Past History of Agfa Multicontrast Classic 111

Andre Noble · Oct 31, 2012

Hello, I am aware that awesome Adox MCC 110 paper is a modern remake of the Agfa Multicontrast Classic 111.

But how far back does the venerable Agfa Multicontrast Classic 111 iteslf go? (year?)

Ian Grant · Nov 1, 2012

I'd have to go and check some reciepts but it was available in the UK sometime in the early 1990's. I used Record Rapid prior to that and it was replaced here in the UK byMCC 111 in about 1992/3. I know some images I printed for a 1994 exhibition were made using it.

One reason MCC 111 was released was the range of grades of Record Rapid had been cut from 1-4 to just 2 & 3 before it was dropped, Kentmere had cut their warm tome paper range - Kentona - to just one grade. At taht point Ilford hadn't released a new warm tone paper, the last Ilfomar had been dropped a few years before.

Ian

AgX · Nov 1, 2012

I got a data-sheet that is designated as 1ed. 5/1994, from that one could conclude that the paper has been introduced at that time.

Shawn Dougherty · Nov 1, 2012

Interesting. I was wondering that, too.

I'm working through my last 100 sheet box of AGFA MCC 111 right now. Was stored frozen and still has plenty of contrast. Will probably give the new Adox version a try when it's gone. I love my Ilford Warmtone but for certain images I prefer the AGFA. I seem to be able to... open up the shadows a bit more with it.

artonpaper · Nov 1, 2012

AGFA MCC 111 was a wonderful paper. This could be a misconception and some faulty memory on my part, but prior to the introduction of Agfa MCC there were no multicontrast papers that I liked. I think they raised the bar for those papers. It seems that not long after that all multicontrast papers improved. I have yet to try Adox, having been bitten by the Pt/Pd bug, but I will try it next time I print silver. I like the results I've gotten with Bergger paper the few times I've used it. Quite lush.

Andre Noble · Nov 1, 2012

OK so appx 1994. For some reason I thought it went back much further.

Ian Grant · Nov 1, 2012

artonpaper said:
AGFA MCC 111 was a wonderful paper. . . . . . . . .prior to the introduction of Agfa MCC there were no multicontrast papers that I liked. I think they raised the bar for those papers.

MCC was the first Warm tone muti-grade (multi-contrast) paper. So was quite different to Ilford MG FB and whatever Kodak called their MG papers at the time, Polytone maybe. Kodak kept changing their papers to often in the UK nut few used them anyway.

So yes they did raise the bar (if you want warm tones) and the best alround warm-tome MG paper was Forte's Polywarmtome (I have a reasonable supply left).

Foma's Fomatone MG Classic 131 is a good replacement, I'me poesed to place a large order.

Ian

Past History of Agfa Multicontrast Classic 111

Andre Noble

Ian Grant

AgX

Shawn Dougherty

artonpaper

Andre Noble

Ian Grant

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