Ilford vs. Bergger fiber-based warm tone

Tony-S · Mar 17, 2012

I'm interested in opinions on how these two papers compare. Looking at double-weight 8x10" papers, the Bergger is quite a bit more expensive at US$38 vs. $30 for 25 sheets. Any suggestions and comments are greatly appreciated.

Ian Grant · Mar 17, 2012

The Ilford MG Warmtone papers are excellent, they also make the Bergger paper so why pay the extra money.

Ian

Tony-S · Mar 17, 2012

Those are the kind of answers I like.

Thanks, Ian.

artonpaper · Mar 17, 2012

I agree, Ilford WT is an excellent paper. However, I have found Bergger to be more responsive to differences in paper developers and toners. I taught a class, Advanced Craft, at Pratt Institute, and every week I'd have the class mix two different paper developers and the students had to make prints in each one. In those days, Forte and Bergger were the most responsive. Ilford Warmtone less so. Regular Multigrade not at all. This included warmtone developers of every type, metol, no metol, glycin, pyrocat. And low and high contrast developers. They may be made in the same plant, but obviously from different formulas. It's a shame B&W printing paper has gotten so expensive. But if you can, make comparison prints.

Ian Grant · Mar 17, 2012

artonpaper said:
I agree, Ilford WT is an excellent paper. However, I have found Bergger to be more responsive to differences in paper developers and toners. I taught a class, Advanced Craft, at Pratt Institute, and every week I'd have the class mix two different paper developers and the students had to make prints in each one. In those days, Forte and Bergger were the most responsive. Ilford Warmtone less so. Regular Multigrade not at all. This included warmtone developers of every type, metol, no metol, glycin, pyrocat. And low and high contrast developers. They may be made in the same plant, but obviously from different formulas. It's a shame B&W printing paper has gotten so expensive. But if you can, make comparison prints.

The old Bergger Warmtome paper was Forte Polywarmtone so yes it was slightly more resposive than the Ilford MG Warmtone, but having tried the Ilford paper recently it bens in the ways it should

Ian

Tony-S · Mar 17, 2012

OK, been doing some reading on the internet tubes (I know, a dangerous thing) and I'm wondering what advantages FB paper has over RC, other than longer stability and the ability to tone. I'm coming from the days when RC papers were good, but not great. Seems like there have been some improvements the last couple of decades?

DanielStone · Mar 17, 2012

I still use RC paper for proof sheets, and the occasional give-away print if someone expresses interest in a copy

personally I still prefer the look of fiber prints for when I want a fine print of a negative

-Dan

eclarke · Mar 17, 2012

I use the Ilford warmtone as my standard paper(thousands of sheets) with Ansco 130 cool..It's a fine combo

Ilford vs. Bergger fiber-based warm tone

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