Search for Azo.

rmckinne · Jul 11, 2011

Does anyone know how to learn about photo studios going out of business? I'd like to get on mail lists of anyone who salvages these old studios. I am looking hard for a stash of the old Azo papers--not the stuff that Kodak made in Canada near the end of the Azo era. I will pay a high price for Grade 2 papers even with old expiration dates (1960s and 70s or even earlier). There must be a mountain of this paper sitting around in defunct studio basements.

holmburgers · Jul 11, 2011

email, email, email, call, call, call

Find one in a town, ask for the next, ask lots of question, etc. Find names, numbers, and institutions. That's really the only practical way to go about doing it methinks.

Also, craigslist ads in the photo sections of every big city (and small for that matter). There is not gonna be some comprehensive "list" or salvage company. Every one will be different, and it will require a good deal of luck. But luck can be coaxed out by ardent investigation.

Put on you helmet & light and go spelunking...

moose10101 · Jul 11, 2011

Have you posted in the Want To Buy thread? What size paper? What's a "high price"?

c6h6o3 · Jul 11, 2011

What do you consider old enough? Anything non-Canadian? or does it have to be old enough to have cadmium in it?

Curt · Jul 12, 2011

What sizes?

rmckinne · Jul 12, 2011

I prefer the Azo that has the Green retangle next to the F2 indication. I didn't know there was Cadmium in any of the Azo papers but I'm not afraid of a little cadmium!

rmckinne · Jul 12, 2011

c6h6o3 said:
What do you consider old enough? Anything non-Canadian? or does it have to be old enough to have cadmium in it?

Some of the USA papers don't seem to separate dark values as well even though they are better than Canadian. I prefer the papers that have the green rectangle on the box label near the F2 designation. /Users/rhondalmckinney/Desktop/image001.jpg

rmckinne · Jul 12, 2011

Azo searh

moose10101 said:
Have you posted in the Want To Buy thread? What size paper? What's a "high price"?

8x10 or larger. I paid $1000 for a box of 500 sheets so I'd do that again or maybe more if it were necessary.

Curt · Jul 12, 2011

I have two boxes of 500 sheets of 8x10 unopened but they are from the last run.
I also have three boxes of 3" x 4 3/4", each box is 500 sheets, two are unopened and one was opened by me to test the paper, about four or five sheets. It's amazing, it tested out just fine. The three are F2 glossy and must have been for a photo finisher or studio. I didn't notice the green triangle on them so they aren't what you are looking for and the size is unusual for modern sizes (assumption).

I'll probably use the 8x10 for printing carbon transfer onto.

c6h6o3 · Jul 12, 2011

rmckinne said:
Some of the USA papers don't seem to separate dark values as well even though they are better than Canadian. I prefer the papers that have the green rectangle on the box label near the F2 designation. /Users/rhondalmckinney/Desktop/image001.jpg

The low contrast of Canadian Azo only appeared in grade 2. The grade 3 from the last run, which was made in Canada, was identical to the Rochester grade 3 (in my opinion, actually better because of its warmer color). You have to develop Canadian Grade 2 longer (1'45" to 2') but I have some negatives with extended tonal ranges that I cannot print on anything else. While I prefer the Rochester paper to the Canadian for most negatives, the Canadian has its place. I wouldn't turn it down if you find someone willing to part with it.

Are you interested only in Grade 2?

Photo Engineer · Jul 12, 2011

I was not aware that any Azo formula had Cadmium in it. I do know that it can be made without Cadmium. Cd was generally used in AgClBr emulsions, and not AgCl which is what Azo is.

PE

c6h6o3 · Jul 12, 2011

Photo Engineer said:
I was not aware that any Azo formula had Cadmium in it. I do know that it can be made without Cadmium. Cd was generally used in AgClBr emulsions, and not AgCl which is what Azo is.

PE

Thanks, Ron.

I don't remember where I picked up this notion, but your remembrances are certainly more authoritative than any Azo community scuttlebutt I may have heard. I'm moving this one to the Unsubstantiated Rumor column.

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