Looking for thin, thin, thin B&W paper.

[Samuel Hotton]

I'm trying to find the thinest B&W photographic printing paper. Most of the paper I have is between .008" and .010" thickness. I have a example of paper that is .0035". It was a paper we used in the 1970s to contact print B&W negatives to make passport photos. My memory says it was a Kodak product know as A-D?? I know we used AZO paper also in that time frame.

QUESTIONS: Is EITHER A-D or AZO .003" -.004" in thickness?
Is A-D paper still available?
Whats the thinnest B&W photographic paper available today?

With thanks,
Sam H.

 

[Photo Engineer]

There were several ultra thin papers produced 'long ago'.

Those days are gone now. Most companies will not produce even a single weight FB paper.

Your best option would be to try to coat it yourself.

PE

 

[Terence]

I've never measured it, but Slavich makes a single-weight paper. Freestyle carries it in the U.S.

 

[jgcull]

I'm just curious... why do you want it very thin? How do you intend to use it?

 

[Samuel Hotton]

I'm just curious... why do you want it very thin? How do you intend to use it?

I enjoy keeping a personal journal. I use a Moleskine 5" x 8" sketchbook. I mount a photograph of a sight, scene, person or place that I really find interesting.

The cameras that fit in my pocket are the most used, a Leica III, FED I, Ikonta B or even a half frame Olympus pen or Chaika. Either are loaded with Tri-x or XP-2. I make prints usually no larger than 2.5"x3.7" for the 35mm negs OR contact print the Ikonta 120 negs. On the odd occasion (very odd) I have used pack Polaroid, both B&W 3000 type 667 and type 669 color. On even more odd occasions I have used the EX-Z850 Casio Exilim.

After the photographs are mounted in this "notebook", I usually write my thoughts and or impressions in the remaining margins around the page. I write with either a #2 Ticonderoga, or a #705 Noblot ink pencil.

THE PROBLEM is the added thickness of the photographs make the book too thick to close properly, SO right from the start as I fill the book I have to cut out every other page, this way with the added thickness of the pictures maintains the original thickness of the book.

THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION:

IF I had thinner paper for my prints, I would not have to cut out half the pages in the notebook. The Moleskine Sketch book pages are as I understand are of "Acid free rag".

All the best,
Sam H.

 

[Fotohuis]

http://www.foma.cz/Upload/foma/prilohy/F_speed_412_en.pdf

Best regards,

Robert

 

[jgcull]

Sounds interesting!

 

[Akki14]

http://www.foma.cz/Upload/foma/prilohy/F_speed_412_en.pdf

Best regards,

Robert

Hm now that I have a name for that paper, I might try asking some sources to order some in for me. I'm looking to use paper negatives for contact printing for alt. process stuff and a very thin base like that would be useful. Thanks for posting this.

 

[Fotohuis]

http://www.silverprint.co.uk/

 

[Monophoto]

You may recall that Kodak used a letter notation to describe the paper surface (F was glossy, E was similar to what Ilford calls 'pearl', N was semi-matt, etc). In addition, they used a two-letter designation to describe paper weight - SW, DW, and yes, there was a LW, or light weight paper.

Back "in the day", Kodak had what they termed an "A" surface paper - a "smooth lustre" paper (similar to modern air-dried glossy) on an ultra-thin base that was intended for insertion in books. Papers with the A surface also had an LW, or light-weight, weight designation.

This paper was used to produce four different A-LW commercial papers:

Kodabromide - a conventional, graded emulsion used for art/display
Ektamatic SC - a graded emulsion designed for rapid "stabilization" processing
Polycontrast - a variable contrast emulsion
Ad-type - a graded paper intended for commercial applications

Since Kodak has now exited the paper business, none of these are available any longer although you may be able to find orphan stock squirreled away somewhere.

 

[Akki14]

http://www.silverprint.co.uk/

That's who I normally go to and they stock foma but their website doesn't say they stock fomaspeed 412.

 

[mikebarger]

I've got a bunch of polyfiiber single weight glossy that I've about decided is to thin for me.

Mike

 

[Fotohuis]

That's who I normally go to and they stock foma but their website doesn't say they stock fomaspeed 412.

Well they're the official UK Foma distributor.....

otherwise:

http://www.fotoskoda.cz/default.asp?ids=356&idm=312&lang=eng