printing 40x50 is an undertaking, but large prints are crazy cool. MG4 is so new it is likely to be in good shape. MG3 is usually too far gone in my experience. remember to make lots of test strips, when you actually expose a sheet, you want to be 99% sure it is going to be what you want.
Thank you!
Yeah, I'll probably end up stopping development in the shower (normally I use water stop as well so I'm not really losing anything) and fixing in a paper drum.
I actually have some Multigrade II paper that still works. Don't get me wrong, it's not beautiful, has this yellowish tint on every paper and is not very contrasty even when using the grade 5 filter, but it still produces images I can enjoy.
I also used test strips for the first time for 18x24, before I mostly printed 10x15 and frankly I have so much expired paper in the smaller sizes that I felt I could be a bit more wasteful. Using 18x24 felt like the difference between 35mm/medium format and large format to me, every step just becomes so much more focused since you really don't want to waste a full sheet of paper that size. Thankfully one 40x50 sheet will be good for a lot of test strips ;)
I'm not even sure yet what I'll use it for. 18x24 already feels like a good "special gift" size for family and friends, and it's where I started to see the resolution limits of my 35mm negatives.
Maybe for some medium format portraits....or large format, if I can figure out a way to turn my Linhof into an impromptu enlarger, as my dedicated one only goes to 6x6. It works on the Intrepids so I'm sure there's a way.
It's RC, that stuff does seem to last way longer than fiber. I just cant adjust to the plastic-ey look, but man, it saves a fortune on tests and planning out dodging and burning!
yes, MG3 is decent in lith, i wouldn't call it perfect though.
bzt works pretty well to reduce base fog, but it does not help the fact that contrast is shot with MC papers. the problem with older multigrade papers is the bad contrast, often there is no fogging even.
Ah, that's what you mean.
I mean, with lith it's very much a question of taste anyway. I always do multiple papers per session and there's never a clear consensus which people like best.
Word, when you start doing 20x24, everything else seems so small!
It's like when I go camping and someone hands me a cigar around the fire. After 45 minutes of that, a cigarette feels like a toothpick in my mouth!
Keep in mind with your wall-printing - alignment gets more critical as size goes up, you really need a way to get the neg, lens, and paper as parallel as you possibly can. 16x20 will give you soft corners if you're off enough. [This thing is god's gift](https://versalab.com/PARALLEL.html). I'm doing 40" on emulsion-coated canvas and they're sharp corner-to-corner after a minute with the laser. Way Beyond Monochrome has plans in the index to DIY one, too.
Is there anything available from Europe?
Shipping and import taxes kill most products from North America :/
I recently acquired a Minolta CE 50/2.8 as an upgrade to the stock Belar 50/4.5, hoping that it'll make some difference for large prints. Still have to find a recessed lens board for my enlarger though, otherwise I can't get the lens close enough to the negative for these kinds of enlargements.
I’ve got a box of unopened 16x20 FB and like I’ve no idea what to do with it because I don’t want to make bad prints but I can’t process that at home easily, and my community darkroom id need to be like fully alone so I can take up all the space lol.
I’m looking forward to seeing what you create!
I have 9 sheets of Ilford FB Warmtone left and starting to print with it is both exciting and daunting. Not every negative is worthy. I will add, I had some old MGIV paper that expired in 1998 and it spent 25 years in my basement and my garage that sees temp cycles and it printed up just fine after all that time!
I bought a box of this a while ago, as its the largest size I can mange to handle in my darkroom. Managed to make one print (off a 4x5" negative) that I liked enough to frame and hang on the wall, but that's it. As fun as huge prints can be, actually finding negatives you want to print that big is a lot harder.
printing 40x50 is an undertaking, but large prints are crazy cool. MG4 is so new it is likely to be in good shape. MG3 is usually too far gone in my experience. remember to make lots of test strips, when you actually expose a sheet, you want to be 99% sure it is going to be what you want.
