Printing temp

West_ray · 14th May 2004

i know tat there's a conversion chart for recommended time for different temp for film development.

is there any for printing? Coz maintaining at 20 C is very troublesome!!!!!

tucker · 14th May 2004

it's usually stated on the developer itself.
ilford will usually give 2 timings, 20 and 24 deg. C
and they do have also have a graph that ya can refer to from it's website.

agfa will have a graph that ya can refer too.

don't use kodak.

else, there's always this technique called 'trial and error'
but of coz i think someone has already done a temp chart somewhere in this forum.

but that's all the trouble for Black and white anyway.

kex · 15th May 2004

i never maintain my temp for printing,works fine leh..

West_ray · 15th May 2004

Originally Posted by kex

i never maintain my temp for printing,works fine leh..

yah, tat's strange.

today i just print my first test strip, i remmeber the wrong temp at 27 degree, when the pic came out , it works fine too. i did research and all they said is to have chemcials at 20 degree ... confusing ...

kex · 15th May 2004

just maintain a constant developing time,say 2mins.
then correct the print by adjusting the exposure time..
dats how i do it..

tucker · 15th May 2004

temp is just a variable, if ya can work @ 27 deg. C
I guess it won't matter long as ya work @ that temp through out.
og coz I won't be want to state then that the result if ya're working @ chem 27. will be the same when ya're working @ chem 20.

like ya developer, ya can work @ 27 deg c if ya want but if ya were to take the same timing for 20 deg C for that 27, i too won't state that the result will be the same !
that's why they have different timings for different chem working temp
it's basic chemistry.

anyway... I won't want to work in the darkroom if the temps drops below 20 deg C... the enlarger is a giant heater..... phew....

btw, I work ard 20 +/- 2 deg. C
I prefer to maintain some consistency

maxby · 16th May 2004

Paper developers are not so temperature sensitive. The most important thing is consistency....so that you can repeat the same enlargement if required.

This is the timing I have used:-
1. For RC paper - developer - 60 secs. stop bath 10 sec and fixer 30 secs
2. For FB paper - developer - 120secs, stop bath 10sec and fixer 60 secs.

Any variations, like kex said use exposure timing to control. Always resist the temptation to yank the print out of the tray before the set timing.

Used to do that and my prints were not repeatable.....did not understand why then.

Another tip is to try print on a 3R print first to gauge the overall tone of the picture before enlarging.....3R prints cheaper. From the test print you can decide on which parts to dodge or burn ...and another other methods to enhance the print like penciling and masking techniques.

West_ray · 16th May 2004

Originally Posted by maxby

Paper developers are not so temperature sensitive. The most important thing is consistency....so that you can repeat the same enlargement if required.

This is the timing I have used:-
1. For RC paper - developer - 60 secs. stop bath 10 sec and fixer 30 secs
2. For FB paper - developer - 120secs, stop bath 10sec and fixer 60 secs.

Any variations, like kex said use exposure timing to control. Always resist the temptation to yank the print out of the tray before the set timing.

Used to do that and my prints were not repeatable.....did not understand why then.

Another tip is to try print on a 3R print first to gauge the overall tone of the picture before enlarging.....3R prints cheaper. From the test print you can decide on which parts to dodge or burn ...and another other methods to enhance the print like penciling and masking techniques.

hmmm so ur above mentioned methods are using room temp, 27 C ?

by the way, the longer the print in the dev = more contrast? and vice versa?

maxby · 16th May 2004

Yes, developing in normal room temperature. Your statement is only true to a certain level, after which the density of the print levels off.

BTW, I have tried to fix the processing temperature at 30 deg C using the Nova print processor with the same time formula but there is no appreciable change in the density of the print.

Off course you can also experiment with the different developing time formula at room temperature to find out when the print will attain maximum density.

Share the result with us.

greg · 17th May 2004

Originally Posted by maxby

Another tip is to try print on a 3R print first to gauge the overall tone of the picture before enlarging.....3R prints cheaper. From the test print you can decide on which parts to dodge or burn ...and another other methods to enhance the print like penciling and masking techniques.

