# Test strips



## Jus7 A Phas3 (Oct 10, 2007)

Who uses them personly i use them but i feel like its a hassel. what about you guys?


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## doobs (Oct 10, 2007)

If I have time and want a good looking print, I'll make 'em. (Which is most of the time). You end up wasting a bunch of paper, if not.

However, if I am pressed for time, I'll usually make one or two test strips and just wing my time/f-stop/filter changes from there. However, these  prints don't usually come out as rich, full, or black as I expect them to. Many times, they look fine. I usually don't mind if I am printing from a toy camera or just some rolls from shooting up the neighborhood, but if they are a nice print that I'd like to show people, I'll do several test strips until I can get it how I want it.

- Slayer of the Mighty Dragon


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## nealjpage (Oct 11, 2007)

I use them, too.  However, I've noticed that the more I get to know my enlarger, the fewer strips I use since I know how the time/f-stop/filter combination works in my darkroom.  I still do two or more strips, but my initial starting point is close to where I want to be.


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## JC1220 (Oct 11, 2007)

IMO: They are a waste of time and paper and provide little information on the rest of the print.  People argue that they help get a base exposure time, but I've seen them make 4-5 more prints to get that base exposure time on full sheets, then another 5-6 getting the dodge and burns.

By a simple method of called "out flanking" you can nail your base exposure on full sheets by the 3rd print and have information on a full print that assists in your dodge and burn and have the whole print nailed with no more than 5 sheets.  No time wasted cutting strips, no time and paper wasted by making a dozen prints to get it right.  Sure, it takes some practice and attention to detail, but what quality result doesn't?


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## terri (Oct 11, 2007)

"Out flanking"? I can't recall hearing this term before.

Can you expand on this, JC?


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## doobs (Oct 11, 2007)

JC1220 said:


> IMO: They are a waste of time and paper and provide little information on the rest of the print.  People argue that they help get a base exposure time, but I've seen them make 4-5 more prints to get that base exposure time on full sheets, then another 5-6 getting the dodge and burns.
> 
> By a simple method of called "out flanking" you can nail your base exposure on full sheets by the 3rd print and have information on a full print that assists in your dodge and burn and have the whole print nailed with no more than 5 sheets.  No time wasted cutting strips, no time and paper wasted by making a dozen prints to get it right.  Sure, it takes some practice and attention to detail, but what quality result doesn't?



This sounds somewhat similar to what I try to do, I usually make one test strip with exposure intervals of 3 seconds and find the time I need. Then I base off that (contrast, added time, etc) and usually get a fine print with in 3-4 prints; sometimes less. I find this to work fine.

-Adjustment Layer


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## Alpha (Oct 11, 2007)

Densitometer to set base exposure. Saves a lot of time and money in wasted paper. I'll test strip a second filter over the base for split-filter work. But other than that, meh. I only test base exposure for mission-critical prints.


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## JC1220 (Oct 11, 2007)

terri said:


> "Out flanking"? I can't recall hearing this term before.
> 
> Can you expand on this, JC?


 

Hi Terri,

It takes some experience in being able to look at your negative and guess an approximate exposure for a given enlargment size, it is most helpful if you make consistant enlargment sizes or contact print.  

For example, lets say you think the exposure should be 10 seconds, make it, and lets say it is too light. You may think the correct exposure time is 14, but don't make it at this go strong and make another print at 18.  This print should be too dark.  Typically the correct exposure lands in the middle somewhere, 13-15, could be 14 1/2 seconds.  You will determine that with your third print.  Now look at all 3 prints, you have full print information on base exposure, dodge and burn from those 3 prints. So, by your 5th or 6th print you should pretty much have it nailed.

Hope that helps,
JC


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## CindyLoo (Oct 12, 2007)

I personally use test strips. I can guess an approx time, then I usually make a test around that. Thats what they taught me in school when I first started so its pretty routine. I can't even imagine how many sheets of paper I've gone through just in test strips. I've recently switched over to fiber from RC (which is killing my student budget  but very worth it if you ask me) so I'm almost wishing I didn't use them. But I guess it is worth it.
My dad on the other hand, who dabbled in photo as a hobby, never made test strips and is convinced they are a waste.


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## Skyhawk (Nov 7, 2007)

I always use them. I pick an area of the exposure that best represents all my zones and start there. As someone else said, the  more you get to know your enlarger, the less time it will take to begin nailing your prints. 

