Enlarger Filters?

Question:Hi, doing some coursework and can't seem to find the answer to this anywhere!!!

Could someone please explain the difference that the White, Cyan and Yellow filters (on a dichroic enlarger) make to a black and white print. I've only ever used Magenta!!!

Thanks so much!

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Hi, doing some coursework and can't seem to find the answer to this anywhere!!!

Could someone please explain the difference that the White, Cyan and Yellow filters (on a dichroic enlarger) make to a black and white print. I've only ever used Magenta!!!

Thanks so much!

The filters used in the darkroom are used to color the light coming out of the enlarger. Photo printing paper responds differently to different colors of light. You could kind of say that the paper is "programmed" to respond to different colors with different amounts of brightness.

Most B&W films are panchromatic, which means they are sensitive to all colors of visible radiation (light) from blue to red. When you place a red filter over the lens, only red light gets through: the blue, green, and yellow light are absorbed. In some cases this may increase the apparent contrast, since blue skies will get darker. This does not mean that the gradation of the film has changed at all. A green filter absorbs blue and passes green, yellow, and red. A yellow filter absorbs blue and some green, and passes yellow, orange, and red. An orange filter absorbs blue, green, some yellow, and passes orange and red.

None of these filters changes the 'contrast' of the film, only the relative brightness of different colors.

A variable contrast paper is sensitized to blue and green only. Some parts of the emulsion are sensitive to green, but all of it is sensitive to blue. The less green light that is used to make the exposure, the greater the contrast (gradation).

The effect of color filters on BW print meda alters the contrast of the print. Most BW papers are more sensitive to blue and less sensitive to red or yellow light.