I have a bunch of color negative strips I need to contact print. For immediacy and economy I just bought a packet of Dektol mix (1 quart) and some Ilford MG RC. All I want to do is to get some reference images. I'll only be making two or three contact sheets at any given time, so I want to use the dilution that will be the most economical. Dektol will not be my usual B&W paper developer, and I've never used it before. That's all they had at the only darkroom supply place I could find within 100 miles of where I live (I might be exaggerating by 20 miles or so). In any case, the plan is to dilute as much as possible, use as little as possible to get two or three 8x10 contact sheets done, and dispose of it. Thanks for any suggestions.

John

-- John Kilmer (jkilmer@usadatanet.net), February 22, 2001

Answers

Typically Dektol is used 1:4 for good contrast and blacks...

-- Scott Walton (f64sw@hotmail.com), February 22, 2001.

I can't remember doing any contact prints of colour negs on normal B&W paper, but enlargements weren't very good unless you were looking for huge grain and weird tonal representation. Something to do with the paper not sensitive to the colour negs in some wavelengths or something (someone chime in and add the reason.. I'll remember then!) Kodak make 'Panalure' paper for doing this, which must be handled in compete darkness. All the 'good' info may not be appropiate, but if you're contact sheets aren't what you expect, now you know partially why :)

-- Nigel Smith (nlandgl@unite.com.au), February 22, 2001.

Thanks, Nigel. I understand the difference between Panalure and regular B&W paper. I don't care how weird the tonal representation is for this purpose, I just want to see the composition in the contact print. \

OK, Scott. Dektol 1:4 should last me a good long time for just contact prints. Thanks.

John

-- John Kilmer (jkilmer@usadatanet.net), February 22, 2001.

I just printed some color negatives on MG IV in Dektol. They were medium format. I had to use around grade 4, but the images ended up looking surprisingly good. I was a bit chagrinned, in fact, since I typically would have made them with B&W. Anyway, they needed the added contrast, but were otherwise normal. I always use Dektol with the fiber base MG, but at 1:3, and two minutes or sometimes three. The RC stuff gets one minute, so that is why 1:4 is okay with it.

-- E.L. (elperdido65@hotmail.com), February 23, 2001.