Direct Positive Paper on 120 roll for medium format camera

[Keith (M)]

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Galaxy Hyper Speed 120 for Medium Format Camera

Hmm, interesting idea but once one has the direct 6x6cm (or whatever MF size) print developed & dried, what then? 

 

Argghh - why cannot can the title be edited???  Should read of course 'Positive'

[LocalHero1953]

It worked for Louis Daguerre - I believe it even led to commercial success.

[pop]

Argghh

Argghh no more.

[chrism]

Paper negatives are great fun in large format cameras - they are much cheaper than sheet film, but the usual ISO for printing paper is around 3-6. So I backed Galaxy for their first product—"Direct Positive" 10x8 paper for paper negatives. It does seem to have an ISO of 120 (most printing paper is ISO 3) and I really appreciate the speed as it's impossible to have someone sit still for a 30 second exposure! However, I save it for portraits (example) as it is considerably more expensive than Kenthene paper and for a still life or landscape there is no issue with using a long exposure.

Now there has been some dissatisfaction in the LF world as it isn't direct positive in the sense that the Harmon paper is. It is ordinary paper that makes a negative image unless processed with reversal chemistry, so if you want it make a positive image you will have to use their special chemistry set. I'm very happy to develop it normally and scan the paper negative for my positive image, and by doing this I get a final image that is the right way round (if reversal processed to make a positive it will be mirrored). Assuming that few people will want to do the reversal processing, this 120 paper film could be developed like any other paper, and scanned, but then you are limited to using a flatbed scanner with a bit less quality than you are used to with a dedicated film scanner. This doesn't matter for my 10x8 paper negatives, but might with 6x6 paper negatives. You can also contact print through the paper but it takes quite long exposures. I don't really see any reason to use it in MF over film, which is easily available in a variety of emulsions.

 

Chris