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Affordable b&w paper?

Jimi3

Member
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Apr 15, 2023
Messages
124
Location
Salem, MA US
Format
Multi Format
I’m thinking of getting back into making darkroom prints after about 20 years away. I started shooting film (4x5 and 120) again a few years ago, but have been scanning my negs and processing digitally. The flexibility to adjust digitally is great, but I don’t always love the overall results and want to see what printing in the darkroom can do. I still have my old enlarger.

I used to use Ilford papers, but I’m seeing those at what seem to my older self to be very high prices. I used to gravitate toward fiber paper rather than RC, and usually used variable contrast. Any thoughts on good papers to try that might be more affordable? A lot of this stuff is landscape based subject matter, though not exactly “straight” landscapes.
 
RC paper is cheaper than FB, so that's the first way of cutting cost.
Foma is generally affordable, you may also be able to get a reasonable deal on Arista which I think is the same stuff anyway.
Then there's Inkpress Multitone, which AFAIK is only available in the US: https://www.adorama.com/l/Photograp...nlarging-Paper/Inkpress~Black-and-White-Paper It's supposed to be fine as well, but I've never used it.

If you want FB and are sensitive to cost, Fomabrom is your best bet.

Choice of paper is limited nowadays anyway. Most people end up printing on Ilford and Foma.
 
Fomabrom Variant currently seems to be a little cheaper than Ilford in the US, but only a little. Those may be about the last two companies standing for neutral-tone FB paper.

-NT
 
Jimi3 said:
I used to use Ilford papers, but I’m seeing those at what seem to my older self to be very high prices.
Click to expand...

Yes unfortunately they'd still seem to be very high prices no matter what your age because they are very high prices

I always think a bit of black humour is better than a cyanide pill. koraks about sums up your options as I see it

pentaxuser
 
Koraks,
Thanks for posting that link to Adorama's Multitone papers. I checked into these a long time back, but wasn't interested since they didn't have papers in larger sizes. Now I see you can get 16X20 and 20X24 inch sizes, which makes it tempting to try. I'm currently using Foma papers and have no complaints, but it might be worth a shot just to see what Multitone papers are like since the price is fairly reasonable. I'm going to do a search later this evening to see how users of Multitone like the paper and if there are any drawbacks to it.
 
I was also surprised to see the larger papers; 20x24" was actually the first hit when I searched for these papers. I remembered 8x10" only. Please post back in case you end up trying this paper!
 
koraks said:
I was also surprised to see the larger papers; 20x24" was actually the first hit when I searched for these papers. I remembered 8x10" only. Please post back in case you end up trying this paper!
Click to expand...
I got a few projects to finish before I do, if I do. It'll be at least three weeks anyway. 8X10 was all I remember too. I'm surprised somebody here hasn't chimed in and gave their thumbs up or thumbs down on the Inkpress Multi-tone papers. I just did a quick Google check on the paper and find almost zero, but will do more searching tonight. My curiosity is how does it handle selenium toning and its surface texture.
 
I use RC for work prints, I buy Mulitone from B&H in 5X7 and 8X10, usually glossy. For presentation prints I use Foma FB grade 2 and 3 glossy which I dry semi gloss. I've Mulitione for many years, in the past 11X14, it seems to tone well, VC grades seems to match ILford and Foma. I have not used the larger 16X20 or 20X24, but for a test purpose just set your enlarger for a large print and use a 8X10 as a test sheet.
 
Thanks Paul, that's what I was interested in finding out.
 
I've used quite a bit of Multitone FB for test prints, but to my eye it doesn't hold up to Ilford or Foma for exhibition grade prints.
 
GregY said:
I've used quite a bit of Multitone FB for test prints, but to my eye it doesn't hold up to Ilford or Foma for exhibition grade prints.
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Well, I'm not printing for exhibition 99% of the time so this paper might be worth a try. I'm using Foma Variant papers, but have yet to try Fomatone paper. I have a feeling Fomatone paper is where I will end up. I lean on the warmer side and that paper seems to be right up my alley and the cost, while not cheap, is tolerable.
 

