Ilford Gallerie G2-4 - Opinions

[Tom Stanworth]

I have been extremely impressed with Kentmere Bromide G2 but sometimes i need something with more contrast. I also appreciate the greater speed of graded neutral papers compared to VC, once filtered.

What are your views on the Gallerie papers and how contrasty are the G3 and 4? I have some Oriental Seagul graded (4) which was no more contrasty than my Bromide G2! I am not a particular fan of Ilford MG IV but love Kentmere Fineprint, the only prob being it stops about a grade short of MGiV at the high grade end and I have a fair number of negs that are rather flat on my 10x8 colour head so need a punchy paper. I am prepared to use the Ilford WT for suitable images, but would rather find a neutral alternative to the MGiV that gives more contrast than Fineprint VC, which peters out at about G3.5/4. If gallerie G4 is pretty hard and more like Kentmere Bromide (glowing, rich and juicy blacks!) than MGIV (I find it a bit lifeless) it might work out nicely.

Any thoughts?

 

[Ian Grant]

There's a bigger jump in contrast between the Grades with Galerie compared to most other papers, but the paper responds extremely well to different contrast developers like ID-3 (soft working) ID14 (contrast) and in particular to Dr Beers Variable Contrast developer.

Gd 4 has been discontinued and is/was still available while stocks last.

Ian

 

[dancqu]

The hardest paper of three, Emaks-Kentmere-Slavich, is the last in
list. In Beer's 7 Grade two Slavich will just make Grade 4. My batch
of course. Heaven's only knows how hard is Grade 4. Dan

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Last time I tested Galerie a few years ago, I noted that it had the whitest base of any fiber based paper out there. I can't imagine that they actually use a different base than MGFB IV, and with the general consolidation in the industry it's likely that other papers use the same base, but maybe the Galerie emulsion is a bit more resistant to base fog or maybe it is just more transparent to the base, but for whatever reason, Galerie has the most brilliance of any paper out there, if that's the look you're after.

 

[Tom Stanworth]

David, thanks. This could work very nicely as the Bromide I was using in G2 & 4 (actually there was a manageable gap in contrast between them as the g2 was hard) had a wonderful depth, rich gloss and worked beautifully in G4 with flatter negs. It was higher in contrast than i can get out of my Fineprint even at max magenta. The Gallerie G3 and 4 might will be worth trying by the sound of it. I have increased my neg dev times lately to help remedy the situation, but I get nervous of going to high as I will prob be moving overseas and using another enlarger which is unlikely to be as soft as my 10x8 colour head! I can honesly say that with teh right neg, the G2 & 4 bromide made the most pleasing prints I have made in a long time. For more contrasty negs, the Oriental 3 and 4 worked nicely, but the Bromide G2 was as hard as the Oriental G4!

 

[Bigpaul]

Ilford Galerie is my current favourite paper........although certainly compared to some papers, I think it is somewhat less hard/contrasty than a given grade would suggest. For instance, I find Galerie G4 to be marginally less hard than Foma Fomabrom "Normal" (Fomabrom is the only other graded paper that I have experience with). Some excellent points have already been made in this thread; in particular, I agree with Ian that Galerie responds very well to different developers (my favourite with it is Ilford Warmtone), and with David about the whiteness of Galerie's base. Whereas a creamy base plus a warm developer can be "too much of a good thing", the pure white base of Galerie plus a warmtone developer is a wonderful combination! As an aside, for some reason, I have never really got on with fb vc paper, although rc vc paper seems fine. So........back to original point..........Galerie is indeed an excellent paper, and can pep up a negative rather well by virtue of its' crystal white base..........much better than by adding contrast where it isn't really needed?

 

[Schlapp]

So would Galerie be best in something like PQ ?

 

[Peter Schrager]

galerie

this paper is an extremely versatile one and if you take the time to find out what it can do with different developers it will teach you a lot....people want answers but the wonderful thing about the process of photography is that you will learn by doing and by making mistakes....try warm tone and cold developers and see what you get...I use it in a 2 bath with amidol or ansco 130...works well
Best, Peter

 

[mcfactor]

Galerie is warmer (and surprisingly richer) than Kentmere bromide which i have found to be almost cold-toned and a little flat.

 

[Rolleiflexible]

I wish Ilford would return Grade 4 to market.
Grade 3 is too flat for my negatives but it
has a great look and I would put it to work
if it were available in a harder grade.

 

[Simon R Galley]

Dear All,

Galerie is a superb paper and we keep it in the range as its very special, graded FB papers are small volume ( believe me ) the range will not change, and will also not be added to, as always keep up with what is available on our PAL ( product availability list ) on the ILFORD Photo website

Simon ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited :

 

[eddym]

Simon, they may be small volume for Ilford, but Galerie is very important to this photographer!! It is my favorite paper, and 95% of everything I print is on Galerie. If there were a warmtone Galerie, that would be 100%!

 

[eddym]

PS: Simon, I really love my Ilford shirt!! Got any more?