Arista II paper - contrast and speed

After I finally used up the last of my stock of Adorama paper (VC RC glossy), I ordered some of Freestyle's housebrand Arista II. Comparing the two products the Arista II seems to be almost a stop faster and one grade higher in constrast than the Adorama. Where, for example, I would use the #2 Ilford filter and a 12 second exposure with the Adorama paper, I am using a # 1 filter and 6 seconds with Arista II.

Anyone else notice this?

Also, with the Adorama paper after 30 seconds in Dektol (1+2) the image was sufficiently developed so that I could tell if I had the exposure right. (I still left it in for the fully 60 seconds.) With the Arista II, the image is still very faint at that point. Does this mean that the Adorama paper had an incorporated developer where the Arista does not?

I think Arista II is Agfa.

I've been using Arista II VC FB as a replacement to Forte and very happy with the results.

It has an unfiltered (grade 2) ISO of 640 which allows me to make an 8X10 enlargement of a Stouffer 4X5 step wedge showing eleven shades from Black to paper white in 4.6 seconds exposure at f-16. Filtering (Kodak color filters) slows the basic filtered time for grades 0 thru 4 to 9.6 seconds and grades 00 and 4-1/2, 5 of 18.4 seconds. Quite amazing I think.

The base is white, not Ivory, cream or some other "warming" tone.

Right now I'm using this as the paper of my choice. I had read a rumor that it was Kentmere VCFB Finegrain. Who knows?

The Arista II line of papers is produced by Kentmere, whose papers also have an extra stop of speed. That's what the Freestyle rep told me.

Thanks for the information about this paper. I have noted that it works very well for my low light pictures.

You're most welcome!