Square paper in the UK

I hope this isn't inappropriate or seen as advertising. If so, mods please remove. Here goes.

I was hoping to buy square paper for my enlarger as I often shoot 6x6. I found Ilford's MGIV RC listed at AG Photographic in 10x10 at what seems like a reasonable price, so I ordered some. The proprietor called me up and said that he was going to have to buy some in bulk to be able to fulfill my order, but that he would sort it out.

A week has passed, and yesterday the proprietor called me again, and said that Ilford's minimum quantity was more than he wanted to purchase for a single sale. If he had 5 or so sales lined up, he would go ahead and order some.

So I'm posting in the hope that I might find 4 other people who want to purchase square paper, which will then allow him to fulfill my order. Failing that, I'm back to 8x10.

Alternatively, if anyone knows of somewhere else in the UK that I could buy 10x10 Ilford MGIV RC, please do let me know.

Square papers not a big deal, I print all my 6x6 negatives square and just trim the edge off and use that for test strips. In fact that works out well and keeps paper wastage to a minimum.

Ian

You might like to look at Ilford's Direct 2 Dealer system. Essentially, you buy the stuff from Ilford and they forward it to an accredited dealer local to you.

http://www.ilfordphoto.com/wheretobuy/buyilfordd2d.asp

Regards
Jerry

....Or buy 12x9.5, which is cheaper and easier to get hold of than 10x10, and cut 2.5" off the bottom to use at test strip?

Yeah my trays are 12x10 I think, as I was told to get trays larger than the paper size I print. I figured 10x10 would be fine in a 12x10 tray. I suppose I could use 12x9.5 paper, assuming I can get good enough circulation. I don't have room to do this with larger trays alas.

Couldn't see that paper size in the D2D PDF, but I might be mistaken. - correction it IS there, but in cms, and a bit more expensive than I was expecting. Hmmm interesting.

Dear Wintoid,

Square paper is not a standard item from ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited, it is make special only, hence the MOQ ( Minimum order quantity ) : see our PAL ( product availability list ) on our website.

Square paper is used almost entirely in the aerial survey business for 'printing out' from aerial negs.

Its much easier as Ian suggests to cut to size and use the 'spare' to make test strips, 10 x 10 will be more expensive than 10 x 8 per m2 so you would not save anything.

Thanks for using and valuing ILFORD Photo products.

Simon. ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited :

Being a 6 X 6 on 120 roll film addict I like square paper, too.


Recently I have been cutting down paper as required, but years ago, the reason I often used to buy Kentmere paper instead of Ilford was because they cut a lot of square sizes. I still have some boxes of Bromide in 10" x 10".

I presume these sizes been discontinued now that Ilford are coating Kentmere papers?

I guess I'll stick to 8x10 for now, but I still can't help wanting 10x10 paper. I'm just getting used to a workflow that goes from rolling my own film, mixing my own developers, developing at home, printing at home and so on, but the idea of cutting my own paper feels like a bridge too far.

wintoid said:

I guess I'll stick to 8x10 for now, but I still can't help wanting 10x10 paper. I'm just getting used to a workflow that goes from rolling my own film, mixing my own developers, developing at home, printing at home and so on, but the idea of cutting my own paper feels like a bridge too far.

Click to expand...

Maybe you want too much on your plate

I shoot quite a bit of 6x17 (120) format film (usually Ilford), no manufacturer sells a Panoramic format paper, using a print trimmer in the darkroom is not exactly difficult. In fact a 5 year old could do it

You crossed the only important bridges in choosing film and darkroom prints.

Ian

As Ian has said cutting square in the darkroom with a normal safelight and a decent trimmer is relatively easy. It can be especially accurate with a Rotrim trimmer and its guide that can be placed on the appropriate mark. Even with a cheap trimmer you can cut an accurate 8x8 or 9x9from cardboard and use it to set a stop fixed to the board at the right place then cut the paper under the safelight.

Pity about 10x10 but if the small demand means a high price then the price may be too high to pay for the convenience.

pentaxuser

I trim 8x10 to 8x8 and use it in my 8x8 speed easel.

Mike