My local paper selection, need advice..

Sean · Jun 24, 2004

Well, this is basically what I have to choose from 'locally'. I'll need some 8x10 paper for my 35mm black and white work shot on tri-x, I usually like a cold tone look and am also considering toning in thiocarbamide. If some of you could have a look at the list and tell me if anything really leaps out at you please let me know. Thanks!

http://www.aucklandcamera.com/paper.html

clogz · Jun 24, 2004

No Ilford Multigrade Cooltone?

Sean · Jun 24, 2004

I think there is another shop in town that has some Ilford. Also how long does this paper store, especially variable contrast paper? One shop has some vc kentmere paper and it's collecting dust, I think it's been on the shelf well over a year..

clogz · Jun 24, 2004

Sean, I set up my darkroom after a ten-year lapse and I used both Ilford and Agfa VC paper that was even older than that. No problem.

Jorge · Jun 24, 2004

Sean said:
Well, this is basically what I have to choose from 'locally'. I'll need some 8x10 paper for my 35mm black and white work shot on tri-x, I usually like a cold tone look and am also considering toning in thiocarbamide. If some of you could have a look at the list and tell me if anything really leaps out at you please let me know. Thanks!

http://www.aucklandcamera.com/paper.html

Forte and Zone VI papers are excellent. I would not hesitate in recommending them. I have used both and liked both.
Oh! and BTW, I have paper that is about 6 years old and it is sitll good as new, as a matter of fact some of it is Zone VI.

Sean · Jun 24, 2004

Has anyone used Zone VI VC? and if so what dev? Dektol maybe?

thanks!

Donald Miller · Jun 24, 2004

Zone VI in Dektol will work. Forte Polywarmtone in Amidol will go neutral. It prints with a wonderful "presence" in Dektol...even if it is warmer.

John McCallum · Jun 25, 2004

Sean said:
Has anyone used Zone VI VC? and if so what dev? Dektol maybe?

thanks!

Hi Sean. Haven't used Zone VI, but have been using AGFA Classic MC111 FB VC, and find it to be really nice, excellent in fact, to my liking. Really like the cold tone print from it. Also takes well to Selenium or Agfa Veridon toning. If you are interested to try it, I have an alternative supplier who you may not know.
Have tried the Kentmere stock you are probably referring too and it's lovely. Quite pricey by comparison with the papers you have been looking at.

Jon Shiu · Jun 25, 2004

Zone VI Brilliant VC is same as Ilford.

Jon

L Gebhardt · Jun 25, 2004

The Forte Polygrave V Fiber is very nice, and is my standard paper now. For some scenes I still use Kodak Polymax Fine Art (fiber). For RC I like the Ilford Cooltone. The Forte RC is also OK. I could easily live with what that store stocks.

John McCallum · Jun 27, 2004

Go Kentmere for Cold Tone

Tried some 8x10 Kentmere VC Select last night. Wonderful stuff. Probably the best cold tone paper I've tried IMO.
I've loaded a scan of an image into the tech gallery. Not a great image, but I was just so pleased with the print, given the conditions at the time. It was taken in a really low contrast (dull) situation. Late in the day in howling wind and rain on the west coast. So I really wasn't expecting much out of the negs, but I was really pleasantly surprised with the paper.

Jim Moore · Jun 27, 2004

Jon said:
Zone VI Brilliant VC is same as Ilford.

Jon

Jon,

Do you know this for a fact, or is it something that you heard.

Jim

photomc · Jun 27, 2004

JMoore said:
Jon,

Do you know this for a fact, or is it something that you heard.

Jim

Jim,
I don't know this to be fact but have been told this by more than one person, and by people whos opinion I value. Somewhere along the way the paper changed is what I have been told.

Mike

Sean · Jun 27, 2004

John McCallum said:
Tried some 8x10 Kentmere VC Select last night. Wonderful stuff. Probably the best cold tone paper I've tried IMO.
I've loaded a scan of an image into the tech gallery. Not a great image, but I was just so pleased with the print, given the conditions at the time. It was taken in a really low contrast (dull) situation. Late in the day in howling wind and rain on the west coast. So I really wasn't expecting much out of the negs, but I was really pleasantly surprised with the paper.

That's good to hear, was it RC?

John McCallum · Jun 27, 2004

Sean said:
That's good to hear, was it RC?

As it turns out - Yes. No reference to it on the packaging; maybe you're just supposed to *know*.

Jim Moore · Jun 27, 2004

:confused:

photomc said:
Jim,
I don't know this to be fact but have been told this by more than one person, and by people whos opinion I value. Somewhere along the way the paper changed is what I have been told.

Mike

Thanks Mike.

I have heard this too. But I have also heard that it was at one time made by Ilford but it is not now. I have also heard that it is Made by Ilford to Zone VI's specifications, but is not the same as Ilford Multigrade paper. :confused:

Currently the only FB papers I use are Zone VI & Oriental VC, so I haven't been able to compare the Zone VI to the Ilford myself.

But I would highly recommend the Zone VI paper along with the Zone VI developer.

Jim

Jon Shiu · Jun 30, 2004

A few months ago, I asked Bruce Barlow, who worked with Fred Picker and Richard Ritter at Zone VI, and he said the current Zone VI Brilliant is just rebranded Ilford MG. That's all the info I have.

Tom Stanworth · Jul 2, 2004

Hi,

I have had excellent results from Forte papers, both the very cold polygrade (esp in cold tone dev) and very warm polywarmtone (in anything pretty well). If you cannot get good prints from these papers there is not much point looking elsewhere. Take care if you wish to selenium tone either as they tone REAL FAST. Dilute selnium to 1+19 at least! I do not care for PWT in thiocarbamide as it loses loads of desity in shadows. Use selnium first to nail blacks down. have used Jessops VC RC - it is identical as far as I can tell to Agfa MC RC premium in other words superb. Great blacks on quite a bright white base - IMHO far better than Ilford MGIV RC. NOt much to choose from, but at least they stock some of teh best papers in the world - Forte, which incidentally are briliant for lith work, handy eh?

Tom

Dave Miller · Jul 3, 2004

John McCallum said:
As it turns out - Yes. No reference to it on the packaging; maybe you're just supposed to *know*.

Kentmere VC Select is an RC paper. Fineprint VC is their fibre range. Check Kentmere's site for details:
http://www.kentmere.co.uk/main/kentmere.htm

fingel · Jul 3, 2004

Basically all I use is Forte Polygrade V Fibre. It is great paper. It has a cold tone with a little bit of an olive cast to it, but a quick tone in selenium and it becomes a deep black. Leave it in too long though and you get a horrid rust color, so you really have to watch it in the toner. The polywarmtone is also very nice and I would highly recommend that also.

If you don't mind using graded paper, I have used the Fortezo with nice results, but the polywarmtone is easier to work with.

mark · Jul 3, 2004

I used the Zone VI stuff exclusivly for my personal stuff, but I have not had a darkroom for a number of years. At the time it was hands down better than Ilford and the two looked and performed completely different with the same neg under the same condition. If it is rebranded Ilford that is a real shame. I have never seen Ilford paper to be special in any way. If I get into a darkroom again I will be moving to Orieintal.

My local paper selection, need advice..

Sean

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My local paper selection, need advice..

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