Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/04/19
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]on 19/4/00 12:08 PM, Andrew Moore at moore@rscs.net wrote: > I usually don't make contact sheets from my (OT: Leica) > 35 mm negatives because I simply don't have a way of > doing it with good results. I'd like to start making contact > sheets now. Is there any equipment or techniques that > would really help here, particularly for holding a set of > negative strips (4 frames per) aligned and flat while the > exposure is made? Simple is best!! Take one strip of your regular negatives and do a test for the minimum exposure that gives you maximum black through the clear (unexposed) part of the negative. This is your contact printing time: stick to it like glue!! As for the rest, all you need is a clean glass plate and some photographic paper. Sometimes I use one of those Paterson contact printing frames, but you really don't need anything to align the negs... they make life more difficult. Just put the negs on the paper in straight lines, put the glass on the negs (clean it regularly) and expose for your contact-printing time as established above. Of course, if you have underexposed or overexposed it will show up instantly if you have proofed for maximum black correctly. Nothing like proper contact sheet technique to make you aware of your exposure deficiencies. You are seeing your negatives for what they are... most instructive. Sometimes if you have grossly misjudged exposure you will need to do a second exposure just to see what's on the neg... but nowadays that hardly ever happens to me. Mind you, I gave up contact sheets when I bought a filmscanner. As a result I have about 200 rolls which I would now like to contact print for reference/editing purposes. Anyone know a good assistant in London who'd like a couple of days' work and has access to a darkroom? - -- Johnny Deadman photos: http://www.pinkheadedbug.com music: http://www.jukebox.demon.co.uk