kentmere

[jp80874]

After AGFA is not available I changed to Kentmere multigrade papers which were starting to be imported then.

I love Kentmere even better than AGFA. It's somehow easier for me to handle, especially for dry-down and warpage afte drying FB.

Ernie,

I switched to Kentmere multigrade papers after Kodak stopped offering Polymax. I am also very pleased with the results. I use Ilford Multigrade developer. What developer are you using?

John Powers

 

[butterflydream]

I also use Ilford Multigrade developer (liquid).
RC 60 seconds, FB 90 seconds.
The image in the developer appears quite early also for FB, that is also what I like.

 

[c6h6o3]

Pity it's only available in Grade 2...

In amidol one can obtain excellent contrast control with Kentona. To reduce contrast, use a water bath just as you would with Azo. To increase contrast, back off on the exposure a tad and leave the print in the developer for up to 4 minutes. I've developed both wafer thin negatives and ones that were nearly bulletproof in the same batch of amidol with perfect results.

Using Kentona reminds me a little of making hollandaise sauce, another activity involving emulsions. You just have to get involved in the process as it unfolds and stop it at exactly the right instant.

 

[jp80874]

I also use Ilford Multigrade developer (liquid).
RC 60 seconds, FB 90 seconds.
The image in the developer appears quite early also for FB, that is also what I like.

Ernie

For an experiment try a FB at 90 sec and then try the same negative at 3 minutes in the Ilford Multigrade. I think I am getting blacker blacks that way.
On the other hand maybe I am fooling myself.

John

 

[Bob F.]

In amidol one can obtain excellent contrast control with Kentona. To reduce contrast, use a water bath just as you would with Azo. To increase contrast, back off on the exposure a tad and leave the print in the developer for up to 4 minutes. I've developed both wafer thin negatives and ones that were nearly bulletproof in the same batch of amidol with perfect results.

Using Kentona reminds me a little of making hollandaise sauce, another activity involving emulsions. You just have to get involved in the process as it unfolds and stop it at exactly the right instant.

Thanks: I must admit that Amidol is more hands-on than I am used to (i.e. bung it in the developer for 3-4 mins and swish it about a bit is my usual approach with Ansco 130, Neutol WA, etc...) but that is very interesting for future reference.

Amidol is a bit difficult to get over here.... [edit: scratch that - I just saw that Silverprint stock Amidol!]

Cheers, Bob.

 

[uraniumnitrate]

Kentmere makes excellent paper and has recently added more production capacity due to demand.

They are a subsidiary of a much larger company that makes diverse products.

PE

Hello PE.
Have you made any reliable test on Kentmere and what they show so far and what did you compare with? I must replace Agfa as my favourite paper RRW111 disappeared.

 

[Photo Engineer]

I have not tested any recent production.

I have been involved heavily with my emulsion work and have used Ilford MGIV as my standard. I have several boxes of Kentmere in the freezer, and will use it as a comparison as soon as I get a chance.

Sorry, but that is all the information I have now. Production from a few years ago was quite good though.

PE

 

[uraniumnitrate]

I have not tested any recent production.

I have been involved heavily with my emulsion work and have used Ilford MGIV as my standard. I have several boxes of Kentmere in the freezer, and will use it as a comparison as soon as I get a chance.

Sorry, but that is all the information I have now. Production from a few years ago was quite good though.

PE

Thanks!

 

[benjiboy]

Actually, Kentmere is a real manufacturer with a plant in England, that truly does coat its own papers. The only other plant in England would be Ilford.

Kentmere is made in their factory at Kendall in the English Lake District, a very beautiful area of the North East UK, and a landscape photographers dream.

 

[uraniumnitrate]

Kentmere is made in their factory at Kendall in the English Lake District, a very beautiful area of the North East UK, and a landscape photographers dream.

I'm surelly going to visit it one day! Seem to be a nice place as you described it!
Sitting there with my 8x10 and a lot's of holder loaded with film! I have been in the south east a couple time as my cusin living there on the farm.

