I've been looking for richer jet blacks in my printing with, briallant whites of course.

I use Ilford multi grade IV rc and fiber.

Any suggestions?

Guy could spent a fortune experimenting.

-- mark munro (munro@xyz.net), December 15, 1997

Answers

Rich Blacks

A lack of rich blacks in your prints might easily be corrected by raising the normal contrast of the paper you are using,but the most common reason for not being able to get good blacks at a normal or below contrast is over exposure of the negative. By over exposing the film and then developing normal a negative that is "flat" (full) in the shadow area is produced and requires a higher than normal (2 Grade) to begin producing a rich black. Another thought would be to use a developer that is higher in hydroquinone than the one you are using, such as Edwals Ultra Black. Or try agitating the print by lifting (flipping) it out of the developer every 15-20 sec. rather than just rocking the tray. This will increase the density of the black areas and keep the whites a bit brighter.

-- jim megargee (mvjim@interport.net), December 16, 1997.

Try using Agfa Multi contrast classic MCC 111 FB. I was using the same thing and not getting the "richer" or "cooler" blacks I was looking for. Someone suggested the same thing above but also mentioned that some papers just produce a more neutral or warmer black than others. He also suggested Oriental Seagull that produces cooler blacks. I tried Agfa since it was easier to get and am very pleased with the results. I'm getting the richer or cooler blacks that I wanted. I also found the Agfa less expensive than the Ilford.

-- (Moschika@sirius.com), December 17, 1997.

One cheap way of increasing the apparent density of your blacks and cooling them down is to simply tone in selenium toner. Ilford papers respond well to it but there are other RC papers that don't - Kodak Polymax being one but I think it has been discontinued.

-- Andy Laycock (aglay@interchange.ubc.ca), December 17, 1997.

Re: looking for rich blacks

Andy suggested selenium toning for deeper blacks, then commented that Polymax doesn't tone well. I haven't tried toning Polymax II RC myself, but it is worth noting that Polymax II RC does have a very nice Dmax (*much* better than previous Polymax) and I've heard reputable sources that it tones much better than previous Polymax.

Dana K6JQ Dana@Source.Net

-- Dana H. Myers (Dana@Source.Net), December 18, 1997.

Polymax II RC

I'm not sure what type of Kodak paper it was perhaps it was called Polycontrast or something. At any rate it was horrible paper and would barely tone with selenium or Agfa Viradon. I am currently trying out Kodak Polymax II RC but have not tried toning it yet with anything. So far I like the paper itself as it has a somewhat bluish tone reminiscint of Elite. The base is not nearly as white as Ilford but it is not unpleasant. What do you (or anyone else) think of it?

-- Andy Laycock (aglay@interchange.ubc.ca), December 18, 1997.

Re: Polymax II RC

Andy is trying Polymax II RC out, and asked what I think of it.

Ilford MG III was OK, but Ilford doesn't make a surface I like as much as the Kodak 'E' surface (in RC, at least). MG IV RC was less to my liking; I get oddly muddy notes in the mid-tones or something.

I'd been using Polymax RC for a while, I like the 'E' surface, but I wasn't getting particularly good Dmax out of the paper. Then I tried Polymax II RC. Wow... Polymax RC could give nice mid-tones, but Polymax II RC had a wonderful Dmax with none of the chocolate hints in MG IV RC.

I like it a lot; I just wish Kodak would upgrade Polymax Fine-Art to Polymax II Fine-Art ;-)

Dana K6JQ Dana@Source.Net

-- Dana H. Myers (Dana@Source.Net), December 18, 1997.

Polymax II RC

I agree with you both Andy and Dana. Really the new POLYMAX II RC Paper is much better than the old one I do like a lot E surface. Regards Mauricio (from Brazil)

-- Mauricio M. Falcao (mmfalcao@convoy.com.br), December 26, 1997.

Polymax II RC: seems to tone nicely in Selenium toner

Andy wrote: I'm not sure what type of Kodak paper it was perhaps it was called Polycontrast or something. At any rate it was horrible paper and would barely tone with selenium or Agfa Viradon. I am currently trying out Kodak Polymax II RC but have not tried toning it yet with anything.

Today I finally got around to trying Polymax II RC in Kodak Rapid Selenium, 1+20. 6 minutes in the toner really snapped up the contrast, deepening and cooling the blacks quite a bit. Not being a toning expert, I can't draw too many conclusions other than Polymax II seems to selenium tone nicely.

I'll try some Kodak Polytoner next, maybe.

Dana K6JQ Dana@Source.Net

-- Dana H. Myers (Dana@Source.Net), January 17, 1998.

Polymax II RC: seems to tone nicely in Selenium toner

Sounds like it would make and excellent combination. I tried Edwal Ultra Black with Polymax II RC and the blacks seemed to be deeper than with Agfa MCP 310 and Ilford MG IV Pearl (which actually toned brown!)

-- Andy Laycock (aglay@interchange.ubc.ca), January 19, 1998.

Merely use 1:1 (yes: 1:1) Dektol, developing time 5/7 minutes!!! Of course, the blacks you will obtain will be so rich, deep, that you will need to filter between 1/2 to 1 grade less contrast when printing. This is the best way I ever knew, I'm learned this from an expert former printer in the Pictorial Lab of Paris. You will no need selenium.

-- Eduardo Benavidez (benavi@impsat1.com.ar), May 22, 1998.

You might also try adding a few grams of sodium carbonate to your regular developer, or try mixing some Ansco 130 and use it straight rather than 1:1.

-- Ed Buffaloe (edbuffaloe@earthlink.net), January 20, 1999.