Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/02/22
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Photography has become my second full-time job lately and if I didn't need to sleep sometime, I'd probably be printing throughout the night! New to me is Oriental Seagull VC RP-F paper, covered in the current Photo Techniques. Had I known of the article at the time, I would have realized that RP stands for "Resin Protected"; the packaging itself is unenlightening. This paper is much faster and has greater contrast (no filtration used) than the Ilford MGIV RC that I had been using. Initial impression: Wow! Great sense of crispness but the deep shadows have tonality and the highlights have texture. Mid-tones demand exacting exposure though: I already have a couple of voltage stablizers in the house, but now I want a digital timer too! Much pleased with what looks to me like neutral to cool-black renditions. I've never tried selenium toner before, but I've got a fresh bottle of it standing by; this should be good. Most of what I shoot these days is Tmax 400, usually processed in a 1:1 solution of Xtol at 24 degrees C, but I've also been experimenting with HC-110 solution B. The Xtol negatives (too soon to tell with the HC-110 ones) in general seem to print pretty easily compared to older Plus-X and Tri-X negatives developed in D76. New safelight: CMG Equipment (www.cmgequipment.com) "Bonfire" LED tent light! No one had the Jobos in stock, so this was a real find, and for less than $20, a bargain. It's the size of a small flashlight, is rated to run 18 hours in the bright setting on 2 AA batteries and so long as I did not point it's bright yellow beam right at the paper, is indeed paper-safe. The older safelight is a red LED strip originally used as automobile 3rd brake light. Bounced off the walls and ceiling, this too works very well but it requires 12 volts DC. Ironically, the WORST safelight in the house is also the only one specifically marketed as a safelight: Brightlab Jr. And despite the name, it's also the dimmest by far yet causes a good deal of paper fogging. I could put it in a cheap reflector and bounce it for better results, but it's already so dim so why bother. I've toying with the idea of treating myself to a better enlarger (specifically, one that's easier to align) and came away very impressed by a Leica V35 which is sitting at Werner's Mile High Camera--talk about wonderful overkill! I was amazed by the sight of a cast and machined metal negative carrier which snaps very precisely into place. If it could handle my 4x5 negatives as well as my 35mm, I'd be all over it! - -- Jeff Segawa Somewhere in Boulder, Colorado