Foma papers are as good as it gets, IMO between them & Ilford it's a case of taste & availability....
& Foma warmtone 131 is a very nice paper!
 
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Kentmere VC Select is the least expensive I can think of, but it is a resin coated paper.
It's quite good though if you're on a tight budget.
 
So I've printed a fair bit on multitone and it's perfectly fine. Not great, the surface finish isn't as nice as something like fomaspeed variant (my preferred paper) but the price can't be beat and it's perfectly reasonable paper for normal use.
 
Ultrafine Online/Photo warehouse has the best price for RC that I've found.

I've been buying the 250 sheet boxes of 8x10 glossy.

Ultrafine VC ELITE Glossy Variable Contrast RC Black-and-White Multigrade Paper - Ultrafine VC ELITE Variable Contrast RC Black-and-White Multigrade Paper

Compares to the finest papers ever made and at a level far beyond any other private label. VC ELITE sets a new benchmark in quality and reliability. A variable contrast, resin coated, medium weight, black-and-white, traditional process, photo paper that holds it own with anything currently...
www.ultrafineonline.com
 
I use Foma FB for presentation, I use cold tone, have box of warm tone have not printed with it yet as I not found a negative that screams warm tone.

Ultrafine Online/Photo warehouse has the best price for RC that I've found.

I've used Ultrafine as well, none currently, not sure who makes it, but as good as Mulitione for work prints. .
 
I tried a small package of these last winter to experiment with making enlarged negatives via low contrast b+w prints. I found characteristic curves for it online, which show it responds to all VC filters, but not in the expected ways according to stadards, so they say only from grade 1-4 as I remember. I was printing with 00 filter to get most linear tones on print to copy with ortho litho film in camera. Did not work very well. This paper fogs easily, so test safelight first. The same brand has an ortho litho film that's slightly better quality than Arista 3.0 and at about half the price a few years ago that I use all the time. They are manufactured in Mexico.
 
There is a coating plant in Mexico??
 
From what I recall Inkpres's paper base is made in the U.S, some claim coated in China, other by Mitsubishi in one of the Carolina's. As price has not jumped due to tariffs could be coated by Mitsubishi. Mitsubishi was sold under a number of different brands and seems to be very similar to Mulitione. But who knows.
 
Mitsubishi used to sell and possibly manufacture color paper once upon a time. Several years ago I tried to purchase some together with someone who had found a source of it, and the source claimed that the product was fresh. When I received it, it turned out to be fogged to oblivion; even back then it must have been at least a decade old, probably older.

I'm pretty sure that whatever coating lines Mitsubishi might have had in the past have disappeared many years ago.

I don't know where the Multitone paper comes from. China sounds like a reasonable source. Lack of response to tariffs might be due to lingering stock; we don't hear much about people using this paper so there may be a batch sitting in a warehouse in the US somewhere that was purchased several years ago and is still being retailed to people.
 
miha said:
There is a coating plant in Mexico??
Click to expand...

There might be someone in Mexico set up to cut rolls into sheets and put it into boxes.
 
gorbas said:
Interesting! Nowhere on MultiTone paper box I could find country of manufacture or manufacturer.
Good paper, I'm using it for contact sheets and work prints.
It looks like the same product is in B&H and Adorama.
Click to expand...
I recall finding a thread on one of the film photography boards last year where I saw the reflection density curves measured by someone who seemed knowledgeable on international shipping, that there is a stamp,mark, or icon of some sort on the package that indicates Mexico as the source. However, whenever I order a box of 4x5 ortho litho of the same brand from B+H, it gets drop-shipped quickly from some source in the US.
 

Last I check Mitsubishi still owns a coating line in either North or South Carolina, no mention of what it is used for. If coating inkjet it could be converted for a large run of B&W papers, but agree that China is more likely.
 
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