Effects of Enlarger

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I have not been getting good blacks and brilliant whiteson my prints. How much is this affected by the enlarger. Mine is pretty Basic with a Tungsten Lamp. Though I do have a Nikkor 2.8 Enlarger Lense Regards Raj

-- Rajkumar (krajkumar@vsnl.com), May 30, 2000

Answers

It is hard to offer an answer without seeing your negatives and prints, but your problem is most probably not your enlarger. Your whole exposure and development system needs to be examined.

How is your film exposure and development? Very underexposed/underdeveloped negatives maight be the cause of your problem. Start by using harder (more contrasty) paper, or a higher numbered variable contrast filter.

More likely, it is your paper or chemistry. How old is your B&W paper? Has it been stored properly? Is the developer oxidized? Are you using the proper dilution/concentration for the developer? Is the temperature of the developer 68:-72:F?

Beg/borrow/obtain a properly exposed and developed negative from a friend. If that's not an option, ask a local commercial photographer for one; if he/she balks, suggest that they scratch the negative so that the prints will have a permanant mark, but will still be useful as a test. If a good negative prints well, then it is your exposure and/or development of your film.

If your film is 35mm, look at the fogged end of the film; if you are using another format, fog a piece of film and develop as you normally do. If it isn't opaque, then your film development time is too short, temperature is too low, or developer is too dilute or oxidized.

If your borrowed negative doesn't print well, mix fresh paper developer. If the results are an improvement, but still not where you want to be, try increasing your developer concentration until you get clean whites and rich blacks.

If that isn't the solution (pardon the pun), try a fresh package of paper. Freshfresh, from a reputable dealer. Develop for the maximum time suggested by the manufacturer.

-- Terrence Brennan (tbrennan13@hotmail.com), May 30, 2000.


Hi Raj,

The previous poster gave some sound advice. I seriously doubt the enlarger is your problem. Take a piece of your paper and cover one half with something opaque. Turn the room lights on for 10 seconds, then develop the paper as normal. If your aper isn't base white on one half and dense black on the other, then something is wrong with your paper, chemicals, or process. What are you using: Paper? Chemistry? Water? Process?

Regards, Pete

-- Pete Caluori (pcaluori@hotmail.com), May 30, 2000.


Hi Raj,

Are you using filters? A few months ago my prints were looking awful and I realized that my filters had faded and were not giving me the contrast I thought.

chris

-- Christian Harkness (chris.harkness@eudoramail.com), May 31, 2000.


All good advice. If the above does not help tract down the problem, check your safe light. They have away of changing with age from safe to fogging prints.

-- Larrye Edye (WA4GMS@webtv.net), June 01, 2000.

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