How to increase the contrast

shauttra · Joined: 17 Nov 2009 Posts: 778 Location: Latvia

I printing copies on Ilford multigrade paper using mg filter nr5 from low contrast or normal negative, developing in ilford mg developer, but contrast is still very low... everything is gray..
it is almost impossible to get normal print with deep black, and white. Only from very high contrast negatives is possible print some useful picture.
Chemicals and paper are fresh, temperature is ok, safelight is ok. Sad

Any ideas?

martinsmith99 · Expire: 2013-11-18

Are you losing contrast at printing or developing stage? How do the negs look?

berraneck · Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 3:55 pm Post subject:

Do you use properly color head or mg filters with enlarger?

shauttra · Joined: 17 Nov 2009 Posts: 778 Location: Latvia

Negs are ok, with good contrast. Filters are Ilford MG, enlarger LPL with colour head, but i use it in BW mode.
I tried some old russian very high contrast paper and prints looks ok, but on Ilford i have only dark gray in blacks and light gray in whites..

marty · Joined: 09 Apr 2009 Posts: 767 Location: Italy

Hello.
I'm not sure it makes any difference but are you zeroing all the dichroic filters? Pardon me if I ask, but wouldn't be more practical using directly the dichroic filters to control BW contrast? That way you could better fine tuning the contrast I think.

Cheers, Marty.

shauttra · Joined: 17 Nov 2009 Posts: 778 Location: Latvia

marty - yes, all filters in enlarger are on zero. Maybe something wrong with enlarger lamp?