Large Format Paper Negs

ah5168

ah5168

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I am interested in using photographic paper to create a scanable negatives from my 5 x 4. I have researched it a bit and it appears that photographic papers are about ISO 6, am I reading this correctly, and does anyone no where I can get reciprocity data on the various papers.

Any thoughts or links would also be appreciated.
 
Hmm interesting, i assumed you could do this after accidentally putting 2 sheets of paper under my enlarger stuck together, they only parted once in the developer and the sheet on the underside had a underexposed copy of the top one on it. been thinking about trying a 5X7 pinhole straight onto paper.
 
Thanks for the information, the intention is to scan in the negs and change them to positive in Photoshop.
 
Why are you trying to make a neg on paper? Why not just use a straight forward contact print to scan?
 
Thanks for all the feedback.

Kev M said:
Why are you trying to make a neg on paper? Why not just use a straight forward contact print to scan?
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There are two reasons

1. I have tried scanning some prints recently and like the results better than scanned negs.

2. 25 sheets of 5x7 paper is £5 and 25 sheets of film 5 x 4 film is £30.
 
I was confused for a bit with this but I think I've got it now, I assumed you were wanting to use the paper to make scanable copies of your previously shot negs, you actually want to effectively use the paper as film... I foresee long exposures :)
 
ah5168 said:
Thanks for all the feedback.



There are two reasons

1. I have tried scanning some prints recently and like the results better than scanned negs.
Click to expand...

So you can scan a contact print which isn't a negative and won't require reversal in photoshop.

I've no idea why you're trying to make a negative image on paper to be honest.
 
"I've no idea why you're trying to make a negative image on paper to be honest."

"1. I have tried scanning some prints recently and like the results better than scanned negs.

2. 25 sheets of 5x7 paper is £5 and 25 sheets of film 5 x 4 film is £30."
 
Yeah, I get your reasons for wanting to scan a print rather than the film but why do you want that print to be a negative image rather than a positive image?
 
He doesn't... what he wants to do as far as I can see is to just use paper instead of expensive 5x4 film... unless he uses the expensive positive paper that is designed for pinhole cameras then he will end up with a negative image. (unless I've misread this totally)
 
I think I see where the confusion (perhaps only on my part) is.


In post one he says he wants scanable negatives on paper. I took this to mean he would be shooting on film, making a contact print and scanning that. That would be a positive image.

I guess you're suggesting he wants to shoot directly onto paper. That would still be a positive image and not a negative. Hence my confusion.
 
Shooting directly onto paper will still have a negative final result unless you use direct positive paper...
 
The idea is to shoot directly onto paper, develop it to create a negative image of the scene on the paper, scan in the paper negative and reverse it in photoshop to create a positive image. All of my work is scanned, I don't enlarge and wet print anything.

It has a lot going for it, its cheaper, and quicker than messing about with film, potentially easier because the film can be handled under safe light. The only down side I can see is the ISO 6 sensitivity.
 
Sam_G said:
Shooting directly onto paper will still have a negative final result unless you use direct positive paper...
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This....


I'd be tempted to try it with normal paper first and just see how well it works. It's going to need long exposures though.
 
Paper is not like film, can be very contrasty in some situations and isn't as sharp.
 
Liam said:
Paper is not like film, can be very contrasty in some situations and isn't as sharp.
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I can see the contrast being off but I would have thought it would be sharp.... obviously it's sharp when it's used properly. Any idea why?
 
I'm tempted to have a go at this. I have an old folder lying about that I keep meaning to try, but no proper darkroom (and not likely to have access/time for a while) and no way of scanning such a large transparency/negative. Going on ah5168's prices, I'd have thought just over £10 would get you enough paper and developer to experiment (assuming you have a camera etc. to hand).
But while reading through the thread (and I realise this might be hijacking it a bit, as it's not what the op is asking), I began to wonder whether it'd be possible to used the camera to both take the image (on film), and used to make a contact print on paper (as a make-shift projector). I could probably develop the print in a dark cupboard or using the taco method.
Any thoughts?
 
You could use the camera like that but if you've got a dark cupboard you can just expose it in there by putting the light on for X seconds.....
 
Sam_G said:
Shooting directly onto paper will still have a negative final result unless you use direct positive paper...
Click to expand...

Very true. Ignore everything I've said so far, I was obviously having a brain fart yesterday.
 
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