It depends upon the density of the negatives, the speed of your paper, which
filter you are using <if any> ...  But, for a start you might try f8 at 15
seconds...
denny

Oh, by the way... Cut a sheet into strips and use one strip at a time to
zero in on the correct aperture and time...  IF your time is over 30 seconds
go to a larger aperture, if it is under ten seconds go to a smaller, etc...
denny

do a test with just one strip of film and a small strip of paper. Use a
piece of black paper as a mask. Set the aperature at two or three stops from
wide openand set the timer for five seconds.  Cover all but one frame with
the black paper the black paper and expose for five seconds. Uncover the
next frame and again expose for five seconds. Repeat for the next three or
four frames. Now you will have a test strip with frames exposed for 5, 10,
15, 20, 25, and maybe 30 seconds. Develop the strip of paper and pick the
frame that looks best. Use the corresponding time to proof the whole roll.
This isn't quite as good as picking the first frame where the edge of the
film matches the pure black next to it on the paper. But I can explain that
later. For now that should get you a decent proof sheet.

 Frank

Perhaps a quick lesson in how to arrive at a feasible range of exposures
would help.

First make your best guess at exposure. It doesn't matter _where_ you start.
   If the outcome is too light, double the time.
   If it is too dark, half the time.
Repeat until the exposure is correct.

Your final print will represent the midrange of all likely applications you
will fine.
And believe me, you really will not be making many exposures. That's the way
the technique works.

All of the above is decent advice.  The exposure will usually be about the
same as it would be for an enlargement of the same negatives.  Special
proofing frames are available that hold strips of 35mm film for contact
printing.  They are very convenient but not required to make proof sheets.

If you are a consistent and careful worker you will have a "constant"
minimum exposure time for each type of film that you contact print.  A
little testing will determine that time.

Don't think of the materials and time you spend a "waste" but rather as a
investment in your craft.

I've said before that the most important piece of equipment for a darkroom
is a big garbage can.

--
darkroommike

----------

Fabio BERETTA <beretfab**NOSPAM**@tin.it> wrote in news:NJTUb.268360
$_P.9137890@news4.tin.it:

I found that using a #0 filter helps even out the contrast between dense
and thin negatives. Once you have found an exposure setting that works with
the 0 filter, it will work for almost every roll of film, so make a note of
it.

Bob