Topic: Ilford Printing advice

[Karl]

I posted a couple of things recently about my poor printing results. With a darkroom nearly ready to roll I thought I'd have a look at Ilford's site, which proved to be a really good information resource. The resin coated paper development guide suggests a processing schedule (not incl. wash) that totals 1 minute and 40 seconds. The darkroom course I took had a development process that took 8 minutes and 30 seconds. They must have taken the fibre paper process and maintained it as RC advice.

I think I may have been overdoing it and I'll also get a lot more printing done!

[LT]

yes indeed.  RC is very convenient.  I am a paper snob though.   I just can't get over the flatness and feint blacks of RC paper - even in gloss finishes. It just doesn't do it for me.

[Karl]

I know what you mean. Will use RC for day-today keepers and FB for display/gallery work. I think I should buy into one paper and processing chemical set to begin with to get myself up to speed on decent printing.

[LT]

I think I should buy into one paper and processing chemical set to begin with to get myself up to speed on decent printing.

excellent plan Karl.

I have some really cheap RC paper from silver print that has a limited contrast range (Silverprint Proof).  I use this for proofs, then move onto the FB when I've decided that the neg is worth pursuing. 

[Francois]

I for one have always been a fan of RC paper. Not because it's nicer than a good FB print, but simply for the sake of convenience and speed. Lately, I've been using some Multigrade with the "silk" surface... and have been a bit disappointed. Blacks are not as dense as I would like them to be... but it's still better than a dye sub print. My favorite is usually the "Pearl" finish which is a nice balance between "silk" and "gloss".

I also have been thought in school to take more time than is really necessary...

[Mike (happyforest)]

I did read somewhere once that there was an optimum wet time for RC paper. The author said that prolonging the wet time caused some loss of the optical brighters. Something I never got round to testing.  

I'll have to see if I can find it in the relevant book.

Got it.

Black and white photography by John Wasley.  From Focal Press, The photographers library.

page 129 & 132

'The optimum wet-time for a RC paper is 8 minutes. .... 2 minutes developer, 10 seconds stop bath, 2 minutes fixation, 4 minutes wash.  ... papers must come out of the wash after 4 minutes; any longer, and the brightness and contrast begin to deteriorate.  ...dissolution of the brightener may leave the print with a mottled appearance showing clearly in the lighter and middle tones.'

However the processing step are notably different to Ilford's.

1 min developer, 10 secs stop, 30 seconds fix and 2 minutes wash.

Mike