Varycon, has anyone else tried it yet?

[dphphoto]

I bought a box of Varycon from Freestyle, in 11X14 VC glossy FB. I'll admit that I bought it for the price, $36.99 for 50 sheets. I didn't know what to expect, but I'm very pleasantly surprised. I responds very well to Ilford filters, especially grades 1 to 3 (I haven't really had to go beyond 3 1/2 yet), and is very flat, especially after having gone through a few boxes of Kentmere. The whites seem a bit "smoky," for lack of a better term, but the paper has no optical brightners. I like the way it selenium tones; at 2 minutes it stays very neutral in color.
I print with a Beseler MX 4X5 and a condenser head, and use Ethol LPD most of the time, usually dil. 1:3 or 1:4. I've been shooting Fomapan 200, at ei 100, developed in HC110, dil. H and less, and like what I'm seeing in my prints very much.
I looked around and didn't see another thread on this paper yet (I may have missed one, who knows?) and was wondering if anyone else has tried this paper yet. I know I'll be trying more. Dean

 

[Kobin]

I'm just now beginning to experiment with it. Seems a natural for calming the contrast of PanF+ negatives. Can't wait to see how it tones. Maybe Sunday.

K.

 

[dphphoto]

I just realized, I should have put this under film, paper, etc, rather than under equipment. Guess you shouldn't do things after too long a day at work. Dean

 

[Ole]

I've moved it.

I've used Varycon too, and it's a fine paper for the right negative. For others it can be hopless, or just frustrating. I used to hate Varycon, but after extensive testing and comparison printing have now found out what to use it for. It can be great!

 

[dphphoto]

I've moved it.

I've used Varycon too, and it's a fine paper for the right negative. For others it can be hopless, or just frustrating. I used to hate Varycon, but after extensive testing and comparison printing have now found out what to use it for. It can be great!

Thanks for moving the thread. I have one neg that I've only been able to print on Varycon. Rather, it works so much better on Varycon than on anything else I've tried (including Kentmere, Forte and Adox, and usually everything works on Adox). It seems to do well with really flat negs, and oddly enough it also tames the overly contrasty ones. It really responds to the Ilford filters. Dean

 

[Ole]

Oh by the way - it's lithable. The RC version too - with a weird pink colour, which easily turns into gallopping pepper fog.

 

[Lachlan Young]

Thanks for moving the thread. I have one neg that I've only been able to print on Varycon. Rather, it works so much better on Varycon than on anything else I've tried (including Kentmere, Forte and Adox, and usually everything works on Adox). It seems to do well with really flat negs, and oddly enough it also tames the overly contrasty ones. It really responds to the Ilford filters. Dean

ADOX and FOTOKEMIKA paper are both from EFKE's range but are different emulsions. The Varycon - only available in the UK in RC as 'ADOX Easyprint' is a faster, contrastier emulsion than ADOX 'Fineprint' which has an incredible tonal scale. Nevertheless, both are superb papers which IMHO are in certain respects superior to certain better known brands not least in that the RC paper can outperform nearly any other RC paper in depth of D-max!

Lachlan

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Here's an image I printed a couple of weeks ago. It took some experimentation, and I had to make sure using a red safelight. Initially I got some fog due to an 'unsafe' safelight. I developed in glycin developer, and printed from a 6x6 negative on Efke film.
The first initial impression is good enough that I'll keep experimenting with it.
- Thom

 

[Lachlan Young]

Here's an image I printed a couple of weeks ago. It took some experimentation, and I had to make sure using a red safelight. Initially I got some fog due to an 'unsafe' safelight. I developed in glycin developer, and printed from a 6x6 negative on Efke film.
The first initial impression is good enough that I'll keep experimenting with it.
- Thom

Just remeber to give it at least 3 minutes development and remember that with Glycin developers the longer you develop the more defined the highlights are. (there was a url link here which no longer exists) is an example of the look that the RC stuff gives (sorry for the terrible scan ) and developed for about 3 1/2 minutes in a PQ type developer.

Hope this helps,

Lachlan