discovered foma paper

I've mostly been using Ilford multigrade RC paper in it's various incarnations for 20 years, and it's done well. I've discovered better.

For a direct replacement, FOMA fomaspeed variant 311 is the new cat's meow. It's a little bit richer/nicer in the shadows handling the dynamic range present in direct sunlight lit scenes. I bought a package just to try it out, and I'm glad I did.

Ilford Multigrade Warm RC is also pretty nice for a paper with a slight warmth to it's look.

I'll save my regular ilford multigrade for reference contact sheets, and stick to the Foma or Ilford warm for the good prints.

I develop the papers in dektol at 68f. Film used is TMY2.

Never tried the Fomaspeed, but the fibre-based Fomabrom Variant 111 is a really beautiful paper, closest imho to the sadly missed Agfa MCC. if you want even richer prints, check it out - Fibre is worth a try, really different look. The Fomabrom is lovely, oldschool and affordable.

Thanks for the tip on Fomaspeed, for RC I use the new ADOX MCP, made on the Agfa machines and similar (except the base) to the extinct Agfa MCP. Nice rich blacks and a silvery glossyness. Never really liked the Ilford though...

Foma film is repackaged as Arista.edu.ultra and sold at a lower price. Is the Fomaspeed Variant 311 available as an Arista paper?

Foma Variant III is by far my favorite paper after a lot of testing against more well known brands. Use it with Dektol and selenium tone KRST 1:20 for 4 min and you will get wonderful blacks.

I'm quite happy with EDU.Ultra RC paper, which I understand is Fomaspeed variant. I never thought about your direct sunlight comments, but I do live in Texas. I usually consider paper to be paper, but once I had a shot with harsh sunlight streaming in through trees and a model underneath, and for whatever reason, I could not print it to a pleasing midtone while maintaining shadow micro-contrast on Illford or Adox papers that I had at the time, where it came out just awesome on the Foma. Maybe it's just the way the VC emulsions are stacked up, or the way my Illford contrast filters match it, I dunno. The "gloss" finish is also very nice and something like Illford 'satin' finish. It is smooth, so that I can use it for contact prints and masks, but it does not show 'images' in the reflections. I use dektol. If you let the developer get old, the paper goes warmtone.