What paper to get for contact printing?

I know there is a big thread on contact printing and I have been reading some of it, but my question is what paper to get. I believe VC papers require filters, but don't they have to used in a enlarger? I don't want to get into the darkroom since I will only be doing a few from time to time. I bought a 5X7 contact print frame I am looking for 5X7 paper.

Any paper will work.

If you want to try for an "old world" effect with VC papers that you might like, get a green or light yellow lamp or celophane or gel filter that would cover a reflector lamp for exposing... This would create a long scale long scale "flatter" #1 filter look that might work well, where you would print for a good but transparent black/shadow region, and see how it prints well into the highlight density... It has an old fashioned full scale look exposed correctly...

I recently needed to proof a bunch of nice 4X5 negatives with a restored contact printer (using a large box of very old RCMG), of normal contrasty deep shade & night shots, and was very surprised how well the extremes of contrast printed... (Very old MG tends to loose it's blue contrast layer and prints flat, around #1 grade...) So for my proofs, this held the entire scale well without burning/dodging... But modifing the printing light to light yellow (- blue where the contrast layer responds) or green (where it prints the flatter layer fast) should also work... You might like the effect...

There will specific posts with user's favorites coming soon, but this is an OK start...

Good luck!!!

Steve K

Yes, any paper will work. Get Lodima from Michael A. Smith. It is a paper designed for contact printing. Long tonal range and will give you good results. Enlarging papers work well but contact printing papers will give you that extra that makes them worth it.

If you want to try contact printing with standard enlarging paper, try ADOX MCC 110.

You say you don't want to get into the darkroom, but I'm very fond of both Lodima and Adox Lupex.

You mention VC papers requiring filters, this is true, the Ilford multigrade system is one of the common ones, they are available in several different sizes and in sets, and they can be attached below the light source using any convenient method, it doesn't have to be an enlarger.

Fiber base papers are also available in VC types (multigrade). I strongly recommend the use of VC paper and filters for contact printing.