 

[Bob F.]

You are really tachi don't you? I quote somebody whom talked about Forte!
Listen if you don't like what I write than don't read it the next time! in that way you can get off my back!

UN: you are right: I apologise - you caught me in a bad mood there. At least when we get annoyed at someone we tell them and do not sneak around!

Again, my apologies for my snapping at you.

Cheers, Bob.

 

[GeorgK]

I am a "from-Agfa-to-Kentmere" convertite, too. The Fineprint (FB) is a fantastic paper, which gives a very "clear" look, and is a very good replacement for the Agfa MCC, apart from the slightly cooler base. It also tones very nicely in Viradon. I was definitively not very happy when Agfa cancelled paper production, but now I do not miss them at all.
It is very nice to see that one can still produce a high-quality paper in a western country without asking for almost prohibitive prices (like other UK-based producers do).

Regards
Georg

 

[uraniumnitrate]

UN: you are right: I apologise - you caught me in a bad mood there. At least when we get annoyed at someone we tell them and do not sneak around!

Again, my apologies for my snapping at you.

Cheers, Bob.

No problem man!
Take care!

 

[Matt5791]

Here is a typical scene in Cumbria - where Kentmere is from:

http://www.eee.bham.ac.uk/spannm/Wastwater.JPG

I just hope that photo wasn't originated digitally!

 

[Matt5791]

I am a "from-Agfa-to-Kentmere" convertite, too. The Fineprint (FB) is a fantastic paper, which gives a very "clear" look, and is a very good replacement for the Agfa MCC, apart from the slightly cooler base. It also tones very nicely in Viradon. I was definitively not very happy when Agfa cancelled paper production, but now I do not miss them at all.
It is very nice to see that one can still produce a high-quality paper in a western country without asking for almost prohibitive prices (like other UK-based producers do).

Regards
Georg

I thought Kentmere were slightly more expensive that Ilford, or at lease about the same - or am I missing the point? - I can't think of another UK producer of photo paper.

 

[Matt5791]

OK - I have been checking out Companies House - for anyone outside the UK this is the public body who hold details of all Limited companies in the UK incorporated under the Companies Act. Every year every company must file their accounts and Annual return - which lists all directors and shareholders - All of this is public information accesable by anyone, all the more easily in the days of the internet.

Having checked Kentmere, there is the Holding Company, Kentmere Limited. This owns Kentmere Photographic Limited, which appears to be the main operational company.

I'm not an accountant, but all I can say is that Kentmere is a seriously well established company and in very good health - Kentmere Limited has the registration number 87803 - I haven't ever come across such an early number (I recently registered a company and the number was 5898185).

What is also clear is that it is privately owned by a number of individuals, and not part of a larger group - which is nice these days.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Some of the other holdings, from what I've been told, are in the frozen food industry. They are all very healty indeed.

PE

 

[Bob F.]

An interesting and somewhat amusing section from the Yesterday's Papers article on Silverprint's site (http://www.silverprint.co.uk/info/yespap.html) referring to the 1930's :

Kentmere, then as now, thanks to tight managerial and financial controls, preserved its autonomy and continued as the only small privately-owned photographic coating operation in the UK. As a company it is unusual in that it has always maintained a fierce independence, which possibly has something to do with its origins. Whereas other photographic paper manufacturers originated in the Victorian age as plate producers, Kentmere was set up in the Edwardian era by two Windermere chemists, purely to produce photographic papers.

