New Direct Positive paper from Ilford Harman

[Aurelien]

Just saw that :

http://www.ilfordphoto.com/products/product.asp?n=65&t=Photographic+Papers

Great...

They say it can be used with pinhole camera, but also to print black and white slides.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I want some! Amazing that they would come out with such a product at this time. Add a monobath, and you've almost got Polaroid. Is it perhaps a byproduct of the ImPossible Project R&D?

 

[2F/2F]

Neat...but I am trying to figure out why? Who is going to buy it to such a degree that it could be profitable? The other direct positive paper (was it Efke or Adox or Fotokemika or sumthin'?) did not last long at all at Freestyle. I wonder if they have actually formulated a new emulsion or if they are repackaging whatever is left of that other one. I can't imagine a use I would have for this, as it is fixed grade high contrast. Perhaps making black and white prints from enlarged low-contrast litho positives printed from color negatives would be a good use. I cannot imagine that a fixed-grade, high-contrast paper would be a good choice for printing from slides. Also, why is it not being retailed?

P.S. More info: http://www.harmanexpress.com/prods/18/HARMAN-DIRECT-POSITIVE-PAPER.htm. (£27.42 plus shipping for 10 sheets of 11x14 fiber-based. OUCH!!!)

 

[Existing Light]

Looks pretty cool. I'd like to shoot some of that in my pinhole cameras.

 

[Shawn Dougherty]

I want some!

me too!

 

[Ektagraphic]

Awesome!!! Time to shoot E100G once again! I loved the look of the Efke/Ilford paper that was recently discontinued!! I am so happy to see this.

 

[johnnywalker]

Anyone got plans for an 11x14 pinhole?

 

[Ektagraphic]

The Efke was also extremely high contrast but this could be fixed sometimes by preflashing.....

 

[Jon Shiu]

Looks like a fun product for pinhole or toy camera, but is it only available in UK?

Jon

 

[Aurelien]

I think it's not really a new product.
This paper existed yet but was called Efke positive paper or IMAGO.
It was elaborated in cooperation with Efke for two womens that work with big giant pinhole cameras: Dead Link Removed

I am not sure, but maybe Simon will confirm, or not

 

[AgX]

That emulsion was made within a span of about two years by Ilford Imaging and coated by Fotokemika. After a stop of manufacturing of that paper has been restarted, now as a joint venture of Ilford Imaging and IlfordPhoto. Whether the latter is doing the whole production or the coating only, has not been confirmed yet.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

The big Imago camera and it's current owner Susanna Kraus are behind this project. She convinced Ilford to give this a try.

Dead Link Removed

I had a chance to try the paper a couple of months ago, and it does exactly what it says on the tin. It's relatively hard (grade 3-4) without pre-exposure, but a Zone III pre-exposure gets it into a normal range. Ilford recommends a darkroom pre-exposure, but I think an in-camera pre-exposure is simpler and does the same thing. It's not a bad idea for a pinhole project, but I would prefer to it the Fox Talbot way and make paper negatives with Ilford MGIV-RC with a yellow filter.

 

[Tom Kershaw]

Ralph,

After some initial enthusiasm on my part I'm now trying to work out exactly how large the market for this paper is. Evidently, a negative to positive process provides for more flexibility in approach.

Tom

 

[eclarke]

Anyone got plans for an 11x14 pinhole?

No, But I have a shutter mounted pinhole I can put in my 11x14!!..EC

 

[perkeleellinen]

Can I use this paper to make prints from my dr5 Chrome slides?

 

[Terry Breedlove]

Anyone got plans for an 11x14 pinhole?

Yep

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Anyone got plans for an 11x14 pinhole?

A good friend of mine did it:

http://www.andreas-emmel.de/

 

[Existing Light]

Anyone got plans for an 11x14 pinhole?

I've already got a pinhole camera big enough for 11x14, but I've only shot 8x10 paper and lith film so far. Maybe this will give me the puch I need to do 11x14

 

[Ektagraphic]

Can I use this paper to make prints from my dr5 Chrome slides?

Absolutly!

 

[removed account4]

sounds like the perfect stuff for my 11x14 camera ...
i wonder how this paper ages ....

i'd like to buy a pallet of it

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Absolutly!

I suspect direct printing from B&W slides might involve some contrast masking, since it's described as a high contrast paper. That's not unusual for positive-positive processes. There may be some way to bring it down with a low contrast developer. For pinhole, high contrast would be desirable.

I'd be interested in shooting it in camera with a lens just to have a print that is a unique first-generation image.

 

[kauffman v36]

so when/where can i place an order? lol.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Absolutly!

I'm not so sure. You may have trouble with the contrast.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

I suspect direct printing from B&W slides might involve some contrast masking, since it's described as a high contrast paper. That's not unusual for positive-positive processes. There may be some way to bring it down with a low contrast developer. For pinhole, high contrast would be desirable.

I'd be interested in shooting it in camera with a lens just to have a print that is a unique first-generation image.

I've tried this paper. Unless you are interested in some special effects, you need to pre-expose (fog) the paper first. I suggest an in-camera Zone II or III pre-exposure with a diffuse filter, such as the DIY filter in the attachment. Ilford suggests a pre-exposure in the darkroom prior to loading the paper into the camera. I found that to be cumbersome.

 

[Leon]

It's not a bad idea for a pinhole project, but I would prefer to it the Fox Talbot way and make paper negatives with Ilford MGIV-RC with a yellow filter.

Did the great FT have access to MGiV-RC then?