These darkroom guides aim to help you to take the next steps in your film photography and darkroom printing journey. We hope that you find them helpful. Working with Rachel and Tomfoolery to create this series was made easy by their combined knowledge and professionalism. After watching this video you should understand a little more about the difference that using filters can make to your darkroom prints on Multigrade or variable contrast papers.. Please let us know if you enjoyed it and which of our other ILFORD Photo Darkroom guides you have watched,
Agreed, this is a very helpful primer by Rachel for Ilford. Thank you both for giving us the basics on how we can use filters to create the prints that best represent the image we envision. Well done!
ILFORD Photo unfortunately I haven’t had the opportunity yet, so have been doing my research. The articles on the site are helpful, but this series of videos has been especially helpful being able to see the materials and processes.
Ilford stopped including that data guide with their newest papers, last I checked. Thankfully the info is still easily available online, and I keep a large-print copy of the data for my enlarger on the wall of my darkroom. While I find the under-the-lens filters more convenient for everyday use, they're too small for the 150mm lens I use when enlarging 4x5". So for that, I use the dichroic knobs on my color head.
Hi Derek, yes we have stopped including it in all boxes, but when we filmed most of this video pre Covid it was still in there. As you say it is available online and we've included the link in the video. It's a great idea to print it our have have it on the wall of your darkroom for when you are making prints.
I did indeed find this to be super helpful, and I'll tell you why....for some time I have kept looking at filters for my Meopta Opemus 6 enlarger (which needs over lens, not under lens). But I for some reason I kept missing the fact that there is "over" and "under" lens versions and because my enlarger doesn't have a holder below the lens I assumed it couldn't use them (as most of the articles I read features the mounted below-lens versions). Having watched this, I just realised there's a little tray in the head that pulls out!!! I feel like a baboon. Ted rushes off to see how much they cost....thanks Rachel and Ilford...top marks.
Great to hear that you found it helpful Ted. Enjoy using your new above lens Multigrade filters and please, if you are on IG share some images of your prints. #ilfordmultigrade #ilfordmgrc
Thanks Bak. Did you find the split grade video? ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ZtbknGsxAqs.html There is also some info on our website which you may find helpful www.ilfordphoto.com/split-grade-printing/
YO ! Just got back from a Walk in Brentwood with my PRAKTICA MTL5 Gift Camera loaded with my one cassette of July 2012 dated Delta 3200 rated 800 ASA and processed it in my Home-Made from Chemicals FX-15 ( Acutol-S Formula) stock for a 'Guessed' 8.5 mins @ 24oC and got great negs -- a little 'Soft' perhaps but a low fog level SO now I will try my MULTIGRADE FILTERS again to print some of the negs !
@@Ilfordphoto OK -- I printed the Negs -- Using my 'Home-Made Acutol-S Formula' gave me negs bit under-developed BUT I used the 'Infamous' Faded Grade 5 Filter' and got some prints which I have uploaded to my 'FLICKR' ALBUM here : www.flickr.com/photos/25850987@N03/albums/72157716427819081 I found a packet of your ID11 1 litre and mixed it up to try it on next half of the CUT film .
Or you can use a Saunders LPL enlarger like I do! It has a graduated ND filter that increases as contrast decreases thus maintaining the same exposure time regardless of what level of contrast I choose.
@@Ilfordphoto Please do! Mine is the 4x5 LPL. Utterly brilliant. While I absolutely love Ilford Delta 100 developed in pyro (Gordon Hutchings method) I found that, as I began with platinum/palladium printing with it's awesome tonal range (to say nothing of depth), that Bergger Classic Prestige VC (chloro bromide) paper gave me the closest thing in a silver emulsion to my beloved platinum/palladium. If Ilford can match *that* (or even exceed!) I'll be a most pleased printer; but that warmth and extremely fine tonality *must* be there. For my uses anyway which ultimately doesn't mean much to anyone.
2:35 - 2:55 partially answers a question that I have had for a while, thank you! Also, are above the lens filters "better" than below the lens, or is there no practical difference? HP5 shot at ISO 320 and printed at grade 2 is a common sweet spot for me.
It doe snot matter which you use. Just document the one you did use.. If using the Color Head. Be sure to document what setting you used... And don't touch any of them with your fingers. Keep them in there boxes. Color Heads need to be cleaned. And also the bulb Model. Type and hours of use would be nice to note. As they do degrade over time...If you replace with a different bulb.. You have to calibrate it..As you will get mixed results. If you try to reproduce a print later on...
