recommend splitgrade module, as I can't afford it now.

TIA

Bruce Osgood · Oct 26, 2006

I have found splitgrade printing much more convenient when using a single filter at a time, not dual filtering.

For shadow the papers #5 filter
For highlight the papers #0 filter

Ilford lists single filter grades in a pdf sheet

http://www.ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/2006130201152306.pdf

for both single filter and dual filters.

Hope this gets you started,

L Gebhardt · Oct 26, 2006

Have you tried just using full yellow instead of 105Y 12M? It should work the same or better and will be easier.

If I was doing this with a color head I would just go back to under the lens filters, as turning the filter wheels would get old very fast. I have never seen a sharpness problem with under the lens filters, so I don't see a downside.

butterflydream · Oct 26, 2006

You mean 200Y/0M instead of 105Y/12M?
I will try it tomorrow and will come back with result.
If it works then it will make my life much easier.

Well, the life of wheels... I will see.

Thanks!

Mark Pope · Oct 26, 2006

Ernie,

that's exactly right. It's what I do with my devere. Works a treat.

HTH

Mark

Bob F. · Oct 26, 2006

butterflydream said:
You mean 200Y/0M instead of 105Y/12M?
I will try it tomorrow and will come back with result.
If it works then it will make my life much easier.

Well, the life of wheels... I will see.

Thanks!

That is what I do too: max yellow or max magenta - no point faffing about setting exact values. The dual filter values are only there to get equal times for the different grades when using a single filter exposure.

Under the lens filters are an option I wanted to try; I have the holders but the filter gels got damaged and you do not seem to be able to buy just the filter material for under the lens filters. I only want grades 00 and 5 and having to buy a whole new set is ridiculous. Hmmm.... I wonder if there are any suitable optical filters around...

Cheers, Bob.

geezer7 · Oct 26, 2006

I agree that 200Y 0M should suffice for the highlight portion of splitgrade printing. However if you are adamant that you want to use the 105Y/12M, why not set the 105Y/12M with the lights on before exposing the paper and then expose the 200M. The order of exposure is not important so make it easier on yourself!

Dave

pentaxuser · Oct 26, 2006

Why not simply use a safelight to see the settings? It simplifiies processing the print as well! OK this can be done in the dark but it must make life hard.

pentaxuser

Shelly Grimson · Oct 26, 2006

HI
-have the same enlarger and the same issues. It can be solved by using max yellow for highlights, then zeroing the yellow which needs no light to do-just reach up and turn it back to stop position. Then turn the magenta to full on and get the shadow exposure. To make the first workprint just leave it there, expose it for the proper time (magenta) zero it and dial up to max yellow for the chosen exposure time for highlights. You don't need to see any calibration settings. I doubt if the knobs or gears will wear out. It takes only a few twirls of the fingers. If you decide to pick an intermediate setting, get on of those little hand-held lamps that Jobo or others made that are paper safe. Hold it up to the module and check the settings. Works for me. I usually work in a very dim darkroom light. Keeps up the mystery of it all....

Bob F. · Oct 26, 2006

If I need more light to see things in the darkroom, I use a cheap LED based bicycle rear lamp - a fraction of the price of anything from Jobo or Nova etc...

Cheers, Bob.

JBrunner · Oct 26, 2006

Bob F. said:
If I need more light to see things in the darkroom, I use a cheap LED based bicycle rear lamp - a fraction of the price of anything from Jobo or Nova etc...

Cheers, Bob.

Hi Bob,

Have you run any fog tests with this light? Curious.

J

Bob F. · Oct 26, 2006

JBrunner said:
Hi Bob,

Have you run any fog tests with this light? Curious.

J

Not really - I don't normally point it at the paper: I just use it to set the enlarger filter settings, to type something in to my darkroom laptop or similar where I need a burst of extra light to see what I am doing.

I would not expect a problem however as a red LED is a red LED: they emit on a very narrow band well outside the sensitivity of any B&W paper (except panchromatic paper of course). Needs to be an LED one - an old style bike lamp with an incandescent bulb and a red filter is likely to leak white light like a sieve...

