Alternative for Agfa papers

Nicole · Sep 12, 2006

Hi everyone

I am still looking for an alternative to my beloved Agfa paper. I'm getting slight green colour tinges on other papers that I really don't like and am trying to find the one that gives me back my soft creamy whites and deep blacks in both RC and FB.

What papers can you recommend that fit the bill?

Thank you and kind regards,
Nicole

Amund · Sep 12, 2006

Maybe you should mention wich papers you have already tried Nicole.

Nicole · Sep 12, 2006

Amund I've tried various of the Ilford papers. Maybe Simon can shed some light on this for me. Has anyone else been getting colour tinges?

clogz · Sep 12, 2006

What paper developers have you used?

Hans

ooze · Sep 12, 2006

I also mourn the loss of Agfa Classic paper. I just loved those juicy tones. I've read that "Adox Fine Print Vario Classic" or Foma's "Fomatone Variant" are possible alternatives. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to try these due to their unavailability here. If you can try them, please let us know what you think.
In my opinion Ilford MG is inferior (but still quite good), not so much because of any color tint but because I can't get the juicy tones and shadow detail of Agfa. Have you tried Ilford Galerie, a graded paper? I think it is great; the tones are lovely. Also, Forte Polygrade, although being a cold tone paper, has superb tonality. To my eye, the creaminess of both Galerie and Polygrade is very close to Agfa's.
All the above is for FB paper. Ilford's RC paper is good enough for me.

Thomas Bertilsson · Sep 12, 2006

Nicole,

I don't know if you can get any of the papers from J&C Photo. I have used the ADOX Vario Classic paper and I love it as a replacement for the Agfa papers. It's not as warm as the Agfa paper, but the tonality is very similar. A lovely paper. This is marketed in Europe under the Efke brand, and some places as Emaks (Sweden, I think is one of them). I don't know what the story is in Australia.

Have you tried Ilford papers with their warm tone developer? I think you'd get wonderful results. I don't think you will find a direct replacement to the Agfa 111 or 118 papers. The Ilford Galerie graded series of papers has a really nice creamy tone, same as the Agfa. It's pretty expensive, though, if that matters.

- Thom

Mark Layne · Sep 12, 2006

I would suggest you try Ilford Warmtone. Its surface texture is similar to Agfa Classic (and different to MGIV) and the colour is infinitely adjustable using using WT or CT developers.
It actually is not as WT as you might expect in a developer such as Dektol.
Mark

Lachlan Young · Sep 12, 2006

The Fomabrom Variant paper is reportedly pretty close and IIRC is coated onto 111 and 118 bases.
The Adox/Efke papers are superb but quite different from the relatively 'hi-tech' Agfa paper - the Adox Fineprint Vario Classic is coated on a 'natural non-whitened' base and can have its tonality readily altered from a deep rich tone in Neutol WA through to a very chilly hue in something like strong Eukobrom.

Good luck!

Lachlan

Paul. · Sep 12, 2006

Nicole,

Have you tried any of the Fotospeed papers? I found their RCVC in Ilford Bromophen gave superb velvety blacks and creamy whites that could be cut and polished with a Ferricynanide bleach and selinium toneing. Dont know if Bromophen is still available, I'm still useing the stocks I laid in when Ilford went wobbly a while back.

Regards Paul.

SuzanneR · Sep 12, 2006

I was getting a green cast on the Ilford Warmtone, but didn't when I developed it in Edwal Platinum II paper developer. I still don't like the color of the base, but I feel that this is a good combination. I also LOVE J&C Polywarmtone in that same developer, and it has a whiter base than the Ilford. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that is the same as Forte PWT? No??

Anyway, you might try a few more developers with some of the papers. Unfortunately, there probably isn't going to be a direct match with the Agfa, but I'm sure with a little work, you'll find a combination you like, and can make work for you.

Lachlan Young · Sep 12, 2006

Paul. said:
Nicole,

Have you tried any of the Fotospeed papers? I found their RCVC in Ilford Bromophen gave superb velvety blacks and creamy whites that could be cut and polished with a Ferricynanide bleach and selinium toneing. Dont know if Bromophen is still available, I'm still useing the stocks I laid in when Ilford went wobbly a while back.

Regards Paul.

Bromophen is still available, but Fotospeed's paper range has been reduced to only FB lith and RCVC thanks to Agfa going out of business.

