Basic Photography Course

Figure 11-2.Contact printing arrangement.

source, and some sort of padding. For large volume and
fine printing control, a specially designed and
constructed contact printer is used

Glass and Pad

For you to make contact proof sheets and an

occasional contact print job, only a glass and a
supporting pad are necessary. "Contact printers,"
consisting of a sheet of glass hinged to a metal frame
and a pad assembly, are generally known as proof
printers (fig. 11-1). When such a device is not available
or is not large enough for the negatives to be contact

printed, a piece of 1/4-inch plate glass and soft padding
(such as a rubber typewriter pad) can be used.
Quarter-inch plate glass is heavy enough to keep the
negatives and paper flat and in contact during exposure.
The glass must be free of flaws, scratches, bubbles, and
dirt. For color contact printing, the glass should be water
white or crystal grade; otherwise, filtration is required
to overcome the color tint of the glass. The edges of the
glass should be beveled and the corners slightly rounded
or taped. This is a safety measure to prevent cuts when
the glass is being handled.

The pad should be at least as large as the glass. The

pad provides a cushioned surface to press the paper and
negative together under pressure from the glass.

To use either the proof printer or the glass and pad

to make contact prints, you should place the printing
paper emulsion side up on the pad material. The
negatives are then placed emulsion side down on the
paper and the glass is positioned on top. Then turn on

303.47

Figure 11-3.Using an enlarger as a light source for contact

printing.

the exposing light (fig. 11-2). This, of course, is done in
the darkroom under suitable safelight illumination.

Adequate pressure must be kept on the negative and

print paper so their entire surfaces are in contact during
the exposure. Any separation between the negative and
the paper results in an unsharp point in the image.

The light source may be any controlled lamp for

printing with a proof printer or glass and pad. An
overhanging light bulb or a safelight, with the filter
removed, connected to a timer is a convenient

arrangement. In most Navy imaging facility print

rooms, an enlarger is used as the light source (fig. 11-3).

Contact Printer

For large volume contact printing, a contact printer

is more convenient. A contact printer is basically a box
with exposing lights, safelights, and viewing lights
inside with a glass top. It has a hinged pressure cover to
hold the negative and paper in contact during exposure.
Switches on the printer control the lights in the printer
or the printer may have a built-in timer. Also, the contact
printer may be connected to an external timer.

Contact printers are all built around the same basic

idea. However, consult the manufacturer's instructions

11-3

contents

Basic Photography Course

<- previous page

next page ->


DOFMaster for Windows On-line Depth of Field Calculator DOFMaster for Mobile Devices On-line Depth of Field Table Hyperfocal Distance Chart Articles FAQ Recommended Books Support Contact Links Home As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.	contents <- previous page next page -> Figure 11-2.Contact printing arrangement. source, and some sort of padding. For large volume and fine printing control, a specially designed and constructed contact printer is used Glass and Pad For you to make contact proof sheets and an occasional contact print job, only a glass and a supporting pad are necessary. "Contact printers," consisting of a sheet of glass hinged to a metal frame and a pad assembly, are generally known as proof printers (fig. 11-1). When such a device is not available or is not large enough for the negatives to be contact printed, a piece of 1/4-inch plate glass and soft padding (such as a rubber typewriter pad) can be used. Quarter-inch plate glass is heavy enough to keep the negatives and paper flat and in contact during exposure. The glass must be free of flaws, scratches, bubbles, and dirt. For color contact printing, the glass should be water white or crystal grade; otherwise, filtration is required to overcome the color tint of the glass. The edges of the glass should be beveled and the corners slightly rounded or taped. This is a safety measure to prevent cuts when the glass is being handled. The pad should be at least as large as the glass. The pad provides a cushioned surface to press the paper and negative together under pressure from the glass. To use either the proof printer or the glass and pad to make contact prints, you should place the printing paper emulsion side up on the pad material. The negatives are then placed emulsion side down on the paper and the glass is positioned on top. Then turn on 303.47 Figure 11-3.Using an enlarger as a light source for contact printing. the exposing light (fig. 11-2). This, of course, is done in the darkroom under suitable safelight illumination. Adequate pressure must be kept on the negative and print paper so their entire surfaces are in contact during the exposure. Any separation between the negative and the paper results in an unsharp point in the image. The light source may be any controlled lamp for printing with a proof printer or glass and pad. An overhanging light bulb or a safelight, with the filter removed, connected to a timer is a convenient arrangement. In most Navy imaging facility print rooms, an enlarger is used as the light source (fig. 11-3). Contact Printer For large volume contact printing, a contact printer is more convenient. A contact printer is basically a box with exposing lights, safelights, and viewing lights inside with a glass top. It has a hinged pressure cover to hold the negative and paper in contact during exposure. Switches on the printer control the lights in the printer or the printer may have a built-in timer. Also, the contact printer may be connected to an external timer. Contact printers are all built around the same basic idea. However, consult the manufacturer's instructions 11-3 contents Basic Photography Course <- previous page next page ->	As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
	WWW.DOFMASTER.COM © 2006 Don Fleming. All rights reserved.