One illustration that may give an idea of the economic climate of the early days is from when the Kentmere factory was first operated. The entire plant was installed in 1906 by a firm of London engineers, V. L. Scott & Co, for a total price of £970.00. Difficulties when starting up any new factory are to be expected, but an early one was in connection with storing the coated printing-out paper. This needed special storage facilities, and although this store had been on the 'shopping list', Scotts had failed to install it. Asked about the ommision, Scotts replied that they had fitted out several photographic paper factories, and as they had all failed within a matter of months, they thought they would save Kentmere some needless expense! Kentmere's survival to this day must also have had much to do with its adaptation to conditions which would have floored other managements. During WW1 Kentmere was instructed to close down paper production, and was left wondering how to survive. By an excellent piece of lateral thinking they went into jam production! The kettles used for emulsion preparation were ideally suited to bulk jam-making, and Cumbria had a bumper damson season in 1914. So successful was the venture that it continued through the War and for some years afterwards, and it is recorded that in 1919 one company was anxious to order 100,000 jars. When WW2 broke out, they were even contacted by old customers, anxious to find out if they were going to make any more of the jam.

Try starting up a paper coating operation for 970 quid now...

Cheers, Bob.

 

[Matt5791]

Some of the other holdings, from what I've been told, are in the frozen food industry. They are all very healty indeed.

PE

According to the filed accounts and return it is an independant company - there could however be a connection in the form of a shareholder also being involved in other companies, but this is not a direct connection.

I noticed that from list of 21 shareholders, two are from Texas and one Hawaii - which is intersting. All others from the UK. There are no other companies holding shares.

Matt

 

[Photo Engineer]

I think you misunderstand. I was told that Kentmere was involved in other companies in the food processing industry, not the other way around.

So, yes, in that sense you are right. But Kentmere may, due to their jam endeavors, be now involved in holding shares in the food industry.

PE

 

[Matt5791]

Sure - I see what you say - Kentmere could own shares in a hundred other companies for all I know.

My original point was that the company is a wholly privately owned affair, with an overwhelming controlling shareholding in the hands of what would appear to be one family - which is really nice.

It strikes me as one of those carefully and prudently run businesses in a traditional manner - and look how well they are doing.

 

[Jerevan]

Interesting to know a little bit more about the company itself. And they do make some really nice fiber papers, I like the VC Finegrain, both in cool and warmtone. I was in a shop a few days ago in Stockholm - and to be able to see shelves upon shelves with different brands and sizes of paper made me all varm inside... It's definitely something nice about actually having to carry the boxes to a counter before buying.

 

[pentaxuser]

I noticed that from list of 21 shareholders, two are from Texas and one Hawaii - which is intersting. All others from the UK. There are no other companies holding shares.

Matt[/QUOTE]

Might explain Roteague's disappearance. He's busy with new business!Wait till he finds out that the weather in the Lakes doesn't quite match Hawaii's.

pentaxuser

 

[Chazzy]

I think you misunderstand. I was told that Kentmere was involved in other companies in the food processing industry, not the other way around.

So, yes, in that sense you are right. But Kentmere may, due to their jam endeavors, be now involved in holding shares in the food industry.

PE

Where can I get some Art Document jam?

 

[uraniumnitrate]

I have not tested any recent production.

I have been involved heavily with my emulsion work and have used Ilford MGIV as my standard. I have several boxes of Kentmere in the freezer, and will use it as a comparison as soon as I get a chance.

Sorry, but that is all the information I have now. Production from a few years ago was quite good though.

PE

PE.
When you do have time and do some testing please look into some other aspects too with Kentmere! Compare with others (not much to compere with nowadays is it?) but it will give a good view of the quality of todays available materials
I’m nowhere near close to any densitometer or any electron microscope as I have completely changed my life a couple years ago! The subject has very archival style questions. Once upon a time I have made several studies on the surface of the image after the final touch of the prints! I find that coating cracks more or less on every product but, more when you use a dry mounting seal (heat) to flatten the prints. I find that Agfa where the best on the test that is one of the major reasons I chose the product as the basic for my exhibition prints. Cracks on the surface could mean less archival standard on any prints as it could be the property of the oxidation process. I'm aware that this is a very slow process but in todays polluted world this is more intense than it was a hudred years ago! (just a little discrete smile)
I believe you have all the equipment in your possession in Rochester. The test I completed included almost all on the market existed exhibition style photographic paper.