After trying a number of papers, I had finally decided that Agfa MCC was the one, especially the semi-matt. I was really getting comfortable with it. Now it's gone.
You who favored Agfa MCC semi-matt, what are you using now? Is it really similar?
Thank you.
Have you tried Brilliant VC? I understand it is similiar.
Yes, but is Brilliant VC available in anything larger than 11X14 lately? Just got to really like this paper and now I can only find this in 11X14 and smaller. Bummer!
Is Brilliant a brand or a particular paper? Who makes it? Who sells it?
Wilhelm (Sarasota)
Calumet I believe
Brilliant is a private label, which Fred Picker originally put on a graded paper from Guilleminot in France. Calumet bought it from Picker along with the Zone VI brand, and shifted to other manufacturers when Guilleminot went under (ultimately to sort of re-emerge in hollowed-out form as Bergger).
The last rumor I head was that the third generation version of Brilliant VC - the current one - was manufactured by Ilford. I don't know whether that's true. The last time I tested some, a few years ago, I thought it behaved a bit like Ilford MG IV FB, except with a more warmish image color; other than being a bit on the warm side, it didn't remind me of Agfa MCC at all.
The graded Brilliant was discontinued a while ago. On the Calumet web site, all that's left of the VC is 8x10 and 11x14, and only in glossy surface. The name is primarily used now for a line of inkjet papers.
Well there you go!
I use Ilford MG FB IV and Ilford MG Warmtone. The Agfa always seemed to fall somewhere in between these papers in terms of tone, which I understood the Calumet / Zone VI Brilliant did as well. This is why I thought it might be a good one to check out if you were an Agfa fan.
Off the top of my head I cannot think of another paper which is just a little warmer than neutral.
Just to be clear, to me image color is one of the least important things about a paper. Characteristic curve shape is much more important, because it determines what sorts of negatives can be printed without heroic manipulation. The Brilliant VC III that I tested had a distinctly longer toe than MCC, as well as a poorer Dmax untoned.
By the way, JandC has recommended Adox Vario Classic FB and Fomabrom Variant III FB as suggested replacements for MCC among the products they stock:
www.jandcphoto.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=21
I don't know whether this recommendation is based just on image color or on other characteristics instead or as well.
I wondered if Ilford Warmtone would make a suitable replacement. I had the sense that maybe its a little too warm. I tend to favor matt papers, and some paper makers are limiting availablity to glossy. I have a supply of Forte's Polywarmtone semi-matte w/ an ivory base. For some negs and images, I like it a lot. I really like the ivory base. But its definitly not Agfa MCC. I haven't been able to get good blacks from the Forte, weak in the Dmax. I'm currently dismantling my darkroom for a move, but I plan to try it with nelson gold toner, maybe pre-toning with selenium. Selenium alone doesn't do enough to bring out the black. Agfa just seemed to respond so well to selenium and/or nelson gold toner. Thank you for your comments. Misery likes company.
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