favorite b&w paper

[Colin Robertson]

My current paper is Ilford FB warm-tone multigrade. Overall, it is a very fine paper, but I do find toning it difficult. With FB multigrade 'normal' tone, Selenium enriched the shadows and brought up fine highlight detail. It also gives the paper a beautiful cool purple-blue colour. Fantastic. Unfortunately, warm tone paper in selenium is less predictable. A short toning 'crisps' the image, but then the deeep shadows will start to chang to a coppery-red. This colour NEVER appears in the highlights, and can leave the print with a (for me, too) dramatic split. I tone each print carefully and snatch it from the selenium at the first hint of colour change.
Agfa Multi-Contrast Classic was great. It too would sometimes tone with a split, but it was far more subtle and, to me, attractive. Right now in the darkroom I have a box of Adox Fine Print Vario Classic neutralton. Came last week and I haven't broken the seals, but since this is the first day of a weeks vacation ( yee-hah!) I'll let you know what it looks like soon. This stuff is billed as having a very high silver content for extra rich blacks. For details, see www.retrophotographic.com in the uk.

[Ole Tjugen]

It's been more than 15 years since i last used Gallerie, how is that responding to selenium toner.

It gets warmer and "deeper", not "plummy" like many other papers.

I believe.

I'm far from home now, or I would find a toned print, an untoned print, and the same of some other paper to compare directly. I had hoped someone else would have answered by now...

[Gary L. Quay]

I really liked the Forte Polywarmtone FB until it disappeared. I haven't tried the Ilford Gallerie or the Oriental Seagull, but it's only a matter of time.

I don't have an absolute favortie at this moment, but I like certain film / developer combinations. I like the Fomabrom with Formulary Amidol. I like Anything Ilford in Ansco 130. And I'm saving up the last of my Polywarmtone for some Fotospeed Lith developer that I just bought.

Lastly. I have a few packages of various Kentmere papers that I haven't yet opened. The possibilities await...

--Gary

[j.e.simmons]

I really like Kentmere's Kentona in my own variation of MAS amidol. It's only one grade, but it responds to water bath and to extended development. The paper also responds to KBr and benzo to vary the tone.
juan

[Ralph Barker]

FWIW, Harman announced today that they have acquired Kentmere.

http://www.ilfordphoto.com/pressroom/latest.asp

[fstop]

I'm really surprised after 3 pages of thread, nobody has mentioned Bergger papers. Higher price aside, both the neutral and the warm tone are favorites of mine. Especially when I under expose a neg and have to use a 4 or 5 filter for any contrast. The tonal range on these are perfect for almost all my printing. I usually buy a bit of stock and keep in fridge being that it can go in and out of stock.

Just to add...Bergger in Defender is a great combo!

[Jim Galli]

Is Bergger still viable after the demise of Forte? I have loved Bergger and fear it is gone. If I've learned anything at all in the last 4 years, it is to not have a favorite.
favorite = death wish. I picked up some no-name arista this past weekend at Freestyle. 2 previous favorites that are now gone: Freestyle used to have this lovely paper called Europe's Finest Warmtone in grade 2. It was a gorgeous warm-black and with selenium the black would trip the densitometer at about 2.2. Gone. Then J & C had some no-name "museum weight" stuff in 12X16 that was identical to the Freestyle stuff. Gone.

[SAShruby]

I currently use Ilford FB IV Multigrade in Ansco 130 as a substitution for Azo/Lodima in Amidol. I like the combination. But I'm a printing beginner.

So far I learned, if I stick for a while to one combination and learn how to print, then I'd look for something else to compare if what I perfected until now can be better or not. Until then, I personally like just what I said - Ilford in Ansco.

Hope it helps.

[mcfactor]

It gets warmer and "deeper", not "plummy" like many other papers.

I believe.

I'm far from home now, or I would find a toned print, an untoned print, and the same of some other paper to compare directly. I had hoped someone else would have answered by now...

You are right. That is one of the reasons i like it so much, it simply becomes richer with selenium (and a tiny bit warmer) without really changing color.

[Richard M. Coda]

#1 - Kodak Elite Fine-Art (anybody have any they want to sell me ;^)

#2 - Oriental Seagull graded