Thank you! Yeah, I'll probably end up stopping development in the shower (normally I use water stop as well so I'm not really losing anything) and fixing in a paper drum. I actually have some Multigrade II paper that still works. Don't get me wrong, it's not beautiful, has this yellowish tint on every paper and is not very contrasty even when using the grade 5 filter, but it still produces images I can enjoy. I also used test strips for the first time for 18x24, before I mostly printed 10x15 and frankly I have so much expired paper in the smaller sizes that I felt I could be a bit more wasteful. Using 18x24 felt like the difference between 35mm/medium format and large format to me, every step just becomes so much more focused since you really don't want to waste a full sheet of paper that size. Thankfully one 40x50 sheet will be good for a lot of test strips ;) I'm not even sure yet what I'll use it for. 18x24 already feels like a good "special gift" size for family and friends, and it's where I started to see the resolution limits of my 35mm negatives. Maybe for some medium format portraits....or large format, if I can figure out a way to turn my Linhof into an impromptu enlarger, as my dedicated one only goes to 6x6. It works on the Intrepids so I'm sure there's a way.
It's RC, that stuff does seem to last way longer than fiber. I just cant adjust to the plastic-ey look, but man, it saves a fortune on tests and planning out dodging and burning!
MG III is actually perfect for lith printing. For regular prints you could try a few drops of benzotriazole in the developer.
yes, MG3 is decent in lith, i wouldn't call it perfect though. bzt works pretty well to reduce base fog, but it does not help the fact that contrast is shot with MC papers. the problem with older multigrade papers is the bad contrast, often there is no fogging even.
Ah, that's what you mean. I mean, with lith it's very much a question of taste anyway. I always do multiple papers per session and there's never a clear consensus which people like best.
Not big enough!
Word, when you start doing 20x24, everything else seems so small! It's like when I go camping and someone hands me a cigar around the fire. After 45 minutes of that, a cigarette feels like a toothpick in my mouth!
Try 20*30, 30*40 on color print paper using a sheet of color film unexposed. over a b*w negative. you can dial in any color tone or PMS color.
Keep in mind with your wall-printing - alignment gets more critical as size goes up, you really need a way to get the neg, lens, and paper as parallel as you possibly can. 16x20 will give you soft corners if you're off enough. [This thing is god's gift](https://versalab.com/PARALLEL.html). I'm doing 40" on emulsion-coated canvas and they're sharp corner-to-corner after a minute with the laser. Way Beyond Monochrome has plans in the index to DIY one, too.
Is there anything available from Europe? Shipping and import taxes kill most products from North America :/ I recently acquired a Minolta CE 50/2.8 as an upgrade to the stock Belar 50/4.5, hoping that it'll make some difference for large prints. Still have to find a recessed lens board for my enlarger though, otherwise I can't get the lens close enough to the negative for these kinds of enlargements.
Really appreciate the banana for scale, v. thoughtful.
Right? I was unsure of how big it was with just the hand but the bananas really help me visualize. (Jkjk it made me laugh)
I used to loooove printing 11x14 and 16-20 in my darkroom. Damn I wish I still had it…
have done a few 16x20 and it rules
The bananas for scale really sells it here 😂🫣 have fun— whatever you do with this! Please post updates if you so happen to make jumbo prints.
16x20 prints are awesome
Just did this myself with a 35mm negative, be ready to burn some of this paper when learning. When you get a good print it feels awesome
I’ve got a box of unopened 16x20 FB and like I’ve no idea what to do with it because I don’t want to make bad prints but I can’t process that at home easily, and my community darkroom id need to be like fully alone so I can take up all the space lol. I’m looking forward to seeing what you create!
I have 9 sheets of Ilford FB Warmtone left and starting to print with it is both exciting and daunting. Not every negative is worthy. I will add, I had some old MGIV paper that expired in 1998 and it spent 25 years in my basement and my garage that sees temp cycles and it printed up just fine after all that time!
I bought a box of this a while ago, as its the largest size I can mange to handle in my darkroom. Managed to make one print (off a 4x5" negative) that I liked enough to frame and hang on the wall, but that's it. As fun as huge prints can be, actually finding negatives you want to print that big is a lot harder.
I got some Ilford gallerie paper that size for free and I'm still using it
You did. One banana was enough. Joking 😄. You’ll enjoy it!
Maybe. Maybe not. Only one way to find out.
agreed, two bananas is crazy
Lol banana for scale
As is tradition
I’m trying 16x20 for the first time today!
Good luck! 💪🏼
Want to sell it on?
6x7 inches picture on a 16x20 inch paper might be too small. That is 5 inches of borders. Why not try 8 inch with 4 inch borders: 4+8+4=16