When I started doing this twenty-five years ago, I could buy a box of Agfa FB paper for around $30. I was a starving college student, so I used test strips religiously. Now, as I get back into it, I still use test strips quite often.

Jeff


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## chris_arnet (Nov 7, 2007)

always and forever. but i havnt been doing darkroom work much more than a couple months. i feel very comfortable with the darkroom, and how everything works, but i use test strips cause i dont want to waste a full sheet of photo paper or more to figure out the right exposure.


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## frXnz kafka (Nov 11, 2007)

Usually I do a test for every print. Yesterday I tried something different. I just did one test, fine tuned a bit, and did the rest of the roll with that time as a benchmark. It actually worked out really well. It probably helped that it was a very consistent roll of film, but aside from some dodging and burning I was able to get usable prints with that benchmark time.


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## Bobby Ironsights (Nov 28, 2007)

A projection print scale is pretty handy, if you work on different enlargers, with different developers, over and under expose, push and pull process, I use different films, and experiment with toners..etc..etc..

I'm the above, and still need test strips, and test patches in certain locations on the print. 

A person who sticks with one film, one paper, one developer and takes good notes...eventually doesn't need to do so, but I'm not a photographer who's matured into tried and true methodology yet.

Still finding my way.

Still using test strips, still using test patches on faces, and certain shadow areas.

P.S. I've seen some people in my darkroom group use full sheets all the time. They seem hurried, and you can really see the result when they pull their work out of the print dryer.

First the frown "_Hey that's not precisely what I wanted!_", then the shrug, "_Oh well, it's good enough I guess_", then they hold it out at arms length and sorta grimly nod, "_Actually, it looks ok if you're not too close"_.

I think it's not only exorbitant for a beginner, it prevents the freedom of growth that comes with being able to try many different combinations of paper/developer/developing ratio's/toners/intensifiers...etc..etc..


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## JC1220 (Nov 29, 2007)

Bobby Ironsights said:


> P.S. I've seen some people in my darkroom group use full sheets all the time. They seem hurried, and you can really see the result when they pull their work out of the print dryer.
> 
> First the frown "_Hey that's not precisely what I wanted!_", then the shrug, "_Oh well, it's good enough I guess_", then they hold it out at arms length and sorta grimly nod, "_Actually, it looks ok if you're not too close"_.
> 
> I think it's not only exorbitant for a beginner, it prevents the freedom of growth that comes with being able to try many different combinations of paper/developer/developing ratio's/toners/intensifiers...etc..etc..


 

That is because they have not been taught care in their photography and/or they just don't give a crap, which will always be evident in their work.

Personally, it matters little in the end if you use test strips or not, I never look at a good photograph and wonder if they used them, etc.  What matters is the final product, and "its gots to be good" and stand on its own terms.


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## doobs (Nov 29, 2007)

JC1220 said:


> That is because they have not been taught care in their photography and/or they just don't give a crap, which will always be evident in their work.
> 
> Personally, it matters little in the end if you use test strips or not, I never look at a good photograph and wonder if they used them, etc.  What matters is the final product, and "its gots to be good" and stand on its own terms.



Well put. The local darkroom is extremely expensive and not open late, so I generally try to work off the contact sheet or one test strip, and I can generally work exposures from there. Test sheets do not make or break the image. I can generally find a rough starting point, print a half or full sheet, look at it and determine what I need to fix the print, and generally get the print looking good in one or two prints. However it is not the same if I am split-filtering. Then I do take time in my print, making test sheets, to produce a fine image.


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## niccig (Dec 4, 2007)

I usually make one test strip for b&w for exposure, and have had decent success in getting what I want out of the full print by using the contact sheet to determine if something needs a little dodge/burn.

Color, on the other hand, is a whole other animal.  I usually go through at least 6 or 7 test strips per print to get the color balance correct.  Which sucks, since I have to use half-sheet test strips - our processor at school is really old and crappy, and anything smaller than 4x5 has a tendency to get stuck.


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## stubbsk (Dec 5, 2007)

I'll do a few test strips and them move on to full prints.


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## itsanaddiction (Dec 19, 2007)

i hate using them! once you know your enlarger, timer,  and what each filter will do, you're fine without them


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