Digital BW, The Print

Ginny:  Lucky you that your 45A still works!  Makes me envious and not a little nostalgic.  Jim
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: ginnylady33 
  To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2006 1:22 PM
  Subject: [Digital BW] Re: Few B&W 2400 questions


  Dear Clayton,

    Just some quick feedback: I received my Merlin Natural from Hawk
  Mtn. today and did a few test prints. Wow! What a lovely paper. I
  found the prints VERY similar to those made on VFA. I think the Merlin
  is warmer in tone. It has a pleasing tonality similar to the Agfa
  Multigrade paper I was using in the darkroom. (I was  printing with a
  Beseler 45A color head and controlling the contrast with 2 or the 3
  colors.)
  Thanks for recommending this lovely paper. I'll share my impressions
  when the others I've ordered come.

    Best Regards
     Ginny


  --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Clayton Jones"
  <cj@...> wrote:
  >
  > Hello Ginny,
  > 
  > >Why do you print on both sides? 
  > 
  > I'm not doing any double sided printing, but when I'm working on the
  > last little tweaks for a first-time final print of a new image (or the
  > first time on some paper) I often make some test prints.  All of these
  > go back into the box and are reused for future test prints.  Also,
  > with the 2400's ABW system I often make a lot of tests with a new
  > image to determine the best color tone for it.  Over time this can all
  > add up to a lot of paper, so a double sided paper does save some
  > money.  Kayenta is also 2-sided.
  > 
  > 
  > >I'm not sure what the Paper Chase article is.
  > 
  > Article #5 at the link below is called "The Great Paper Chase", and
  > lists 26 matte papers and their attributes, such as weight, cotton
  > content, OBA content, paper color, cold/warm tone (how it renders
  > carbon inks), dmax, etc.  It's a good way to get a quick overview of
  > the popular papers.
  > 
  > 
  > >Yes. I remember the first time I tried TX. I used FG-7 as the
  > >developer. Ugh! So much grain. 
  > 
  > I remember FG-7 <g>.  It made a pretty good two-bath developer, but it
  > couldn't beat HC-110 for sheer beauty.
  > 
  > >>I then took a darkroom seminar with Fred Picker. He spoke about 
  > >HC-110 (1:31) and the testing needed to find my own personal ASA 
  > >valid for my shutter, and, also how to calculate the true develpment 
  > >time for TX with my equipment. He said that Kodak was over-
  > >developing the film to push the ASA up.  Well, the ASA I wound up 
  > >using was 280 or so. And, the development time was a minute or 2 
  > >less than what Kodak specified. (They were pushing the ASA by 
  > >overdeveloping, hence, more grain) Viola! TX became a fine grain 
  > >film! The difference was amazing, breathtaking!
  > 
  > Fred Picker's teachings had a huge effect on me (his practical
  > approach to testing and simplification has been a direct influence on
  > my path into digital printing).  I read his book and newsletters, and
  > did all as you describe (also used his modified Pentax spotmeter, a
  > great innovation).  I ended up using ASA 200 and HC-110 at 1:48 as I
  > did mostly landscape and wanted to pull even more most of the time.
  > Occasionally I would mark a roll for special treatment, but the dilute
  > HC-110 gave a very nice long scale negative.  No other film/developer
  > combination I tried came even close to what it would do (this
  > conversation is making me nostalgic <g>.
  > 
  > 
  > 
  > >Hmmm....I could afford the 5D. But, what would a couple of basic
  > >lenses cost me?
  > 
  > Well, mortgage your home, send your kids to work at Safeway...
  > 
  > 
  > 
  > >Is it just me or is it hard to find 11X14 paper nowadays? I really
  > >like that size and would use it a lot more if I could find it! 
  > 
  > I've only seen one paper in that size (something from Epson in
  > CompUSA), but I would use 13x19 anyway because I want some border
  > paper around the image.  I no longer trim off the borders and dry
  > mount.  These papers don't ripple like silver papers, and most don't
  > curl either.  They can be held flat and smooth by the window mat.  I
  > now hinge the top of the print to the back of the window mat, and
  > hinge the top of the window mat to the backing board.  This speeds up
  > the matting enormously.  The window is cut larger than the image just
  > like with a mounted print, but the mat is now pressing down on the
  > print's border paper, holding it flat.  It looks the same as a mounted
  > print and the signature is now on the print instead of the backing
  > board.  Dry mounting is one of the things I was happy to leave behind.  
  > 
  > 
  > 
  > >Can you recommend a good supplier?
  > 
  > Dourian and Aurora must be purchased from Red River, MerNat and MerSm
  > from Hawk Mtn.  I get PR from Shades of Paper.  VFA and Kayenta can be
  > found lots of places, just look for good prices, sales, etc.  Before
  > ordering any Kayenta, be sure to read the Paper Chase article about it
  > - there was a bad batch out there that may still be on vendors' shelves.
  > 
  > 
  > >what does K3 stand for? I know it refers to the inkset
  > > but not sure what it designates.
  > 
  > It refers to the three shades of black or gray (K, LK, LLK).  It
  > differs from the 2200 UC ink which has just K and LK.  The 3rd gray
  > ink is one reason for the nice smooth tones it produces.
  > 
  > 
  > 
  > >Thanks for the wealth of info Clayton and the nice sharing of 
  > >your early years in photography.
  > 
  > You're welcome.  It's nice to read your story as well and find kindred
  > souls with similar backgrounds.  There are quite a few forum members
  > who used Fred Picker's methods.  I've had a lot of nice email
  > correspondence over the past few years.
  > 
  > Regards,
  > Clayton
  > 
  > 
  > Info on black and white digital printing at    
  > http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm
  >






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