• Welcome to Photrio!
    Registration is fast and free. Join today to unlock search, see fewer ads, and access all forum features.
    Click here to sign up

Ilford Multigrade fb Classic observation.

Bob Carnie

Subscriber
Allowing Ads
Joined
Apr 18, 2004
Messages
7,735
Location
toronto
Format
Med. Format RF
So I just finished my first print with this new improved paper....

I like it , it exhibits all the good characteristics that the Ilford line holds.


I found an interesting change,,, from other papers ,, maybe its just me, but I have an large negative which is from the 30's , the negative is to contrasty for normal filtrations so I dropped to 100 yellow from O balance and expecting a slight change in contrast and density. wow what a change like I never have seen before or expected, needed to go back to 40 yellow and increase density.

So reading the propaganda page Ilford puts in the box funny enough under Improved results

... Extended low contrast at soft filtrations (00 end) .....

What a nice improvement, this will give me even greater control over difficult prints..

Question for Simon.. are there plans to extend the low range for Warmtone??... I would like that.
 
Bob Carnie said:
...Question for Simon.. are there plans to extend the low range for Warmtone??...
Click to expand...
Simon, Nooooooo! Please don't "improve" Multigrade Warmtone FB in any way, except if you want to change its glossy surface to one like Galerie has. Seriously, please avoid messing with success this time.
 
Ok Sal I agree...

Ilford Warmtone is pretty shit hot as it is.

QUOTE=Sal Santamaura;1684688]Simon, Nooooooo! Please don't "improve" Multigrade Warmtone FB in any way, except if you want to change its glossy surface to one like Galerie has. Seriously, please avoid messing with success this time.[/QUOTE]
 
Dear All,

Bob,Pleased you liked the new ILFORD Multigrade CLASSIC Fibre Base.

No changes whatsover are, or ever will be, planned for ILFORD Multigrade Fibre Base Warmtone.

Simon ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited.
 
I still haven't tested any of the Classic. Got another stockpile of the new Cooltone and plenty of amidol to go with it. And have my Warmtone,
but should probably order extra glycin for that. That pretty much covers the range of my negs. But I will eventually get around to trying the
intermediate option. I still have quite a bit of 20x24 Kentmere Fineprint left.
 
**** 50 % reduction in Wash Time to save water***

how is this possible???

We still need to get the fix out of the fibres of the paper ???
 

Love Ilford Warmtone Long Time
 
I'm starting on my last 100 sheets of 11x14 Multigrade IV, and think I'll be done with them before the end of the year. I'm going to see how the new paper works.

Thanks for sharing your reports, Bob. I always thought the MGIV was a little murky in the shadows. It appears this paper is less so, which would bring it closer to the old Forte Polygrade. I might try the Cooltone paper instead.
 
*****faster image appearance during processing****

no kidding Sherlock the image comes up really fast and looks in final state before the time is done.

**** Improved Dmax****
didn't really see this

**** Sharper Image*****

pretty big claim Ilford - I will have to do some comparisons on this claim.... would like to know how this is done.


Overall I see a very nice paper here, I would be interested to do some high contrast prints to see how it accepts split toning.
 
The Cooltone is easy to split tone. The highlights hold much better detail than MGIV, and the blacks are richer. Not quite as bold as MGWT.
I'd be curious is Classic falls somewhere in the middle, but have no plans to try it before the rainy season. Trying to get my house painted first, then off to the mtns awhile before its too late. I'd send to you a shot, Bob, except we don't have any digital camera around the house anymore except the underwater one I bought my wife for our Hawaii vacations. I might even have to dismantle the copystand temporarily to squeeze another big enlarger past it into the next room. I normally print mtn shots cold, architectural and portrait work warm, but sometimes small format work "neutral". I'm ridiculously nitpicky about image color in relation to subject matter.
 
This paper dries quite nicely and has a beautiful finish...

great job Simon.
 
Drew ,no need to send pic, unless of course you really want to see how a great print is made, you could put it on your wall for reference..... Keep thirsty my friend..

I never have seen the need for the Cooltone paper, somehow I react to neutral or warm prints... Right now most of my clients for fiber prints love the Ilford Warmtone and Art 300.

But I do think I can sell the new Classic. Actually just went through a 100ft roll of 42 inch and the job looks great.
I had to cut the roll in half with a compound mitre saw in the darkroom, that was a bit hairy.



 
Thanks, Bob. The maturity of development has a lot to do with how the toning responds, esp if gold chloride is involved. With MGWT in particular I rarely try to match prints, but make each a little differently, since several options might come out lovely, each in its own way.
For those long treks through the granite and peaks, warm tones just look way off. Want something classic and cold there. Also for subjects
that might be called hard or bold "abstract" (as much as I detest that term when it is applied to photography, which by definition can never
be abstract; but you get the point). I've gotten pretty good a dialing in the contrast level of the neg relative to which kind of light is going
to handle the primary range of the print subject, cause that definitely affects final image tone too, at least with every VC paper I've ever
tried. It's a kind of control rarely discussed on forum like this, perhaps because its a lot easier to demonstrate live than the communicate on
endless charts and open-ended arguments. The nice thing is that all these new Ilford papers are now locally available. Dreading my next
mounting board purchase.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register