Oriental WT VC Fiber paper -- emulsion change?

[cesrig]

I've been using Oriental Warmtone VC Fiber paper for the past couple months but the last two batches of it perform radically differently than the stuff I had grown accustomed to--paper base is a creamy yellow instead of a bright white, and the emulsion seems to be considerably slower. I just can't get the same print out of this latest stuff that I could with what I was using before. Anyone using this paper encounter this?

 

[dpurdy]

Can you look at the boxes of each batch and see if the emulsion number is different? I have some on hand and could compare my batch with yours perhaps. It seems doubtful that they would go slower and warmer since the trend is the other direction. If they do go slower and warmer I will probably like it. You didn't radically change the developer did you? OF course that wouldn't change the paper base.

 

[cesrig]

No, chemistry has all been kept constant. I've been using what I have left of the older batch in the same chemistry as this new stuff for comparison.

The emulsion number (at least what I'm assuming is the emulsion number, located at the lower right hand corner of the sticker on a pack of 25) of the "good" paper is 06A81307. Really bright base, contrasty, good stuff.

The more recent paper's emulsion number is 0803F524-12U3 and 0803F524-10U3. This stuff is *really* yellow, almost impossible to pull a highlight out of. Tried developing longer, opening a stop, didn't really do much good.

 

[dpurdy]

I have 06A81305 so it very close to your old paper. Mine is bright white base. Something sounds wrong with your new batch. Perhaps try bleaching it with Potassium Ferricyanide and see if it bleaches out or stays the same as far as the paper base I mean. Don't know what else it could be except a bad batch.

 

[George Collier]

I would contact Oriental. I had a defect in some a few years ago (I don't use their paper any more) and they were good about sending me some in exchange. Maybe they have changed the paper.

 

[Andrew Moxom]

the newer Oriental paper is or should be pure white base. There does appear to be a problem with it. That said, Where did you purchase it? If from Freestyle, they will exchange it for you....

 

[cesrig]

I got the first pack from B&H which had the defect, and ordered another from Freestyle just in case it happened again. I guess it's just blind luck I got the weird stuff twice? In any case I think I'm about ready to go back to Ilford.