Got my Slavich papers!

Mike Té · Dec 24, 2007

I'd ordered it from Freestyle at the end of November, but I'd just remembered that it hadn't arrived up here in Ottawa.

So, after a busy late shift last evening, I emailed them around 0300, went to bed and awoke at the sound of the doorbell at 0900. It was my Slavich!

Those guys are the best!

Paul Howell · Dec 24, 2007

I am really happy with Slavich, the looks reminds me of Brovera, drys flat, both s/w and d/w, does not dry much darker than when wet, the s/w mounts with little fuss. I have not toned any yet but plan to tone over the weekend. Dont forget to use a red safe light.

srs5694 · Dec 24, 2007

FWIW, Dead Link Removed has information on printing and toning Slavich Bromoportrait paper. I'm not sure how applicable it would be to other Slavich papers, but I thought I'd toss it out....

mikeryan · Dec 24, 2007

I really like this paper as well. I think it's just great. I have in fact toned it with selenium and was quite pleased with the results. example

Paul Howell · Dec 24, 2007

mikepry said:
I really like this paper as well. I think it's just great. I have in fact toned it with selenium and was quite pleased with the results. example

What developer do you use? I have been using Clayton P20 1:5, thinking about Ansco 130 or Ultra Black.

Removed Account · Dec 24, 2007

WOW, Mike! The tonality and colour on that is gorgeous, reminds me of Forte PWT. I may have to check out this Slavich paper!

- Justin

mikeryan · Dec 24, 2007

I used the ZoneVI at recommended dilution. I toned at 1:20 w/Kodak Selenium. I posted up a (there was a url link here which no longer exists) awhile back on this stuff and didn't really get allot of interest in it. Oh well. Probably the best kept secret out there I figure.

Paul Howell · Dec 24, 2007

I found a lot to like, I just ordered grade 4 for my older 35mm negatives from the 60's. Although Slavich does well in Clayton I have a bottle of Zonal Pro stashed, and if in stock I will pick some Utra Black. I use gold toner for cold tones, I now have several prints to tone I am eger to see how Slavich reponds. I bought 25 sheets of the silk a couple of months ago which I have not used, seems to be no longer listed on the Freestyle site.

srs5694 · Dec 24, 2007

Paul Howell said:
I bought 25 sheets of the silk a couple of months ago which I have not used, seems to be no longer listed on the Freestyle site.

I see the Bromoportrait 80 in silk on Freestyle's site; for instance, in grade 2 8x10 100 sheets. I haven't checked every combination, though, and I don't see Unibrom in silk finish.

Alex Hawley · Dec 25, 2007

mikepry said:
Probably the best kept secret out there I figure.

I agree with Mike and glad to see the secret is slowly getting out.

dancqu · Dec 25, 2007

Paul Howell said:
Dont forget to use a red safe light.

I've had no problems with it using Graded Paper
safelights; orange-ish yellow. Tests I just finished
using Beer's contrast control developer yielded grades
2 & 3/4 and 3 & 3/4; Unibrom 160, Beer's 1 & 7. Dan

Paul Howell · Dec 26, 2007

dancqu said:
I've had no problems with it using Graded Paper
safelights; orange-ish yellow. Tests I just finished
using Beer's contrast control developer yielded grades
2 & 3/4 and 3 & 3/4; Unibrom 160, Beer's 1 & 7. Dan

Intresting, the Slavich data sheet and Freestyle make a point of using a red safelight. Next time I order from PF I will add Beer's to my list.

PhotoJim · Dec 26, 2007

Dumb question perhaps...

In the olden days (when I was a kid) I used to use red light bulbs as safelights. They were cheap, and they were dim (25 watts usually) so if you kept them far enough away from the paper they did the job quite well.

Are they red enough for Slavich paper (and the Fotokemika papers that require red safelights)?

If not I can always get another safelight, but red light bulbs are a lot easier to find.

Phillip P. Dimor · Dec 26, 2007

That bromportrait sounds interesting, any examples around? I'd love to find a replacement for Forte warmtone that is less expensive than the Ilford offering. I can't afford the Ilford warmtone..

Paul Howell · Dec 26, 2007

PhotoJim said:
Dumb question perhaps...

In the olden days (when I was a kid) I used to use red light bulbs as safelights. They were cheap, and they were dim (25 watts usually) so if you kept them far enough away from the paper they did the job quite well.

Are they red enough for Slavich paper (and the Fotokemika papers that require red safelights)?

If not I can always get another safelight, but red light bulbs are a lot easier to find.

In the past I used redlight and orange bulbs for improvised darkrooms with some success, keep your prints face down in the developer.

Paul Howell · Dec 26, 2007

Phillip P. Dimor said:
That bromportrait sounds interesting, any examples around? I'd love to find a replacement for Forte warmtone that is less expensive than the Ilford offering. I can't afford the Ilford warmtone..

You may want to look at Foma warm tone.

Jim Fitzgerald · Dec 26, 2007

mikepry said:
I really like this paper as well. I think it's just great. I have in fact toned it with selenium and was quite pleased with the results. example

Mike, I like this shot. I'm using Slavich Grade-3 for some of my images and I love the tonality. How long did you tone in the 1:20 KRST? I have found with the single weight I get different looks at 3 minutes and 5- 7 minutes. The shorter time in the selenium seems to keep it a little more on the very slight warm side and if I tone for the 5-7 minutes I get more of a slight eggplant tone. anyone else get this? I wonder if it is the single weight/ I have some double weight I'm going to try today and I'll let everyone know the results.

Jim

dancqu · Dec 26, 2007

Paul Howell said:
Intresting, the Slavich data sheet and Freestyle make
a point of using a red safelight.
Next time I order from PF I will add Beer's to my list.

From the Factory to the dealer. If the first is not
correct then likely everyone there after will have it
wrong. Slavich papers are Graded papers so have no
use for green light as do VC papers. The orange-ish
yellow to yellow-ish orange Graded paper safelights
are much easier to work by. Those that use VC
safe lights when working with Graded paper
are missing out on a big advantage
Graded has over VC.

I'll add soon some more to the current thread
All Grade 2 Papers ... . Beer's and four papers,
their interaction is the subject. Dan

nworth · Dec 26, 2007

I'm happy to hear the good reports about Slavich. I talked with a very experienced commercial photographer last May when he had just received some test samples. He dreaded the tests and their results. One issue that came up in our conversation was consistency. I will be interested to hear any reports on how consistent these papers are from batch to batch.

Paul Howell · Dec 27, 2007

nworth said:
I'm happy to hear the good reports about Slavich. I talked with a very experienced commercial photographer last May when he had just received some test samples. He dreaded the tests and their results. One issue that came up in our conversation was consistency. I will be interested to hear any reports on how consistent these papers are from batch to batch.

I have ordered 3 times over the past 6 monts with a 4th order pending, so far quality control seems to be fine. My observation from using other Eastern European papers and films, paper seems to have few issues than film. Slavich is rather new to the US market and so far only their paper is available. I dont anything about the firm, it's size, how it is holding up, pending going out of business. It's papers seem to be very much a 70's technology and look.

PVia · Dec 27, 2007

For those using orange-ish safelights:

Are OC filters OK...or not?

srs5694 · Dec 27, 2007

PhotoJim said:
In the olden days (when I was a kid) I used to use red light bulbs as safelights. They were cheap, and they were dim (25 watts usually) so if you kept them far enough away from the paper they did the job quite well.

Are they red enough for Slavich paper (and the Fotokemika papers that require red safelights)?

There's no cut-and-dried answer to this question. Personally, I've got a red tungsten bulb (sold as a "safelight bulb" from either B&H or Freestyle) and a red LED bulb (sold by http://www.superbrightleds.com) in my darkroom. I haven't done any safelight tests with Slavich papers and these bulbs, although I've done safelight tests with VC papers and my bulbs. That said, I noticed no obvious fogging on the few sheets of Bromoportrait I've used.

The Bromoportrait is a pretty slow paper. On the one hand, that means it would probably take longer to fog, assuming its red sensitivity is proportionally lower than that of other papers. On the other hand, its slowness means it'll be out in the red safelights for longer, since it'll be sitting on the easel exposed to red safelights while it's being exposed. If the paper's red sensitivity is comparable to that of other papers, this could translate into greater risk. My suspicion is that the first is a more likely scenario than the second, but this is just a guess.

The bottom line: To be sure, nothing can substitute for a real safelight test.

dancqu · Dec 27, 2007

PVia said:
For those using orange-ish safelights: Are OC filters OK...or not?

I'd expect them to be more than OK. The OC filters
block both blue and green light. They are primarily
used with VC papers. Dan

mikeryan · Dec 27, 2007

I use that Thompson safelight and don't have any trouble at all with fogging.

nworth · Dec 28, 2007

Forma recommends X-ray safelights for its paper, and warns against the usual OC. Looking at the response curves, it looks like the OC would be all right for short exposures, but it is cutting things pretty close. My guess is that Slavich paper is similar. Red safelights are definitely OK.

Got my Slavich papers!

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