I have been experimenting with lith film when looking for a way to get suitable negatives for some of the antique processes (cyanotypes, etc.) Most of these processes require long-scale negatives, i.e. negatives with a long straight section and a high D_max. It is particularly the latter that got me to try lith film. Even with usual paper developer, the characteristic curve of lith film looks pretty much like a step function. I got some acceptable results with lith film developed in Tetenal Neofin Doku (a Beutler-type developer which seems to be more or less equivalent to Kodak Technidol), but that is a pretty expensive preparation. Can anyone got recommend a cheap continuous-tone developer for high-contrast films? (Maybe Rodinal at 1+...?)

-- Thomas Wollstein (thomas_wollstein@web.de), May 08, 2000

Answers

for sucking continous tones out of a high contrast film I think you are on the right track with technidol type concoctions. I know the fellas who use rodinal with techpan work with crazy dilutions upwards around 1/150... I think you are close but I just bet you'll find it isn't cheap for the results you are after unless rodinal works to your satisfaction. Good luck and buy some opaqueing goop...

-- Trib (linhof6@hotmail.com), May 10, 2000.

The latest issue of Photo Techniques (US not UK)has an article recommending Dektol. I haven't tried it yet.

-- Richard Newman (rnewman@snip.net), May 11, 2000.

I AM EMBARRASSED!!!! In my last post I cited Photo Techniques as the source for the Kodalith article. IT A'INT. The correct reference is Camera Arts, May/Jue 2000, starting on P 52.. My apologies to all. I just got both magazines, and didn't have them in front of me when I posted the comment, and had been looking at both. Guess my short term memory is slipping. Old age strikes again....Sorry.

-- Richard Newman (rnewman@snip.net), May 12, 2000.

Hello Thomas,

what kind of Lith Film are you using? I ordered 35mm/30.5 m of Kodak Ortho Lith film, which I have not received yet.

Consider Technical Pan in Rodinal 1:100 or 1:150, developed for 7 min/200C, Dmin around 0.1 and Dmax around 1.5+, develop longer and Dmax will be higher or use 1:50/1:75 to increase contrast. What contrast range were you thinking of? Dmax-Dmin > 2?

Want to try some TP-35 mm, let me know.

Kind regards,

Wolfram

-- Wolfram Kollig (kollig@ipfdd.de), May 14, 2000.

Hi Wolfram,

I experimented with 24x30 cm Macolith film. I am aiming at using it for cyanotypes and other antique processes. That means I need long-scale, contrasty negatives, and a D_max of more than 2 would be great. It also implies that I need negatives the size of the intended prints. Lith film is commercially available in many, even big, formats, it has a high D_max, and its slow speed and blindness to red light make it easy to handle in the darkroom. I may have to consider conventional cut sheet pan film for my purpose if the lith film refuses to produce the results I need, or the chemicals are too expensive, but I will first try a few ideas I got here.

-- Thomas Wollstein (thomas_wollstein@web.de), May 15, 2000.

Hello Thomas,

ok, 35 mm TP might be just a little bit to small for you, although saves plenty of paper. Yesterday I came across an old article in Practical Photo. (GB), he used C-41 developer 10 mins at 200C, rated at 50 ASA Technical Pan. As long as I do not have the lith film I have no idea if it might work for you.

I did develop some TP in Lith-Developer and yes contrast is fairly high with all highlights (or anyhing close) blown out, I guess next time I will cut down develop time and bracked (-1, -2, -3) based on 25 ASA.

Anyway good luck and life would be boring without experiments!

Wolfram

-- Wolfram Kollig (kollig@ipfdd.de), May 16, 2000.

I have made enlarged negatives from color transparencies on Lith film, the developer that I used to tray process the film was none other than the Universal Kodak D76 or Ilford ID11. The key to developing the negatives is not to develop for any more than two or three minutes at the max. This gives pretty good results, I hope this information is of some use.

Warm regards: Ed McCarthy

-- Ed McCarthy (edmccarthy1@prodigy.net), May 29, 2000.