Do you use resin-coated paper?

[catem]

When I first learnt about fine printing some years ago, resin-coated was always seen as 'second best', at least by many people in many respects, though excellent for particular uses.
However the more I read about it, the more it seems many people consider it a serious alternative both in terms of quality and possibly even longevity.
For the past 8 years or so I have only used it for contact sheets and occasionally proof prints, if I'm not certain I want to work on a neg (always Ilford Multi)

So what do people think? Has anything changed in this time? Does RC come close to FB? If so, any favourites??
I welcome your comments and experience.....

Cate

 

[Mick Fagan]

Cate, I have been using RC papers pretty much for the last 15 years for all of my prints. Prior to that I used Ilford Galerie which I thought was very good.

I made the change due to feeling bad about water use and after working in a commercial lab and seeing just what could be achieved with RC papers.

When Ilford RC MGIV came out, I figured that here was a paper that would do for most of my work and allow me to be conservative with the environment.

It's also great to be able to do a quick test print and run it through the Paper dryer inside 5 minutes.

As far as longevity goes, our wedding, 19 years ago, was printed by myself on RC paper MGII I think. None of the prints even look like they are about to degrade.

Being a colour printer one soon realises that most colour prints are printed on RC paper. I haven't seen too many colour prints degrading, yes, I have seen colours fading, but that is another issue.

I'm very happy with my decision to run with RC paper.

The processing is more environmently friendly.

The processing is really fast.

The stability, in my own experience, is alright for my intended purpose.

The cost factor means I can extend the hobby further.

The very best photographs I have ever seen, were original Ansell Adams printed prints. They are in our national Gallery of Victoria Museum. In short, they were of a quality that I don't think many people ever see first hand.

If you are talking about this kind of quality, then you would naturally work out to exacting standards, the possibilities of any and/or all papers available, along with archival requirements.

I don't really have this problem, to me it's an affordable fun hobby and I keep it that way.

Mick.

 

[MikeM1977]

I like using RC paper because of the convience. I've been doing darkroom stuff for 3.5 years-- a mix of FB and RC. One of my favorite 11x14 prints, made on RC paper, has yellowing around the edges. Ok, maybe I didn't fix long enough, but why is it just the edges near the overmat? None of my FB prints exhibit this.

 

[Claire Senft]

No.

 

[DBP]

I use RC most of the time. Do I have to give up my membership?

 

[Bighead]

RC is a tool for me..... I use it for test printing and to adhere to my binders for organizing. I mail postcard size prints and many times I fill my portfolios with RC prints... They are thrown in the car, in the heat and I don;t feel bad about swapping them out constantly...

However, if I am ever making a print to be kept, hung, sold, presented for critique, I use FB........ Better blacks, longer lasting.. Also, I like the look of the mat finishes on fiber.

 

[Travis Nunn]

Fiber only for me. I don't like RC paper at all. It feels like I'm printing on plastic and it feels cheap. But this is just my opinion. You should print on what you like. If you like RC, go for it.

I should add that I do use RC for contact sheets and occasionally for a giveaway to a family member who's going to end up chucking it in their box of photos anyway.

 

[SuzanneR]

I like using RC paper because of the convience. I've been doing darkroom stuff for 3.5 years-- a mix of FB and RC. One of my favorite 11x14 prints, made on RC paper, has yellowing around the edges. Ok, maybe I didn't fix long enough, but why is it just the edges near the overmat? None of my FB prints exhibit this.

Is it possible the overmat is not an acid free museum board? I would check that, as that can cause the yellow staining.

As for the question at hand. I prefer fiber paper because I like the surface texture better than RC. The print just has a more tactile quality that I find lacking in RC prints. And, fwiw, I really have only used RC papers for contact sheets and proof prints. I never felt I could get as dynamic a range of tones from RC. That said... I haven't really tried either!

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

I use RC all the time. Mainly Mitsubishi Gekko, but that's going out of production, so I'll turn elsewhere. I see no real adverse effect from using RC over fiber, besides the fact that the fiber prints seem to have a bit better representation of tones, and the prints somehow posess more presence. Most people can't even tell the difference, so if it's a client whom I'm printing portraits of their kids, I print RC unless they go for the fiber version. Too much of a hassle in processing unless they specifically request it.

- Thom

 

[Ed Sukach]

The greatest part of my work has been printed on Ilford MG "Portfolio" ... a choice I have made for the "look". I prefer it over fiber-based.

BTW - "Yellowing" around the edges may be caused by too long a time in the fixer, allowing chemical migration into the paper core of RC through the unprotected edges, followed by insufficent washing ... OR ... keeping the print in an environment contaminated by phenols outgassed from oil-based paints.... or other sources.

Where have these prints been?

 

[jim appleyard]

I use RC for contact sheets, work prints and enlargements of snapshots. A properly processed, toned and stored RC print will probably outlive us all, but a FB should last even longer. Anything serious I shoot goes on FB. To me it just looks better. The price of RC is sometimes quite attractive.

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

I recently discussed this phenomenon with yellowing, and finally nailed it down to a wash time that's too long. So look out for that too.

