Strange Occurance

[Joe O'Brien]

Hello,

Today I was working in the darkroom and a photo student showed me the strangest thing. She had printed a test strip on Promaster paper and it looked fine. Then she made a print on another sheet from the same box, and nothing happened. I then took a strip of paper from a different sheet and waved it around under a skylight then tried it in working strength developer, then in stock solution. Not even the slightest fog.

I think that somehow her paper was just treated with a glossy finish and never got the emulsion, because it certainly did have a glossy finish. I am extremely interested to hear what others have to say on the subject though!

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

Maybe there was a mix up at the factory. They make standard inkjet glossy paper as well. Or maybe someone bought a pack of photopaper, swapped it out, and sold it to her? the ol swicheroo that happens on ebay and craigslist sometimes.But thats more for high value items, Ive read a few stories where Ipads where switched with a box full or papers or books, etc. Maybe it was just a prank by her roommate.

try a sheet from the middle, and the bottom.

 

[Joe O'Brien]

Newt_on_swings: She had just broken the seal on the box in the darkroom. Thinking back to the feel of the paper I think you might be right that she got inkjet, I will have to check it again on Thursday.

Greg Davis: I'm positive, she had just run her test strip through the chemistry in the same order all of the subsequent faux-prints were done.

 

[Wade D]

Was the test strip from the new box? If so, you would think the rest of the sheets would be OK. The developer wouldn't exhaust that fast. There would be some sort of image. A test strip from another box isn't a good indicator of what the new box will do.

 

[Joe O'Brien]

Turns out she got some lovely inkjet paper!

 

[Bob Carnie]

So how did she get an ok test strip??

 

[Joe O'Brien]

I wish I knew! I am convinced it was inkjet though because a sheet of Promaster paper that developed felt a bit different or thicker then hers.

 

[Bob Carnie]

Joe- take that young lady to the closest church, we may have a saint on our hands.

I wish I knew! I am convinced it was inkjet though because a sheet of Promaster paper that developed felt a bit different or thicker then hers.

 

[Worker 11811]

I have used ProMaster paper but I never really cared for it.

I have seen variations in sensitivity of more than one stop. I have seen variations in contrast of more than a grade. I have seen flaws in the emulsion coating that leave lines and streaks in my prints.

As a test, I printed a negative with ProMaster then I switched to Ilford. Except for tweaking the focus, I didn't touch anything else on the enlarger.
The problem disappeared when I used Ilford and came back when I used ProMaster.

I have about a half a box of it left but the only time I use it is when my nephews come to visit and they want to make pictures in the darkroom. Even then, I let them "play" for a while then, when I see that they have a picture worth keeping, I take out a sheet of Ilford and say, "Okay, let's make a good one!"

I'm not surprised that you got a bad batch of paper. The only good thing I can say about ProMaster photographic paper is that it is cheap.

Okay, bitching aside...

Did the paper in question say "Photographic Paper" on the label?
Was the seal and tape on the box intact when you bought it?
Were the contents wrapped in black plastic like photo paper usually is?

ProMaster photo paper has a stamp/watermark on the back: "B/W Paper," if I remember correctly.
I remember this because I wanted to use it up making pinhole cameras with the kids but you can't really use it to make contact prints with that mark on the back or else it will show through.

In other words, you didn't accidentally buy computer paper instead of photo paper.
Are you sure that somebody didn't pull the old "switcheroo?"

 

[artonpaper]

Just an interesting note, I've seen paper that was partially coated, and paper that printed with interesting gray swirls. Both times it was a Forte paper. I assure you it was the paper. Another time, decades ago, in lab where we used Agfa contact paper in rolls, I'd see all sorts of odd things. Blank areas, mottled areas, etc. The most memorable was a fly in the emulsion.

Also, I mixed an Amidol developer for a class once. We made about 10 good prints and then nothing, zip, not the faintest trace of an image. When that developer died, it stopped dead.

 

[Joe O'Brien]

It actually wasn't my paper, but, the box did come sealed with the paper inside a light tight black sleeve per usual. The paper did have a watermark on the back, though I cannot recall what it said, and the box did say something similar to "photographic paper for B+W printing" and I think it had the word darkroom on there as well. The girl who's paper it was said she had just broken the seal on the box and opened it for the first time about five minutes before she asked for my help. If someone did pull a switch, and then carefully repack the box the jokes on them, the paper was about $40 where she bought it. That's damn near the same price as inkjet!

 

[Worker 11811]

I don't know... But, if the paper is defective in manufacture, packaging or labeling, you (the student) deserve to have the product replaced with a like amount, free of charge. Don't you think so?