Making Contact Sheets

[furusato]

Hi

I'm new to darkroom printing but recently wanted to explore making prints and contact sheets. I have my 35mm negatives cut out in 6x6 film sleeves. My question is, which paper size will fit this in making a contact sheet? Is the paper size easily available (locally from Ruby)? Or is the paper size for 7x5 negative sleeves easier to find?

And if anyone has bought B/W paper from Ruby before, are there lots of variety to choose from?

Thanks

 

[catchlights]

last time I used trim out 9" x 12" from 10" x 12" paper, as 8 " x 10" paper a little too small for 35mm film contact film.
but after collecting too many 1" x 10" strips paper, so just make contact print from a 10" x 12" paper to save all the trouble.

 

[zguy]

if u cut 6 frames per strip, u should be able to fit a roll into a 8x10" paper readily available from Ruby.

 

[furusato]

Oh ok. Thanks alot for the advice!

 

[Geerry H]

It is pretty much depends on your sleeves. I used printfile sleeves (35mm 6frames*7, 120 3frames*4), the film in both will cover larger than 8X10 paper size. I am not really bothered because normally I see my negs directly instead of making contact sheets. If I really have to see it in positive, I use phone to take a picture and use app to convert it (or for iphone you can on the reverse color function in accessibility menu, and triple press the home bottom the whole screen go negtive color)

I would say why have to put film in the sleeve for contact print? Take them out and use a glass to press them on the paper. Yes this takes longer time but do you have that many rolls to do? Or probably you want to get a contact printer from eBay?

 

[furusato]

I think the end point is the same whether I put each roll in a sleeve or not since my intention was just to know what paper size would be able to fit all 36 frames (cut out in 6X6) for a single contact print. And yup I do have quite a lot of rolls I want to make contact prints of.

 

[Riotbmx]

I think the end point is the same whether I put each roll in a sleeve or not since my intention was just to know what paper size would be able to fit all 36 frames (cut out in 6X6) for a single contact print. And yup I do have quite a lot of rolls I want to make contact prints of.

If you have a contact print frame, 8x10" is enough. If you are printing from the negative sleeve than just measure the size of the entire area. Enjoy the darkroom proces!

 

[crispy12]

I'm interested in doing some contact prints myself as well. Previously I only used an enlarger for individual prints but having the contact sheets to view would be quite nice for reference.

Are you guys using a contact sheet frame? Is there any budget way to do this? Just put the sleeve on paper and switch on the light enlarger?

 

[catchlights]

I'm interested in doing some contact prints myself as well. Previously I only used an enlarger for individual prints but having the contact sheets to view would be quite nice for reference.

Are you guys using a contact sheet frame? Is there any budget way to do this? Just put the sleeve on paper and switch on the light enlarger?

A piece of clear glass.

 

[zguy]

I actually wont do it with the sleeve. Why add 2 layers of material that hinder the exposure.

 

[furusato]

Yup. After trying out, found out using a contact print frame is an ideal way but just sandwiching the negatives (removed from the sleeves) between glass and paper is easiest. Did not do contact sheets though, had too much fun making prints. Heh