Ranunculus FT batch 079648 Lith+Catechol
The gain in knowledge is usually greater with difficult negatives. That's why I chose an older, very high-contrast negative (Efke R25) to test the limits of the new Fomatone batch.
So that even less experienced lithprinters can understand the problem with high-contrast negatives with extremely high light density, I will explain it again here.
To get a higher level of colour, the image has to be heavily overexposed. Strong overexposure requires a higher dilution of the lith developer in order to prevent a too fast blackening of shadows and midtones. However, at dilutions of 1+20 or higher, the developer is less stable, making reproducible results difficult. A higher dosage of restrainers such as potassium bromide or Lith D is therefore more sensible than a higher dilution.
Test SE5 Lith (1+20)
1st attempt of course already with overexposure
A+B+D+Water 20+20+20+800ml 10 minutes - no colour, no lith effect
2nd attempt A+B+D+Water 20+20+35+800ml plus 60% more overexposure (=45 seconds) 11 minutes – pale yellowish highlights, but snowball effect.
Back to tried and tested technology with a stronger lith developer and a second developer for more colour. Nothing new, just the familiar second bath with pyrocatechol.
Exposure time again extended to 80 secs.
1st tray SE5 Lith A+B+D+water 35+35+35+800ml 5:15 mins
2nd tray 600ml water + Pyrocatechol 40ml + Lith B 30ml + Ammonium chloride 20% 10ml 4 mins
Ranunculus FT batch 079648 Lith+Catechol
The gain in knowledge is usually greater with difficult negatives. That's why I chose an older, very high-contrast negative (Efke R25) to test the limits of the new Fomatone batch.
So that even less experienced lithprinters can understand the problem with high-contrast negatives with extremely high light density, I will explain it again here.
To get a higher level of colour, the image has to be heavily overexposed. Strong overexposure requires a higher dilution of the lith developer in order to prevent a too fast blackening of shadows and midtones. However, at dilutions of 1+20 or higher, the developer is less stable, making reproducible results difficult. A higher dosage of restrainers such as potassium bromide or Lith D is therefore more sensible than a higher dilution.
Test SE5 Lith (1+20)
1st attempt of course already with overexposure
A+B+D+Water 20+20+20+800ml 10 minutes - no colour, no lith effect
2nd attempt A+B+D+Water 20+20+35+800ml plus 60% more overexposure (=45 seconds) 11 minutes – pale yellowish highlights, but snowball effect.
Back to tried and tested technology with a stronger lith developer and a second developer for more colour. Nothing new, just the familiar second bath with pyrocatechol.
Exposure time again extended to 80 secs.
1st tray SE5 Lith A+B+D+water 35+35+35+800ml 5:15 mins
2nd tray 600ml water + Pyrocatechol 40ml + Lith B 30ml + Ammonium chloride 20% 10ml 4 mins