Anyone know what’s going on with Oriental?

brian steinberger · Dec 29, 2020

I loved Oriental VC-FB paper. Then all a sudden this year it’s no longer available. Anywhere.

There was no announcement. No one seems upset. I’m just curious if anyone knows what’s going on. Did they go under?

brian steinberger · Dec 30, 2020

Just got a response from Freestyle. All Oriental products have been discontinued. There was no official announcement but it appears Oriental is no longer...

Lachlan Young · Dec 30, 2020

Wasn't the most recent form of Oriental essentially just a marketing company of products made elsewhere?

Wayne · Dec 30, 2020

I wasn't very happy with the last batch I bought, but I'm even less happy that another option is gone.

brian steinberger · Dec 30, 2020

Yea it is sad. Oriental was really the only paper not made by Ilford that I used regularly. I was hoping all year that the lack of supply was covid related. Guess all my eggs will be in one basket now with Ilford, they do appear to be the best bet moving forward. I agree Wayne, disappointing to lose another option.

Guillaume Zuili · Dec 30, 2020

Very sad news.
I'm using a lot of their old papers which were amazing.

MattKing · Dec 30, 2020

brian steinberger said:
Oriental was really the only paper not made by Ilford that I used regularly.

I believe the most recent versions of their RC papers were manufactured for them by Harman.

brian steinberger · Dec 30, 2020

MattKing said:
I believe the most recent versions of their RC papers were manufactured for them by Harman.

I believe this. I always wondered if their FB paper was made by Ilford too. It was very similar to Ilfords MGIV, but toned a bit more aggressively.

Deleted member 88956 · Dec 30, 2020

Adox is probably the only hope to supply market with high quality paper with Ilford being the only one for now..

Wayne · Dec 30, 2020

MattKing said:
I believe the most recent versions of their RC papers were manufactured for them by Harman.

That might be why I was disappointed. I've never been a fan of Ilford's B&W papers.

brian steinberger · Dec 30, 2020

Seems we’re running out of good neutral/cool FB papers. We have Ilford classic and cool tone. We have Bergger VC-NB, and Foma 111/artista. I have never used the Bergger or Foma. Anyone have anything to say about these two papers?

brian steinberger · Dec 30, 2020

michael_r said:
I like Adox’s MCC 110 very much.

Michael, I don’t see this paper available anywhere either.

Deleted member 88956 · Dec 30, 2020

brian steinberger said:
Seems we’re running out of good neutral/cool FB papers. We have Ilford classic and cool tone. We have Bergger VC-NB, and Foma 111/artista. I have never used the Bergger or Foma. Anyone have anything to say about these two papers?

Foma paper falls where its films fall, quality is there at similar level.

Deleted member 88956 · Dec 30, 2020

Adox needs some time to become a sought paper maker, but I think their heart is where one would hope it needs to be. They are after Forte's Polywarmtone revival and reportedly making headways.

Wayne · Dec 30, 2020

I haven't used Bergger in a long time but it was good paper 15 years ago...Really all available are probably good, just a matter of taste. I've never tried Foma. I just wish Polywarmtone would finally make its billion year comeback...its the only paper I ever loved.

Sal Santamaura · Dec 30, 2020

michael_r said:
...last time I bought the Adox I got some extra...

As did I.

michael_r said:
...Hopefully that paper hasn’t also been discontinued...

I stocked up after reading this:

http://www.adox.de/Photo/mcc-and-mcp-production-situation/

michael_r said:
...MCC 110 is a beautiful paper but on the warmer side of neutral...

Not if developed in Moersch SE6 and toned for four minutes in KRST 1+10. About as neutral as things get.

relistan · Dec 31, 2020

Regarding other brands... ADOX have had to move production to their new plant in Bad Saarow and MCC will be the first product off the new line. In the meantime it's out of stock. They are running Poly warmtone at their plant in Switzerland and if not for Covid we'd have it by now.

freecitizen · Dec 31, 2020

Pardon my ignorance ….. but what is ' PMT ' please …..

KPA40 · Dec 31, 2020

freecitizen said:
Pardon my ignorance ….. but what is ' PMT ' please …..

PMT = 1-Phenyl-5-Mercaptotetrazole
CAS Number: 86-93-1

Wayne · Dec 31, 2020

relistan said:
Regarding other brands... ADOX have had to move production to their new plant in Bad Saarow and MCC will be the first product off the new line. In the meantime it's out of stock. They are running Poly warmtone at their plant in Switzerland and if not for Covid we'd have it by now.

I haven't read anything stating it was ever planned for rollout earlier in 2020.

relistan · Dec 31, 2020

Wayne said:
I haven't read anything stating it was ever planned for rollout earlier in 2020.

I've lost track of where it was, a forum post, a Youtube interview, or where, but originally I think it was slated for December. Recently I saw hints that there is going to be some kind of announcement from ADOX in January. I don't know if it's Polywarmtone, or something else.

Lachlan Young · Dec 31, 2020

relistan said:
Recently I saw hints that there is going to be some kind of announcement from ADOX in January.

You're presumably referring to Tim Rudman's comment about the paper that's being revealed around 12th January? If so, Adox stated on here that it was nothing to do with any of their products.

Wayne · Dec 31, 2020

relistan said:
I've lost track of where it was, a forum post, a Youtube interview, or where, but originally I think it was slated for December. Recently I saw hints that there is going to be some kind of announcement from ADOX in January. I don't know if it's Polywarmtone, or something else.

You're right, they did say "if all goes as planned" it would be released in the first half of 2020. https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/forte-polywarmtone.47483/page-13#post-2234046

NB23 · Dec 31, 2020

I used quite a bit of the old Oriental papers and they were by far the best, followed closely by forte.

Sal Santamaura · Dec 31, 2020

michael_r said:
...add a little PMT to any developer...

Neither Photographer's Formulary nor Artcraft list PMT as available. The former used to offer it, but doesn't now. Other than commercial/industrial chemical supply houses, which typically only deal B2B, are you aware of any PMT sources today?

Anyone know what’s going on with Oriental?

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