.. I find this method time consuming and the result cannot be repeated with the same timing for later enlargement.... I simply contact my negs for this purpose but then, I contact mostly 6x7 so it's easier then smaller films.... just my method.

maxby · 19th May 2004

Yes, greg, you have the luxury of working with a 6x7...that is the entry level for darkroom exercises. Large negatives are easier to work with than 35mm ones....you have a lot of options to work with like pencilling, masking, flashing and even spot print reducing..

For small negatives it is better and cheaper to do smaller intermediate enlargements. Another tip, try not to print for volume unless you have to. Doing a couple of good enlargements a night is about the limit I would go. Beyond that it takes the fun out of working in the darkroom.....just my 2cts. worth.

greg · 20th May 2004

Originally Posted by maxby

For small negatives it is better and cheaper to do smaller intermediate enlargements. Another tip, try not to print for volume unless you have to. Doing a couple of good enlargements a night is about the limit I would go. Beyond that it takes the fun out of working in the darkroom.....just my 2cts. worth.

.. I agree with Max here.. no vol printing, it's tempting to print the negs out in a session but more satisfying achieveing a few good ones....spotting prints is an hassel, whenever you can, have a good neg in the first place, they print brilliant too w/o slogging... enjoy

kex · 20th May 2004

Can't imagine the work involved if printing out 36 photo..
i usually do a contact for my 6x7 and enlarge at the most 2 pix per session(ard 1hr)
i feel 35mm lose out alot in darkroom becoz of the small negs like wad greg and max pointed out.
Sometimes when i'm lazy,i choose the print by viewing the 6x7 neg under a loupe,the whole pix just popped out and gives u the 2D effect.

14th May 2004	#1
West_ray Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 2,149	Printing temp i know tat there's a conversion chart for recommended time for different temp for film development. is there any for printing? Coz maintaining at 20 C is very troublesome!!!!!

14th May 2004	#2
tucker Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: singapore Posts: 409	it's usually stated on the developer itself. ilford will usually give 2 timings, 20 and 24 deg. C and they do have also have a graph that ya can refer to from it's website. agfa will have a graph that ya can refer too. don't use kodak. else, there's always this technique called 'trial and error' but of coz i think someone has already done a temp chart somewhere in this forum. but that's all the trouble for Black and white anyway.

15th May 2004	#3
kex Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: beebox Posts: 2,101	i never maintain my temp for printing,works fine leh..

16th May 2004	#7
maxby Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 69	Paper developers are not so temperature sensitive. The most important thing is consistency....so that you can repeat the same enlargement if required. This is the timing I have used:- 1. For RC paper - developer - 60 secs. stop bath 10 sec and fixer 30 secs 2. For FB paper - developer - 120secs, stop bath 10sec and fixer 60 secs. Any variations, like kex said use exposure timing to control. Always resist the temptation to yank the print out of the tray before the set timing. Used to do that and my prints were not repeatable.....did not understand why then. Another tip is to try print on a 3R print first to gauge the overall tone of the picture before enlarging.....3R prints cheaper. From the test print you can decide on which parts to dodge or burn ...and another other methods to enhance the print like penciling and masking techniques.

19th May 2004	#11
maxby Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 69	Yes, greg, you have the luxury of working with a 6x7...that is the entry level for darkroom exercises. Large negatives are easier to work with than 35mm ones....you have a lot of options to work with like pencilling, masking, flashing and even spot print reducing.. For small negatives it is better and cheaper to do smaller intermediate enlargements. Another tip, try not to print for volume unless you have to. Doing a couple of good enlargements a night is about the limit I would go. Beyond that it takes the fun out of working in the darkroom.....just my 2cts. worth.

20th May 2004	#13
kex Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: beebox Posts: 2,101	Can't imagine the work involved if printing out 36 photo.. i usually do a contact for my 6x7 and enlarge at the most 2 pix per session(ard 1hr) i feel 35mm lose out alot in darkroom becoz of the small negs like wad greg and max pointed out. Sometimes when i'm lazy,i choose the print by viewing the 6x7 neg under a loupe,the whole pix just popped out and gives u the 2D effect.