Ilford Multigrade Above the Enlarger Lens 00-5 Filter Sheets

[danac]

I seem to have better luck not using any of these b/w filters. In my experience more often than not, they just add up to a ton of wasted test prints. What's your experience?

[AJG]

If your negatives are perfectly exposed and developed then you won't need much in the way of filters with variable contrast paper.  But when things aren't perfect, the filters can help a lot. The Ilford Multigrade set is pretty consistent for exposure, with grades 00-3 IIRC being the same exposure--nail a highlight and higher numbers will give you darker low tones and blacks with grades 3 1/2-5 being 1 stop less light thus requiring double the exposure.  This isn't fool proof, but it usually does get you most of the way to a decent print. If you're happy with your prints without filters then don't use them.

[dave_thomas8]

I use them, but usually start with a #2 or #2 1/2 and establish an exposure. That way if I do need a little more/less I don't have to figure a filter in as an additional step. I usually use one of the old time Kodak pie chart masks to get in the ball park for exposure and then maybe some small test pieces for features of particular interest before hauling out a full sheet.

Admittedly the cost of something like the Ilford Warmtone fiber base stuff in 11x14 does make one a little careful! 😲

[Monophoto]

I was taught to start in neutral (with the #2 filter), and print a test strip that include the darkest and lightest areas of the print.  Develop and fix the test strip, and examine the extremes.  Then, you can adjust contrast up or down by changing filters - more contrast (higher number) to get darker shadows, or lower contrast to get more texture in the highlights. Half steps are subtle, but you will see changes. 

[danac]

After many successful hours in the darkroom today, I got the good results faster than before thanks to your excellent instructions above. Filters were only used when there was an obvious need. I found a non-Kodak pie mask that I forgot I had. It was very inaccurate. I've been at this long enough that my "guesses" were better than the tool. There was also less wasted paper. Thanks a bunch! 

[jose_angel]

Multigrade filters makes traditional printing way more convenient IMHO. Over or under the lens, it doesn`t matter at all if the filters are clean and in good shape. The split printing technique is also a very useful approach.

The way of working is first to get the right printing time for a desired highlight texture and brightness. Once after that you decide how dark you want the shadow areas; if darker increase contrast, if softer use a lower filter grade. Experience will tell if the starting point (filter #2) can be superseded in favour of a different contrast setting.

Edited November 3, 2023 by jose_angel