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Adox Variotone Warmtone Paper

SuzanneR

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So, I spent some time yesterday in my darkroom, and had a brand new box of the Adox Variotone Warmtone paper in my paper drawer. So, I thought I would give it a go. I''m very pleased with the results, though I made the mistake of making a client print on it, and it's just different enough from some prints I made for them on Ilford Warmtone, that I may have to reprint for consistency.

I'm not the most scientific when it comes to testing things... but I thought I would share my results.

the first is on Ilford MG Warmtone in Ethol LPD 1:4, and I have not yet toned it. It's a nice crisp print, and the base is a slightly creamy white that many are familiar with. The Adox Variotone is very much a whiter base, and somewhat cooler midtones than the Ilford, but warmer, certainly then a neutral based paper. Also, developed in Ethol LPD 1:4, and not yet toned.

I intend to tone these in selenium for the client, and also in one or the Moersch polysulphide toners to see how I like it. When I tone them, I'll upload some scans.

Looking at scans is imperfect, but having them side by side, you can see a real difference between the papers. It's great to have these options. For a variety of reasons, I think this particular images will work better on the Ilford, but I can't wait to try some lower key images on the ADOX.

Oh, btw, the Adox print (on the right) is an 11x14 so it's cropped a bit on my scanner that's a little small for that size, but I included on both scans the paper base border.

Anyone else tried this paper, yet?
 

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Suzanne, thanks for the review.
I got my ADOX paper today, and i will print next saturday. Seems promising.

thx, Marc
 
Suzanne, thanks for the comparison.I've so far only developed in PF 130, and the warm-tone is very subtle. I shall try Agfa Neutol this weekend.I liked Fortezo, but it now looks almost sepia in comparison to the Adox. Also started printing some Lodima and they appear to my eyes as very similar in tone. Two new, very nice papers. And who said we needed to worry about the future.
 
Suzanne, very interesting. I use the Ilford and like the double weight, how does the Adox compare in that regard.

Also, how bendable (so to speak) is the Adox paper, compared to the Ilford paper?

I find the best look for me with the Ilford paper, is in Neutol. I tried it with Ilford warmtone developer, didn't appear to do much at all.

Mick.
 
It's a bit lighter, and perhaps a hair less thick than the Ilford, I would say. At first, when I took the first sheet out of the box, it almost felt like an RC paper, but now that it's dried it looks very similar to the ilford in its surface quality, and it's a fiber paper to be sure. I'm not sure what you mean by "bendable", but it behaves in a similar way to the Ilford... I mean they have both curled similarly as I have air dried them. I'll press them after I tone.

I think the biggest difference, then, are... slightly lighter in weight, and the base is whiter, and the tones slightly cooler than the Ilford WT.

I think it's going to be a very nice paper to work with. It seems we have excellent choices, and can find a paper that will suite each image. I think, at the end of the day, high key pictures like those I've posted will work better on the Ilford with it's slightly creamier base... I like how it treats the highlights, but I think the Adox will be lovely for lower key images. Just my own personal preference, and it's great to have that choice.

I'm looking forward to trying out toners on it.

I would love to see other's results with it, too. Add your scans here or in the gallery, and give us a link here!
 
Suzanne, yeah, sorry about the bendable bit, I really meant to ask how does it feel when using tongs or fingers when you are moving it around whilst wet? That kind of bendable.

I also use the Ilford paper with high key work, it holds those high tones very well with the cream base colour, as you mention.

Mick.

Ps:- Bendable, sheesh!
 
Suzanne, I liked the paper a lot -- it
looks to my eye (and Melanie's) to be
very close to the old Agfa MCC 111,
which was our paper of choice. We
laid in tons of MCC 111 when Agfa
died, and are just now beginning to
run out of it, so we were very much
relieved to find at last a replacement
for the Agfa in this new Adox paper.

Since Adox has the formulas for the
Agfa MCC 111 emulsion, I am wondering
whether the Adox uses the same emulsion
on a different base and coating line for this
new paper.
 
If this paper is like the old Agfa MCC it will be the most wonderful paper for a variety of subjects due to its limited warmth. Fotospeed Legacy was like that but vanished very quickly, sadly.
 
Tom Stanworth said:
If this paper is like the old Agfa MCC it will be the most wonderful paper for a variety of subjects due to its limited warmth. Fotospeed Legacy was like that but vanished very quickly, sadly.
Click to expand...


I loved Fotospeed Legacy. Very responsive to different developers and toners and dried flatter than many fibre based papers I have used. I still have some 91/2x12
 

I've had the same thought about this paper... very similar to the Agfa MCC111, which was a choice of paper I settled on about a week before Agfa went under! I couldn't afford to hoard, so I decided to use the Ilford WT, instead and bend it to my will!!

Anyway, I've grown to love the Ilford WT, but I can see the Adox Variotone Warmtone paper will be perfect for certain prints, and the Ilford for another type of image. Of course, that's entirely personal, and I feel like I have some better choices now.

I tried a small box of the Adox MCC 111 equivalent, which I think is a different paper than this. I found it too cold for my liking, but I only had 5 sheets to play with. I'm not sure if that paper is available yet. Anyone know?
 
Gary, I tried Adox's test run of MCC 111
and was very impressed by its closeness
to MCC 111 -- the base is a tiny bit whiter
but the emulsion is dead-on and the paper
dries and handles exactly like the original
Agfa. Quite wonderful.

That said, we have laid prints on Agfa
MCC 111 alongside prints on the new
Adox Variotone and we can't tell them
apart. We're laying in a big order of
the Variotone with Freestyle.
 
Romary said:
Does anyone have tested it in lith printing?
Click to expand...

No, I have not, but Mirko stated that they had to decide between good toneability and lithability. They chose the toneability and want to introduce a dedicated lith paper later: (there was a url link here which no longer exists)
 
Although the prints are still wet, so I can't scan just yet... I toned a few today in the Moersch Selenium toner, and the tone is lovely. It shifted the blacks ever slightly to a browner color with a 1:20 dilution at about 5 minutes.

I am LOVING this paper. When the prints are dry, I will scan and share here.
 
I tried this paper in the last weeks and I'm positively impressed. In Neutol NE it renders a slightly warm tone, very similar to MCC but with much brighter highlights.
Regs
 
I made a few prints on Agfa MCC 111 (in Ansco 130) this week for the first time and really love the tone, the way they handled in bleaching and in selenium. Here's one of them...
I'm really looking forward to the Adox version...
 
At last... my example, toned in Moersch selenium, 1:20 for about five minutes. It's a little hard to discern the tones in the scan, but they have a lovely, slightly brown tone in the darks. I'm quite pleased with this paper and toner.
 

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I just love your work, Suzanne. LURVE it!!
So is this paper ok in an amber safelight, or does it have to be red? The public darkroom I use has amber lights and sometimes I have trouble with some papers fogging.
 
It is my replacement for MCC


The Adox variotone is certainly my new replacement for the Agfa Multicontrast Classic: White base, not as warm as the Forte or Bergger paperss, holds the type of tonal range that I work with, and easy on the eyes. I have an ongoing project (20 years duration) that is printed on the same papers and I was very frustrated when Agfa lost the MCC, but now I can have continuity in printing this portfolio.
Cheers, Gary
 
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