My main (DIY) safelight uses a single very high intensity amber Lumiled LED.

Cheers, Bob.

butterflydream · Oct 27, 2006

I have tried it with 200Y 0M as soft grade filter. It works well.
Now all I have to do is just to turn two knobs fully to the opposite direction when I change the grades, this is much easier.

The only change is exposure time for the soft grade for highlight, but it didn't matter at all.

I opened the color module to examine the interior structure and found it doen't seem so weak to be broken or worn out that easily. It it is broken... then it will be a good excuse to buy a splitgrade module.

Thanks all!

PS. When I print split grade, I change the filters by turns ie. 0-5, 5-0, 0-5 so on, instead of 0-5, 0-5, 0-5... in other words first paper highlight exposure then shadow exposure, next paper shadow exposure then highlight exposure. I find no difference to my eyes. Is this still right way to do?

L Gebhardt · Oct 27, 2006

butterflydream said:
I have tried it with 200Y 0M as soft grade filter. It works well.
Now all I have to do is just to turn two knobs fully to the opposite direction when I change the grades, this is much easier.

The only change is exposure time for the soft grade for highlight, but it didn't matter at all.

I opened the color module to examine the interior structure and found it doen't seem so weak to be broken or worn out that easily. It it is broken... then it will be a good excuse to buy a splitgrade module.

Thanks all!

PS. When I print split grade, I change the filters by turns ie. 0-5, 5-0, 0-5 so on, instead of 0-5, 0-5, 0-5... in other words first paper highlight exposure then shadow exposure, next paper shadow exposure then highlight exposure. I find no difference to my eyes. Is this still right way to do?

Glad that is working for you.

You are right, there should be no difference in the image with alternating the hard and soft exposures first like you are doing. The only problem for me would be forgetting which is currently dialed in.

JBrunner · Oct 27, 2006

Bob F. said:
Not really - I don't normally point it at the paper: I just use it to set the enlarger filter settings, to type something in to my darkroom laptop or similar where I need a burst of extra light to see what I am doing.

I would not expect a problem however as a red LED is a red LED: they emit on a very narrow band well outside the sensitivity of any B&W paper (except panchromatic paper of course). Needs to be an LED one - an old style bike lamp with an incandescent bulb and a red filter is likely to leak white light like a sieve...

My main (DIY) safelight uses a single very high intensity amber Lumiled LED.

Cheers, Bob.

Ok, right on, battery powered, and you use it sort of like a flashlight. Cool.

Bob F. · Oct 30, 2006

JBrunner said:
Ok, right on, battery powered, and you use it sort of like a flashlight. Cool.

Yup, that's how I use mine: essentially a paper safe torch (aka flashlight)...

If you wanted though, two or three of these dotted about the darkroom and powered from a mains power supply (or rechargeable batteries) would make a reasonable safelight system. The one I use cost a quid in a thrift shop, so a pretty cheap option. Only snag is that it has two modes: switch on = flashing, click switch again = steady light, click again = off, so you have to cycle through the modes to use it...

Cheers, Bob.

Maine-iac · Oct 30, 2006

L Gebhardt said:
Have you tried just using full yellow instead of 105Y 12M? It should work the same or better and will be easier.

Yes, no need to calculate equivalents to filters; just use full magenta and full yellow and derive your test strips accordingly.

If I was doing this with a color head I would just go back to under the lens filters, as turning the filter wheels would get old very fast. I have never seen a sharpness problem with under the lens filters, so I don't see a downside.

I've been turning wheels on my Beseler 45 Colorhead for years; I may switch to under-the-lens filters when a)the arthritis in my fingers gets more advanced and/or b)when I wear out the gears on the little wheels that control the dichroic filters. So far, looks as though the arthritis may win the race, but hopefully not for some time yet. This is a long way of saying that I haven't found the inconvenience of turning the wheels a major problem. It's just become part of the routine.

Larry

Splitgrade printing with Color module.

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