Warmtone FB papers: opinions?

[Colin Corneau]

I'm printing up shots for an upcoming exhibition. I've decided, based on personal taste and the images themselves, that warmtone paper is the way to go.

So far, I've been printing on Ilford VC-FB Warmtone with their Warmtone developer. It works well, for the most part.

In the past, I've used this developer with Oriental VC-FB Warmtone and looking back on those shots, they look great. Different, but very nice and for some reason the negs were a lot easier to print also.

To add to my confusion, I notice in Freestyle's catalogue that Foma has a warmtone as well.

For those who've used all or most of these, how do they differ to your eye? Plusses or minusses with them? I'm not looking for someone to tell me what to do for something as subjective as this, but I do respect the experience people here have garnered.

 

[Dennis S]

I have just started useing Freestyles warm tone and I must say I am impressed on the outcome of my prints.. The whites really stand out.

 

[Muihlinn]

I do use foma and Ilford, my favourite is Ilford, whiter whites and slower turn towards too warm tones during toning, but I do choose the paper for the image and not just a paper.

 

[Dan Henderson]

I also use Ilford and Foma. The Foma seems to be very sensitive to contamination and requires very strict handling during processing. I generally keep it for lith printing and use the Ilford for general warmtone printing. I can't compare it to Oriental, but I am very satisfied with it. It turns to a pleasing brown for me in selenium.

 

[Bob F.]

Also look at Kentmere Fineprint Warm. I use it and the Ilford. The Kentmere is not available in glossy however and it has a very creamy base which makes it a nice contrast to the much whiter MGWT base. I've got some Foma too but have not used it enough to really comment on.

 

[Monophoto]

Like Bob I've also used the Kentmere. It's nice - different from Ilford, but still nice. More contrasty, and much cooler than Ilford.

 

[Colin Corneau]

Thanks all. I should add that I'd like to try selenium toning on these images (for permanence but also equally important, the subtle tone shift).

They are all very similar images, shot with the Widelux in China. So the subject matter, film type, theme, etc. are all very consistent and grouped.

I wasn't aware Foma is so fussy -- sounds like the paper equivalent to TMax films!

 

[Guillaume Zuili]

You can try Varycon from Freestyle too...
Beautiful warm tone and reacts very well to Selenium.

 

[craigclu]

I stumbled into a look that I find pleasing when souping some Ilford WT FB in Ansco 130 (with 15ml of 1% benzotriazole instead of potassium bromide/liter). Deep, velvety blacks that retain detail and a pleasingly warm overall rendition. I had found this paper a bit bland in other developers that I had been using and let a large supply sit unused until I found this combo.

 

[el wacho]

Guillaume,

what are you using to get warm tones out of varycon?


thanks.

 

[Colin Corneau]

craigclu -- where did you get the tweaked version of Ansco130?

Not familiar with this developer, I imagine you can get it from Freestyle, etc. but benzotriazole...completely unfamiliar with it. Is it a toxic chemical or something I'd have a problem getting across our border?

Also curious how you'd even come around to mixing up a solution like that, much less applying it to this paper. Sounds like an interesting story!

 

[craigclu]

eclarke had mentioned this in another thread some time ago.... This is a mix from scratch developer so may not be an easy test for you if you're not set up for that (although Ph Formulary sells a packaged 130 in its normal form). The benzotriazole is also easier to deal with when stored as a solution as compared to my potassium bromide that seems to turn into small rocks that are hard to measure and get into solution. That was part of the initial reason that I tried it and I'm glad that I tried it in that form now.


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