I'm intrigued to know what question we partially answered. The only real difference is size and convenience. The below lens are more convenient and easy to use, but if you are using larger lenses then you may find the above lens ones better.
Thanks Rachel and Ilford for these videos, they've been extremely useful! So this may be a bit of a stupid question but I'm a bit confused.. I've just got my first enlarger (Kaiser VCP 6002), my box of multigrade filters and paper arrived yesterday so I was itching to have a go and try my first print. I've also watch the first darkroom print video which says to start with a Grade 2 filter, so I've popped in a Grade 2 above lens filter and after a few goes and a bit of time adjustment got a fairly decent result... ...but, as It's a colour enlarger I was looking at the data sheet with the paper which says in table 4, that for grade 2 the internal filters should be set to 0 for single filtration (if I've read it right and also have the internal filtration engaged), in the comments above you've also mentioned that without any filtration the paper is grade 2.. so do I need to add the above lens filter? or am I doubling up or something??
You are correct that without a filter our Multigrade is around grade 2. If you have them available it is always useful to use the filters though as this will give you a consistent starting point when making your prints.
@@Ilfordphoto Out of curiosity, when printing on Multigrade paper, would there be any difference in contrast if the same image was printed with no filter and with a grade 2 filter?
Great tute, I've been shooting ilford MG pearl in my rollei and getting great results once I learned to shoot with the high contrast in mind. I would really like to adapt one of the 00 filter to my camera lens to see what differences I can get in camera. Has anyone tried that before?
Thanks for watching. I don't think I've ever seen somebody using in camera filters with paper negatives. Like you say you'd have to use the 00 or your exposure times would be crazy. Let us know how you get on:)
Hi Sharon, I made another video which talks through Ilford photographic papers which might help. You'll find it on this (Ilford's RU-vid channel) as 'Photographic Papers'
So do you just use these filters to add contrast or can you use them to decrease contrast as well? That wasn’t really explained. I have a high contest negative that I want to tone down the contrast on
Hello, just out of interest, what happens if you do print on multigrade paper without using any filter? You mentioned the print exposure time being different - that makes sense. But does the paper default to a particular grade? Also, slightly related, I've noticed some of my negs have a purplish tint to them - is that going to be messing with the grading? Thank you.
Hi Lau. We only recommend cleaning filters with a soft cloth or brush. The older filters were gelatin based so susceptible to water but the more recent ones are solvent coated so are more robust.
My prints always seem muddy and not very contrasted, even with a high filter number. What am I doing wrong? I checked every step, developing times, etc. I know my negs are ok, I scanned them and they're good. Could it be the developer? I'm working in an old lab and I know the chemical products are a bit old. Paper is a bit old, too. Do you think I should buy all new paper and chemicals?
It could be the developer or the paper especially if they are old. Fogged paper can often cause muddy prints. try replacing them and fingers crossed all should be good.
@@Ilfordphoto I just tried with new Ilford and Foma paper I bought recently. Worked great! It was indeed the paper that was too old. I love your pearl paper btw
am I just UNLUCKY or something as I have several sets and on each cannot get anywhere NEAR a Grade 5 as the 'Magenta' density seems to have FADED and the Grade 3 looks to have more Magenta ! I have tried putting 2 Magenta fllters on top of each other by no use. I also have a DURST M305 and LPL C7700 Pro with Colour Heads and cannot get really good Contrast even with Maximum Magenta --- Many years ago when I was a photographer for the Ministry of Aviation you hade Grade 5 Glossy Bromide -- please bring it back -- MG filters are rubbish !
Hi Peter. It may be worth you having a chat with our tech team and seeing if they can offer any pointers. As you can see from the images show in the video, we didn't have any problems getting grade separation. There can be a number of factors that effect your final print from your negative density to the age of the paper you are using, but they should be able to help you pin it down. You can contact them by using the form on ilfordphoto.com www.ilfordphoto.com/contact-us
@@Ilfordphoto you want to get out there in 'Storm Alex' with your REAL FILLUM Cameras and use up some HP5+ or Delta 3200 Ha Ha ! ( I was GIVEN a cassette of Delta 3200 and waited for some Dark Conditions to use it so will probably Brave The Storm into Brentwood High Street --- )
Hi Eddy. You're not the first! All of the tech sheets are on the individual product pages. Just find your product, scroll down the page and it will be there. www.ilfordphoto.com/photographic-paper
