LODIMA G4

I went to Michael Smith's place to pick up my order of Lodima G4 this weekend. It has taken quite a while to get this production run scheduled, completed and all the different sizes shipped stateside. Anyhow it's arrived and quite a bit has already been shipped to those that pre-ordered. Some of the sizes, like 11x14, are now almost gone. Plenty of 8x10 and others though. He also has some 25 sheet packs of 8x10 for those that may want to give Lodima a try. For the smaller contact printers there is also some 4x5 and 5x7.

Check out the Lodima.org site or contact Michael and Paula directly. This will be the last Lodima run for a while.

Very curious about this... what are the benefits to printing on Lodima paper?

1kgcoffee said:

Very curious about this... what are the benefits to printing on Lodima paper?

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It is essentially a contact printing paper.
Great tones, but too slow for most enlargers.

1kgcoffee said:

Very curious about this... what are the benefits to printing on Lodima paper?

Click to expand...

In my experience:

-It has the strongest blacks I've ever seen.

-renders more fine detail in highlights. (Don't know why but it really does)

-more subjective dimensionality.

-more flexibility with development controls and toning

Jarin Blaschke said:

In my experience:

-It has the strongest blacks I've ever seen.

-renders more fine detail in highlights. (Don't know why but it really does)

-more subjective dimensionality.

-more flexibility with development controls and toning

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What he said! Exactly my experience, too.

I started about 10 years ago doing contact prints (8x1 and 11x14) on Azo - in large part due to attending a workshop with Michael Smith (btw - they plan to do some workshops 2017/2018). While Azo was still available it's the only way to go. Once Kodak stopped making Azo completely - Michael embarked on a long project to "re-create" it - hence Lodima. I was an early buyer of Lodima - and have continued to support the paper. Aside from being DW stock (Azo is SW) the tonality, response and general behavior of Lodima is virtually the same as Azo. Amazing gradation in shadows, blacks you can lose yourself in, super gentle rendition of highlights. It also has the developing latitude of Azo - easy to use with a water bath for contrast control and almost the same toning characteristics. If you have never tried Azo or Lodima - you are missing something very special - give it a try.