Old Noob Questions About RC vs FB Paper

[brian steinberger]

I find both warmtone RC and MGIV RC tone very well. I think the RC MGIV tones better than its FB counterpart. All are nice papers, can't go wrong either way.

 

[MattKing]

I use Kodak Sepia II toner on the RC papers, which makes up into two solutions - bleach and toner. I use the bleach component for all bleaching purposes.

I am currently using Berg Selenium toner. In the past, I've used the Kodak version of Selenium toner with success. The next to try is the Ilford Selenium toner that is on the shelf downstairs in my storage area .

 

[Tony-S]

I am currently using Berg Selenium toner.

How is that working?

 

[pentaxuser]

If you want to combine the convenience of RC with the weight of FB you can buy Ilford RC Portfolio. Just be prepared to pay a little extra for the weight.

pentaxuser

 

[brian steinberger]

If you want to combine the convenience of RC with the weight of FB you can buy Ilford RC Portfolio. Just be prepared to pay a little extra for the weight.

pentaxuser

I have been tempted to try this. How is it in 11x14? My problem with RC has always been how cheesy it feels in larger sizes. I love 5x7 and 8x10, but above that, not.

 

[eddie]

I'm one of those people who only uses RC for contact sheets. I think if an image is worth printing, it's worth the extra time, and expense, of fiber.

I do find, however, that my view corresponds along generational lines. I've been printing since about 1970. My unscientific observation is that those of my photographic "vintage" are more opposed to RC than younger darkroom enthusiasts.

PS- I'm not THAT old... I just started VERY early... LOL

 

[Tony-S]

If you want to combine the convenience of RC with the weight of FB you can buy Ilford RC Portfolio. Just be prepared to pay a little extra for the weight.

Does it take toners any better than the non-Portfolio, such as Berg's sepia or copper toners?

 

[MattKing]

Tony:

All of the selenium toners I've tried work in similar ways. They are not identical, but the differences are the sort that are dealt with by following the included instructions (which are very similar) and experimenting a bit.

And you need to be careful with the other Berg toners. Many of the single bath toners (like copper and blue) are in essence dyes. They work in interesting ways, but do not make the fundamental chemical changes in the same way as Selenium, Kodak Brown, or two bath sepia toners do.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Welcome to APUG. You will find the site has a wealth of information if you use the search function. This subject has been beat to death, numerous times, so I don't think anything substantive or revealing will all of a sudden come up. As far as papers are concerned use whatever you can get and can afford. Learn how to get the most out of it. By doing so you will be leaps and bounds ahead of he magic bullet chasers.

amen to that!

 

[pentaxuser]

I have been tempted to try this. How is it in 11x14? My problem with RC has always been how cheesy it feels in larger sizes. I love 5x7 and 8x10, but above that, not.

I can't say as I have only used it in postcard size but I can't think of why it shouldn't be as effective in 11x14. Of course you have to like either RC glossy or pearl as it only comes in those two surfaces.

At 11x14 I imagine that it would be framed and frankly the extra weight and stiffness wouldn't then matter, would it? Given its price and the framing aspect I wouldn't bother beyond 8x10 unless I intended to simply keep it unframed or unmatted and in a box

pentaxuser