AREA NEWS
HINTS AND TIPS Patrick marchment - (Area 22).
Black and white prints from slides - method 1.
Place the slide in the enlarger upside down, giving a reversed image projected on to a 10" x 8" frame on the baseboard. Use test strips to obtain correct exposure, then make a print. This is a negative image. After drying, place the print emulsion to emusion with a sheet of grade 2 paper, with the negative sheet uppermost and make test trips as usual under the enlarger (with no slide this time) at full aperture. Unless you have a contact printer use a sheet of foam rubber as a base and cover the two sheets of paper with a clean glass, the veavier the better. Having found the correct exposure, do the same again with a full 10" x 8" sheet of paper. You can process both the negative and the posirtive in the same solution.
Method 2.
If you have a slide copier, load the camera with black and white film, insert the slide then point the camera at a white reflecting surface in full sunshine from 2 feet. use the TTL meter and bracket one or two stops each side. The film is then processed as usual and an enlarger is used for making the prints. If you have no copier, a cheap alternative is the Zenith bellows and the mounts can be supplied by SRB Film Service of Luton to fit any camera. This method also works with colour negative film as long as you use sunlight reflection as tungsten lighting will alter the colour.
Coloured title slides.
These may be made by using Kodak Verocolour Slide 5072 from black and white work. The slides will have clear or light coloured lines on a coloured background, depending on the filter used.
FILM WASHING Glyn Willicombe (Area 20).
I was most interested in what was said in Internews No. 7 about the green/red/brown shadows due ro colourisation, following failure to wash properly after first development. This confirms what I have been saying for a long time - years before the Club formula was published and in the days when many memebers were having trouble with the Moorhouse formula.
If a stop bath is not used it is essential to extend the wash time as any carry-over of developer in the emulsion could result in further development in a partly reversed image, after the film is exposed to light. I did not like the idea of exposure of film to light when the spiral is removed so that the tank can be rinsed. In any event, I don`t think the rinsing of the tank is necessary. I didn`t do this when I first used E6 process some ten years ago with colour reversal.
The reversal brew was poured out and then in went the Colour developer. I can`t recall any failures due to incomplete reversal.CAMERA INSURANCE An Insurance Consultant (Area 20).
A lot of people do not bother with insurance of items of higher value. They are extremely wrong as the cost of replacement is not cheap. Homes are usually insured because the mortgage suppliers insist that it be done. An "all risks" section can be added to the policy or a sperate policy can be taken out for photographic gear.
Anyone who has a household contents poicy should get it out and read it to find out just what it covers. A lot of policies in the last few years have cut out the incomprehensible jargon. If you still dont know, then contact the insurance company, broker or agent and ask them. The words "all risks" never mean everything as you will soon find out. There will be certain exclusions such as the scratching of lens and wear and tear.
The next thing one has to be aware of is the value of the equipment that you own. Some companies wish to lump the sums insured together with perhaps a maximum value on any item - or a percentage of the total with of course a suitable excess of say £25.
The sums insured should be the full market value. In other words the price that you will have to pay to replace them. You will then come upon indemnity value of replacement value.
Indemnity means that in the event of a loss a claim is after taking into account war and tear and the age of the equipment. Replacement value is "new for old". This may be a problem where the camera manufacturer brings out a new camera every few months, masing the old camera obsolete.
In the event of a loss the insurer will ask for some evidence of the loss. Usually he will take what you say on your claim form. He will also ask for some evidence of value. Quite ofetn he will be prepared to take a value from say "Amateur Photographer" or consult a second hand dealer. One should keep all receipts, serial numbers, repair bills etc., which will validate the claim.
I suggest that you check your camera now before you forget, and make a note of the serial numbers and perhaps photograph them also.
Check on geographical limits. Whilst most of your household goods never leave home, I hope that your camera etc. goes with you.