- Thom

 

[Konical]

Good Morning, Cate,

I use RC for all contact sheets, for prints intended for publication or other relatively short-term purposes. Much is made of the possibility that RC is less archival than FB, and that may be true. I do have, however, RC prints I made thirty years ago (before I knew enough to use two separate fixing baths and a quick dip in a selenium/hypo-clear solution); those prints still look fine, as do all my old contact sheets. I do use FB whenever longevity is a strong concern, an example being wedding photos made as presents for family members. I like the look of air-dryed glossy FB and the ease of dry-mounting it, but the time, the hassle, and the wash time involved are significant deterents for most of my printing.

Konical

 

[momonga]

Yes.

Some RC papers are very attractive. Like Ilford Warmtone RC, pearl surface. The long gone Ilford MC II RC had a beautiful matte surface and a very off-white, almost ivory base. Kodak Polymax II RC semi-matte had a beautiful scale and with a little selenium toning took on a lovely understated plum color. The Lustre surface of that paper had deeper blacks than many FB papers. Occasionally a glossy surface is called for, and Agfa Multicontrast RC and Forte Warmtone RC had/have an almost classic ferrotyped look.

I wish I had the time to use FB: there are more surfaces and base tints available. But I don't. This is just a hobby, something I do for fun, 'just a very self-centered thing' (as Brett Weston once described his photography). It's fun to make prints, that's all.

At the heart of every sheet of RC sheet, lies a core of real paper.

 

[terri]

Hi Cate - I like having some RC around for contact sheets, or messing around with a test print (or three). Anytime I'm not doing "serious" printing, in other words, and it makes no sense to go through the extra wash times, etc.

I believe RC papers have come a long way in quality, and I have read a lot of positive things, too - in toning, for instance. But....personal preference, I just don't like that plastic feel, and don't see myself doing any serious printing with them.

 

[fschifano]

Yes, for the most part and always for contact sheets. Once in a while I get an image that screams for fiber based paper. I like to keep the hobby affordable too.

 

[reellis67]

As the others have stated, I use RC primarily for contact sheets, but there are advantages to using RC: it costs less, washes faster, and is less easily damaged in processing. These days is is a matter of personal taste unless you are planning on selling your prints, in which case you really should look into using fiber. If not, use what you are happy with and don't worry overly about what other people think.

- Randy

 

[catem]

Thanks all for the replies so far...

It sounds like the situation re RC is not so very different from what it always has been. I didn't mean to imply at all that RC is "lesser" - it's a bit like the difference between 35mm and medium format (or I'm sure MF and LF), you notice a difference in quality BUT different tools serve different purposes, and one isn't 'better' than the other.

I think I will try some other RC papers suggested here - in fact I have some Ilford Porfolio pearl postcards to try out, which I haven't used before.

I'm interested in what people have to say about the difference between personal work and paid work. All my personal work would be FB but to be honest I was wondering if I could use some RC ever for paid work as the financial return when all's said and done is not fantastic. Maybe I need to ask for more, but that's another story....Until now I have felt that although customers may not know the difference between FB and RC, I do and for that reason I feel I have to print FB....even if it takes longer and costs me more. I'm still not quite sure what to think about that one....

The other reason was this week the only way I've kept my chemicals from boiling point is by running lots of cold water under trays, and I have felt bad about all this plus archival washing, (whilst the garden outside turns to dust because of a hosepipe ban....)

Thanks again
Cate

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

RC is handy for prints that will be handled and passed around, postcards, and prints for reproduction like performers' headshots or for reproduction in print media.

Selenium toning or Sistan can help with longevity.

 

[wilsonneal]

I use RC for contacts from 120, and for 'proofs' for clients with the knowledge that they're not finished prints.
Neal

 

[eddym]

I had not used RC paper for about 20 years when a new client asked me to print her work on it. I tried to talk her out of it, but she insisted, so I did her work on Agfa Broviraspeed. It looked better than I expected, and I began to print contact sheets on it. The price was much cheaper than my usual Galerie, and it processed much faster, saving me time. But she moved away, and I used up what I had left and did not buy any more. And now that Agfa is gone, I don't know if anybody else makes a graded RC paper.

 

[Lee Shively]

I have a few hundred sheets on hand but haven't used it in some time. Usually I make prints on it for give-aways only. I really have nothing against it. It's a little more environmentally friendly, looks as good as fiber when framed under glass and it's a lot easier to process in the darkroom. I guess I'm still remembering that gawdawful Polycontrast RC that Kodak made back in the early 70's. It was as wretched as wretched can get. Even so, I have quite a few prints done on later RC papers from Kodak, Agfa and Ilford that have held up very well.

 

[Markok765]

I started with Rc and now do Fb for importand things. rc for contact sheets and giveaways

 

[fschifano]

I...I don't know if anybody else makes a graded RC paper.

Ilford makes some RC graded papers. Freestyle has a few brands (mostly under the various Arista labels) available as well. They are not as inexpensive as the VC papers, but still cheaper than the fiber based graded papers.

 

[wfe]

RC for contact sheets (Ilford Pearl) and fiber for everything else.