KENTMERE PAPER

[Andy Durazo]

HAS KENTMERE GONE OUT OF BUSINESS? CAN'T FIND THEIR WEBSITE.

 

[Jeff L]

I believe it is now part of the Ilford site

 

[chip j]

There is NO Kentmere paper, just the film.

 

[railwayman3]

Try: https://www.ilfordphoto.com/photographic-paper

 

[AgX]

I believe it is now part of the Ilford site

No, Kentmere gave up their photographic range.
The small plant was changed into manufacturing packaging.

Harman acquired the brand name.

 

[Pat Erson]

There is NO Kentmere paper, just the film.

There's still some RC papers and imho they're far above their Ilford equivalent... better definition and better contrast mainly.
Plus Kentmere is cheaper and 40% "faster" under the enlarger.

 

[Ian Grant]

There's still some RC papers and imho they're far above their Ilford equivalent... better definition and better contrast mainly.
Plus Kentmere is cheaper and 40% "faster" under the enlarger.

It's not possible for the Kentmere papers to be far above the Ilford equivalent, it's made by Ilford, using the same equipment an coating line. Ilford papers are superb the old Kentmere papers were good but not as consistent as Ilford and Agfa.

Ian

 

[Pat Erson]

I truly respect your experience Ian but where Ilford papers produce dull grey-ish contact-sheets, Kentmere VC gives me punchy contrasty ones that remind me of the old Kodak RC. Of course it's within the same darkroom session with the same paper developer (Eukobrom) and the same "#2 grade" filter.
To me Ilford is "grey and grey photography" while Kentmere is "black and white photography". ;-)

The one aspect where Kentmere is lacking is the paper base itself : it looks thin and cheap when compared to the nicer Ilford.


My 2 cents... of British currency of course!

 

[chip j]

Thank you, Mr. Pat. I'll have to get some of that Kentmere paper.

 

[Ian Grant]

I truly respect your experience Ian but where Ilford papers produce dull grey-ish contact-sheets, Kentmere VC gives me punchy contrasty ones that remind me of the old Kodak RC. Of course it's within the same darkroom session with the same paper developer (Eukobrom) and the same "#2 grade" filter.
To me Ilford is "grey and grey photography" while Kentmere is "black and white photography". ;-)

The one aspect where Kentmere is lacking is the paper base itself : it looks thin and cheap when compared to the nicer Ilford.


My 2 cents... of British currency of course!

Strange as I've just been printing on Kodak Polycontrast paper and find it very similar to Ilford Multigrade RC, I rarely use RC papers though.

Yes the old Kentmere RC papers (not those made by Harman/Ilford) were a bit more contrasty but the end results could be quite similar.

Ian

 

[pentaxuser]

The one aspect where Kentmere is lacking is the paper base itself : it looks thin and cheap when compared to the nicer Ilford.


My 2 cents... of British currency of course!

I suspect that the word "looks" is crucial here as the paper base of both Kentmere and Ilford has the same weight. I'd have thought that for production reasons the paper base would be the same. Can you say what it is about Kentmere that makes it look cheap and thin?
Thanks

pentaxuser