PAL Flexigrade FX1

[Shiny]

Does anyone have any experience with this paper? it appears to be of Croatian origin. My local Jacobs has loads of it really cheap - it claims to be variable contrast, but i have only been able to make the slightest difference using a number 5 Ilford filter.

It seems to be ok for some things, its almost impossible to lose shadow detail! It develops very slowly in Ilford warmtone developer compared to Multigrade IV

Thanks
Jim

 

[Shiny]

dam..... no one heard of it then.

Is there any way to significantly increase the contrast of a VC paper other than using filters? I have done a few experiments with different filters, the 2 filter seems to give about the same contrast increase as the 5 with this paper - about 1 grade...

its so cheap i have to make it good!

Thanks
jim

 

[Mark Layne]

dam..... no one heard of it then.

Is there any way to significantly increase the contrast of a VC paper other than using filters? I have done a few experiments with different filters, the 2 filter seems to give about the same contrast increase as the 5 with this paper - about 1 grade...

its so cheap i have to make it good!

Thanks
jim

The PAL papers I used in the past were graded papers apparently made by Fotokemika and marketed by a German company. That was 20 years ago. Is this stuff FB or RC and is it fresh?
Mark

 

[Shiny]

its RC and appears to be fresh... though the packets are a little worn

 

[srs5694]

There are tricks involving using different developers or developer concentrations to affect contrast. I've never tried using these techniques, though, and I don't recall the details. You might try digging on the Web or reading in books to learn more about such techniques, though.

 

[reellis67]

Ansco 130 is listed as being able to add contrast by using it full strength, or you could try Beers, which allows for variable contrast. You could also try adding Carbonate solution to the developer you choose, which is supposed to give richer blacks, or a cold-tone developer, which also seems to add contrast.

- Randy

 

[pentaxuser]

Who are the local Jacobs? Photo retailers? Even if they are not then they will know how they came by this paper and if not photo suppliers they should be able to say what made them buy it for onward sale to the public.

Why not ask? If they are photo retailers someone there should be able to give an explanation of why an Ilford grade 5 filter only makes a slight difference. It sounds as if it either isn't VC paper or if it is then quality control must be woeful.

It's worrying that no-one so far who has replied is familiar with it.

What was the price? If it was too good to be true by comparison with Ilford, Photospeed, Kentmere etc then you may have a gift horse that "needs looking in the mouth"

pentaxuser.

 

[Shiny]

jacobs photo & digital in Newcastle - its £2 for 25 10x8 & £3 for 10 12x16.

it looks fantastic on a couple of prints - theres a couple of mine in the gallery, i may just have to use it very selectively

jim