Hope this helps,

Lachlan

Paul. · Sep 12, 2006

Thankyou Lachlan, indeed it does.
Afraid I was not aware that Fotospeed and Agfa were linked, my current papers of choise are Ilford MG4 and Fotospeed RCVC. Its comforting to know they are still available.
Regards Paul.

Jersey Vic · Sep 12, 2006

I've been using the Varycon FB Glossy and Kentmeres neutral fiber matt (Fine Print?) as replacements for Agfa papers and either HQ Warmtone developer or Edwal LPD (1:4 for the powdered concentrate) for warmtones and good old Ultra Black for something cooler. That being said I've become very fond of Forte's Poly V matt paper.

Ian Grant · Sep 12, 2006

Like you I needed a replacement for Agfa papers, I've used exclusively Record rapid then Classic MultiContrast sine the early 80's.

I switched to Forte Polywarmtone, aslso sold a s Berger, Classic Polywarmtone (Fotoimpex & J&C) and a few other brand names.

Great paper actually slightly better than the Agfa papers - longer tonal range, but not quite the same batch to batch consistency, so I buy in larger quantities (it's far cheaper anyway) and with slight tweaks to processing get very consistent prints.

Ian

Solarize · Sep 12, 2006

I'll cast a vote for Ilford Warmtone paper (haven't tested the RC version mind you). It is very versatile, working brilliantly with the Warmtone and Cooltone developers. Just a shame that its so pricey at my regular supplier.

John Bragg · Sep 12, 2006

Hi Nicole,

Try the Ilford MG Warmtone in Tetenal Variospeed W. It gives rich blacks and delicate creamy whites. I particularly like the pearl surface. Lovely stuff !

Regards, John.

jim appleyard · Sep 12, 2006

It might be fun, ok sad, to read Ed Buffaloe's article on photo papers from the past.

http://unblinkingeye.com/Articles/Paper/paper.html

jimgalli · Sep 12, 2006

Nicole, the Adox Vario classic papers that John and J&C Photo sells are lovely. I'm having fun with them.

don sigl · Sep 13, 2006

My suggestion is to try Forte PWT. Chances are you will still get the green cast, but the paper is extremely responsive to toning. You could use a gold chloride toner to get rid of the green and cool the blacks a little. Or you could use something like Nelsons Gold toner to produce rich warm blacks. The forte has a pin white background unlike the cream background of Agfa or Ilford. But the toning flexibility of the paper is superior to any of the Ilford papers.

Regards,

BBarlow690 · Sep 13, 2006

You might try Galerie, and Forte Polygrade V.

You might also try Ansco 130 developer - it gives warm, lovely results, to my eye, and lasts forever (I keep a 2 litre bottle of working solution and reuse it until it's dead, especially for things like proof sheets). Fine Art VersaPrint is wonderful, too, but I notice that it's now VersaPrint II, which, while supposed to be the same, I have not tried. It lasts forever, too. Both are available from Photographers' Formulary.

Selenium toning will get rid of the green cast. Be gentle with both the suggested papers, they tone quickly and it's easy to overtone them to purplish glop.

felipemorgan · Sep 13, 2006

I have had blessed freedom from green prints using Forte Polywarmtone and Ethol LPD at 1:3 or 1:4. No toning needed to get a warm-black tone!

--Philip.

don sigl · Sep 13, 2006

felipemorgan said:
I have had blessed freedom from green prints using Forte Polywarmtone and Ethol LPD at 1:3 or 1:4. No toning needed to get a warm-black tone!QUOTE]

Anyone have the chemical formula for Ethol LPD?

Philippe-Georges · Sep 13, 2006

Nicole said:
What papers can you recommend that fit the bill?
Nicole

Really nothing for 100%, but try Ilford MGIV and E72, it works for me 99%.

Good luck,
Philippe

Petzi · Sep 14, 2006

Are you interested in 18x24cm? I still have lots of glossy MCP in 18x24, and some rolls.

gchpaco · Sep 14, 2006

I never got along with MCP--the highlight compression interacts poorly with my negatives. I have been finding Forte's Polywarmtone to be just a lovely, lovely paper, with a beautiful hue when developed in ZonalPro Warmtone, but part of why I like it so much is I was printing photographs from a wedding shot on XP2, and needed all the highlight separation I could get. As I recall, the Ilford papers have a shoulder more like MCP's, but I'm not aware of anything quite there at the moment.

Alternative for Agfa papers

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