About paper

Hi,
I come back to darkroom. I need buy new stock of paper.
I read that paper Ilfobrom is better than Ilford multigrade, but there were not information why?
Can you give me any advise that is true?

As far as I know there is no Ilfobrom, naybe you ilfospeed, this is a graded RC paper, which only available in grade 2 and 3, I think that you would be better off using ilford MG, you need only the one paper to get all 5 grades, and the finished prints will be just about the same as using the Ilfospeed, more printers use MG paper than fixed grade, and it is a more versatile paper than fixed grade, so my advice would be to stay with MG paper either RC or the Classic FB paper

Way back when (30 years ago or more) Ilfobrom was a graded, bromide, fiber base paper, and it was supposed to be very good. I didn't use it back then. Ilford offered Gallerie as a premium, graded, fiber base paper, and at one point it was called "Ilfobrom Gallerie", Many people spoke very highly of this paper, including Ansel Adams. It is now just called "Gallerie", but I have not used it, either.

Back then, resin coated paper was shunned by serious photographers, but RC papers have improved a lot. And VC (variable contract) papers have improved a lot, too.

I recommend trying RC Variable Contrast papers for a start: Ilford Multigrade MGIV Deluxe is a really good paper. If you insist on fiber based, then try MultiGrade Classic FB (fiber base). It's a lot less expensive to stock just one grade (variable contrast) than multiple grades, and the RC paper processes a lot faster because you don't need an extended wash, and fixing times tend to be shorter, too.

Than later on you can add the newer fiber based and graded contract papers if you feel you aren't getting what you want with the RC VC paper.

From Freestyle photo, here are prices for 100 sheets of 8x10:

1. Gallerie, No. 2 $174
2. Multigrade Classic FB $113
3. Multigrade IV RC $83.

So you can save quite a bit of money if you try the RC paper, variable contrast.

Ilford has not used the Ilfrobrom name for decades, any that is for sale is extremely old and unlikely to be in good condition, do not look for it.

Ilford makes some of the finest papers available, the fiber base types Galerie and Multigrade Fiberbase are some of the successors to Ilfrobrom, if you want to use fiberbase paper (which takes longer to process in the chemicals and to wash) I recommend you try them.

adamlugi said:

Hi,
.
I read that paper Ilfobrom is better than Ilford multigrade, but there were not information why?

Click to expand...

Can you tell us what the source was? Always worth examining sources carefully in terms of date of source, context etc.

pentaxuser

Thanks for your interest and answers.
I did not think I was clear. Using the name Ilfobrom I meant paper that is not Multigrade.
Recently I made about 150 prints from various papers like Ilford Deluxe MG, Adox MCC, Oriental RC.
Now I want to buy paper and I look for the best. I'm thinking about Oriental or Adox MCC. My colleague told me that paper is not MG, it gives better prints. Unfortunately in Poland it is not possible to see samples, and on the internet there are general information that gives a different picture or that is better.

If you are looking for resin coated (RC) paper in fixed grade then Ilfospeed RC Deluxe is still available but only in 2 grades, grade 2 and grade 3. It is more expensive than MGIV RC and with my own prints I am not entirely convinced there is much of a difference. Perhaps the blacks look a bit richer but I don't have objective evidence for that. I do like Ilfospeed and I use it from time to time. MGIV is excellent paper though, cheaper and more versatile.

Both the oriental paper and adox MCC are multigrade papers, the MCC is a remake of the old agfa MG type paper, AFIK there are only two makers of fixed grade and that in very limited grades of just 2 and 3 at least in RC, and they are Ilford, with Ilfospeed , and Foma make a fixed grade RC paper, most printers will use MG type papers, the quality has improved so much that it is almost impossible to tell the difference between a print made on MG and fixed grade,plus mg paper has great advantages over fixed grade, it is cheaper, you only need one box to get all grades between 0 and 5, sometimes split grade printing is needed to get the best out of some negatives, and ou have so much more choice of types surfaces, warmtone neutral, with Ilfrods cool tone you get colder tones, glossy and pearl/luster/matt surfaces,
Richard

The best paper [ha!] is Ilford warmtone multigrade glossy fiber <ducks>

I don't like current Ilford RC MG paper. It is totally unpredictable on me. One day could be fine, another day could go grey. With same everything. It was not this bad then I started to use it. Only became like this in last two years.

I do print on Ilfobrom now. It is possible to find and it is worth it.

Ilford Ilfobrom 1 sw 8.5x11, printed about two weeks ago in Dektol: