How long does paper last?

[photoncatcher]

A year, or so ago, I got a pretty good deal on "the bay" on a 250 sheet box of Ilford VC RC paper. Well I now have a lot of paper for contact sheets. Unfotunately the entire box has a bad case of heat fog. It was obviously not stored properly.

 

[Ian Grant]

A year, or so ago, I got a pretty good deal on "the bay" on a 250 sheet box of Ilford VC RC paper. Well I now have a lot of paper for contact sheets. Unfotunately the entire box has a bad case of heat fog. It was obviously not stored properly.

It's not worth buying old paper, unless you accept the risk for this reason.

Also papers age differently and Seagull & Agfa warm toned papers stored alongside much older Ilfor FB & Kodabrom & Bromesko have fogged in the case of Record Rapid and so slow it's unusable with the Oriental. Kodak Polycontrast fogged as well.

Ian

 

[pentaxuser]

Buying used and often opened boxes from recent students who have just completed a photographic course is usually worth the risk. The paper is only months old and is usually Ilford.

Be very cafeful if it is a job lot which has been bought for onward sale and the seller knows nothing of its age or origins. Ask questions and treat what appear to be vague answers with suspicion. If you ask a reasonable question several days before the end of the auction and get no answer at all but still bid then you deserve all you get.

pentaxuser