contact printing paper

[Greg Meier]

What size paper do you all use for contact printing 8x10 negatives? I know the question sounds a bit stupid. But where I live, in Brazil, Ilford sold 9.5" x 12" fiber paper until recently. It is still a standard size here for RC paper. For me, this is the perfect size for the contact as it leaves a nice border on all edges. Unfortunately fiber paper is not currently available here so I was going to buy a stock in B&H on a trip next week. I notice on their web site though that they do not carry the size. Just 8x10 (which would not leave much of a boarder at all) and 11x14, which would need to be cut down to size.

Any suggestions? thanks, Greg

[Oren Grad]

I use 11x14. Sometimes I cut it down a bit, but never smaller than 10x12.

[jonathan smith]

I use 8x10, there's still a border, because the image size is smaller than 8x10. Easier to handle I think.

For a while there was 8.5 x 11 available in some papers, you might look for that.

[Michael A.Smith]

8x10. As previously mentioned, there is still enough border.

Have you tried printing on Azo--the only silver chloride contact printing paper still available? Although Kodak stopped making it (along with all of their black and white papers), there is still quite a bit remaining and we are having other silver chloride paper made. If there is sufficient demand we will have 8 1/2 x 11 made for folks like you who want a larger border than 8x10 provides.

[Wayne]

I have always used 8x10 for 8x10. I'm way too cheap to pay extra for borders.