Searching for enlarging paper to replace my polymax...

[bobbysandstrom]

I'm going a little crazy trying to find a paper that has a similar surface/finish to my polymax as well as a good strong dmax. I like very much the finish on the forte polywarmtone but want a cold tone paper.

I've tried MGIV in Dektol at various dilutions and times, as well as MGIVwarmtone using ilford cooltone developer, Kentmere fineprint, forte polygrade. However, with each of these papers I feel I'm coming up short when compared to my polymax either because of print tone, surface, dmax, or contrast. Is there anything anyone can recommend to try? Man it's frustrating!

Thanks

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Try the Bergger VCCB or VCBNB variants. The VCCB is their warmtone paper, but gets a very nice rich cool black when developed in the Ilford Cooltone developer. Another nice paper is the Foma vc fiber paper. All of these can be had in 25 sheet packs from Freestyle.

 

[jim appleyard]

Hi Bobby,

I can't make good comparisons between papers as I haven't used all of them yet or haven't used certain kinds in a very long time, but give Adorama's house brand a try. Is it great? I don't know, but the price sure is nice.

Dead Link Removed

 

[jeroldharter]

I have the same dilemma. I did a blind comparison of several papers and I preferred Polymax to all of them. Just before the end of the year when Kodak stopped producing it I bought alot of paper that I am still using up.

 

[theyankeesnapper]

I have the same dilemma. I did a blind comparison of several papers and I preferred Polymax to all of them. Just before the end of the year when Kodak stopped producing it I bought alot of paper that I am still using up.

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I had been conducting a longevity test and found that after two years under refrigeration, Ilford MG1V-fb and Forte' were equal, Oriental VC-fb and Kodaks Polymax didn't fair quite so well. As a result I have been buying only Forte and Ilford.
I recommend wrapping your Kodak paper in individual plastic wrap, I think I used 24 gauge and then sealing the seams of each box with tape and freezing them until needed.

Regards.

Bob McCarthy

 

[fschifano]

I can't make good comparisons between papers as I haven't used all of them yet or haven't used certain kinds in a very long time, but give Adorama's house brand a try. Is it great? I don't know, but the price sure is nice.

Dead Link Removed

I'm working my way through the last of my Kodak PolyMax RC and will miss it when it's gone. I do use Adorama's house brand of paper quite a bit though and have no complaints with the product. Is it the same as Kodak's old products? No, every brand of paper has it's own signature. Can you get a good print from the stuff? Yes. Freestyle also has some papers under their own label. The Arista.EDU Ultra looks interesting. It is even less expensive than the Adorama house brand, though I don't know what this paper is like. Comments from anyone out there who have used this product?

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/sc_prod.php?cat_id=&pid=1000000960

 

[srs5694]

Freestyle also has some papers under their own label. The Arista.EDU Ultra looks interesting. It is even less expensive than the Adorama house brand, though I don't know what this paper is like. Comments from anyone out there who have used this product?

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/sc_prod.php?cat_id=&pid=1000000960

Freestyle's Arista.EDU Ultra line (not to be confused with the Arista.EDU line, without the "Ultra" designation) is made by Foma. I've used 25 sheets of the product to which you linked and 25 sheets of the Foma-branded equivalent. For reference, my favorite paper is Agfa MCP 310 RC; I've got a modest stock of that but will obviously have to switch to something else. I also like Kodak's Polycontrast IV. The Foma paper has a thinner base and a warmer tone than either of these papers. Personally, I prefer a cooler tone than the Foma paper produces for most of my subjects. The Foma paper seems to do a good job handling a wide range of contrasts. With my enlarger (a Philips PCS130 with PCS150 color controller), I've found the contrast settings for Ilford papers work better with the Foma, whereas I use the Kodak settings for the Kodak and Agfa papers.

 

[MikeM1977]

Try Oriental Seagull VC-FB.

This finish isn't quite as smooth as Polymax, however I think they have similar whites and blacks.