Adox Easy Print RC

[removedacct3]

Hello,

A little question about Adox Easy Print that bugs me for quite some time now. It is a RC sold by Fotoimpex, the 'official' Adox web store. From what I understand it is rebranded Kentmere Select VC. But the funny thing is this paper seems to be completely ignored by Adox. For example, there is no reference whatsoever on the Adox website (adox.de). I understand that Adox would like to promote their native products, but completely ignoring it? Questions, questions, questions.

Does anyone have some insights on this?

Best,
Marcel

 

[David Allen]

Adox Easy Print is a budget brand (also available to schools with a large discount) within the wide range of products offered by Fotoimpex.

It would seem to me that Mirco has positioned Adox as a a premium manufacturer concentrating on high end products closely aligned to the 'star' products from the old Agfa range and these premium products must reflect the research and development costs expended by such a relatively small company. Therefore, it does not surprise me that there is no reference to it on their website. I note that many other Adox products, such as the film developers ADOX ADX-II Zweikomponentenentwickler & ADOX HR-DEV 100 ml Konzentrat, are also available through Fotoimpex but not listed on the dedicated Adox site.

I think that the key thing is that such products are available to people keen to work in the darkroom but with (like many of us) only a limited budget for chemicals and paper. Personally, when teaching I prefer FOMA Fomaspeed Variant 313 but I am still glad that other budget products such as Easy Print are available.

Bests,

David.
www.dsallen.de

 

[pentaxuser]

David, so Adox Easy Print is a budget paper but made by whom, Adox or Ilford? If it is Ilford Kentmere why confuse matters by giving it an Adox name as if it was an Adox paper. If it is made/confectioned by Ilford then presumably in line with Ilford's policy of not selling rebranded products it is done by Ilford to an Adox recipe. Based on the previous sentence it sounds like it is the latter i.e. made by Ilford but to an Adox recipe. If it is this and it is budget how does it differ from any of the the premium Adox products which as I understand things are solely made by Adox or are Adox premium products also made by someone else and if so who?

Thanks

pentaxuser

 

[David Allen]

Dear Pentaxuser,

I have never personally met Mirco (although I would love to meet such an engaged analogue fanatic), did not have free time to visit the new factory building in Bad Saarow which is near to Berlin and I (and my students) am simply a customer of Fotoimpex. Adox Easy Print is identified as being 'made in England' so we have to assume that this means by Ilford/Kentmere.

Why is it branded 'Adox' - well does that really matter? - if you want some form of answer, I would suggest that as Ilford is a top premium product in Germany (with prices that reflect this) there is probably some commercial reason why products have different names in different markets.

The key fact is that it is a budget brand that delivers good quality for people on limited budgets.

If you want a more specific answer then why not contact Mirco at Adox directly.

Bests,

David.
ww.dsallen.de

 

[pentaxuser]

Thanks David. Just curious about the origins of any paper these days, what makes a paper a budget paper and what the differences are between a budget paper and a premium paper. On balance, based on price, Adox is the more expensive paper compared to Ilford. Kentmere by a small margin tends to be cheaper than Ilford.

pentaxuser

 

[David Allen]

There is a huge difference in prices of individual manufacturer's products in different markets. Here in Germany Ilford is the most expensive product. All papers sold as premium products hover around the 3.10€ per sheet for 16" x 12" with Ilford warmtone coming in at a whopping 4.51€ per sheet for 16" x 12". In comparison (and I know that Foma papers are much more expensive in the UK) my standard paper which is FOMA Fomabrom Variant 111 comes in at just 1.70€ per sheet. Finances force me to use this paper but, I have to say, it is a really great paper and gives me exactly the results that I want.

As an indication of different markets, here is an overview of costs in Germany:

ADOX MCC 110 - Naturglanz (Baryt) - 30x40 / 25 Sheets = 69.02€ (i.e 138,04€ for 50 sheets)

BERGGER Variable NB, Neutralton - Naturglanz (Baryt) - 30x40 / 25 Sheets = 66.00€ (i.e 132.00€ for 50 sheets)

FOMA Fomabrom Variant 111 - Naturglanz (Baryt) - 30x40 / 50 Sheets = 85.00€ (i.e 42.50€ for 25 sheets)

FOMA Fomatone MG 131 - Naturglanz (Baryt) - 30x40 / 50 Sheets = 155.00€ (i.e 77.50€ for 25 sheets)

ILFORD Multigrade FB Classic 1K - Naturglanz (Baryt) - 30x40 / 50 Sheets = 155.00€ (i.e 77.50€ for 25 sheets)

ILFORD Multigrade FB Warmtone 1K - Naturglanz (Baryt) - 30x40 / 50 Sheets = 225.72€ (i.e 112.86€ for 25 sheets)

Bests,

David.
www.dsallen.de

 

[arturo_rs]

I made a few questions to Adox about this paper. Compared with Foma RC the answered:

"No, the papers are not identical. We consider the FOTOIMPEX paper being a bit better".

I´ve just bought 25 sheets of 30x40 glossy. Have some Foma RC to compare with. My result will be published to help anyone.

 

[koraks]

Very interested to hear about your results. My experience with Easyprint vs. Fomaspeed was that the latter was so much better than the former that I didn't bother buying any more of the Easyprint stuff. But this was several years ago already. Adox Easyprint is the only paper I've ever printed on whose best rendition of 'black' was a mottled, deep grey.

 

[arturo_rs]

Very interested to hear about your results. My experience with Easyprint vs. Fomaspeed was that the latter was so much better than the former that I didn't bother buying any more of the Easyprint stuff. But this was several years ago already. Adox Easyprint is the only paper I've ever printed on whose best rendition of 'black' was a mottled, deep grey.

Maybe they improved the formula. This paper, as far i remember, wasn´t avalaible last year. Seeing the max. contrast they can reach, Foma RC 4,5 and Easyrpint 5

 

[koraks]

This paper, as far i remember, wasn´t avalaible last year.

I was also surprised to see it back on sale. Not too long after I tried it, it disappeared. It's been gone off the market for something like 4 years. As you said, it's possible they've improved it.

Seeing the max. contrast they can reach, Foma RC 4,5 and Easyrpint 5

I'd focus on ISO-R numbers. One manufacturer's grade 4 can easily be another's grade 5 - and vice versa.

 

[Sanug]

Adox Easyprint is the only paper I've ever printed on whose best rendition of 'black' was a mottled, deep grey.

The newer Easy Print paper is no longer branded Adox, but Fotoimpex. These newer paper has a deep black of much better saturation than Fomaspeed Variant. My experience with the overall quality is excellent.

I have bought second hand some older Adox branded Easy Print paper. With this paper I encounter the above mentioned issue as the black is concerned. Thank you very much for the information. I thought the issue was due to the fact that the paper is some years old.

 

[koraks]

@Sanug, thank you for adding your experience as well! So it really does seem that today's Easyprint is a massive improvement over the stuff from yesteryear. That's a comforting thought.

 

[axel_kunze]

I did some printing on Easy Print 312 and Fomaspeed 312 yesterday evening. As the negatives I printed on the different papers had quite different characteristics, it is hard to make an objective comparison. In any case, the Easy Print 312 did not show any weakness to my eye. I will continue to buy it and also try the glossy version.

 

[koraks]

Welcome to Photrio @axel_kunze and thanks for sharing your experiences with these papers. It confirms that today's EasyPrint is a perfectly good paper.