For the future record, here is a list of prices from Freestyle of 50 sheet boxes of 16x20 fiber paper:
Arista II Fine Grain Semi Matte - $105
Oriental Seagull VC - $140
Oriental Warmtone Smooth Gloss - $165
Kentmere Fineprint Neutral Glossy - $119
Ilford MGIV Glossy - $160
Kentmere Fineprint Neutral Semi Matte - $119
Ilford MGIV Matte - $160
Kentmere FIneprint Warmtone Semi Matte - $119
Ilford Warmtone MGIV Glossy= $209
Arista II VC Glossy - $105
Ilford Warmtone MGIV Semi Matte - $209
Well, I for one long for the days when my favorite paper was made across town and I got a discount to boot. But no more! Maybe the Seagull VC I ordered from Freestyle will turn out to be good- but I was starting to like the Ilford Warmtone. Perhaps the new "agfa" Multicontrast paper will be as good as the old, but I'm sure it will be spendy too. Is it time to like printing smaller?
Could you tell me who is rebranding it? This was my favourite paper.I switched to rebranded forte polygrade after trying it once. The results were as good and much cheaper.
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Traditional photography is going to get more expensive as it becomes increasingly a niche market.
Am I missing something - you think $4.10 a sheet is expensive for 16x20 paper silver paper? The fact that you can get cheaper paper does not make $4.10 outrageous. It costs as much or more for good inkjet paper.
Ed Richards
http://www.epr-art.com
Who WAS rebranding it was freestyle under the name freestyle.eduOriginally Posted by Andrew O'Neill
I was getting 16x20 50 sheet boxes for $70. They don't have it anymore.
As for inkjet material being the same or usually more than photographic paper, that's bullshit! It's overpriced like Stella Ortois!
How much silver does inkjet paper contain?
What's the shelf life of inkjet paper before it's fogged?
How many chemicals go into inkjet papers?
Do they need to be manufactured or shipped in total darkness?
I do not think cost of silver paper is a significant factor in whole process. May be it appears to be since it involves money spent during the final stage of work, the print. If we take all other expenses: time for picture taking, gas or other travel costs, cameras, film (including wasted sheets as well), darkroom equipment and materials costs, etc. I do not think paper takes any substantial position.
As Brian and others noted, increase in price should be considered as a decrease of money value, especially US$. If we take price of gold, which should be considered more as a standard of value than artificially created standard of papers (read: credit, good will of government and bank systems, and who knows what else), then all Ilford products are cheaper every year.
well, for one think, good inkjet paper is often made of a much better substrate than most photo paper (have you priced out good quality watercolour paper from someone like Arches recently?)
They also have plenty of work in the coatings
You'd be amazed how small the demand is for pictures of trees... - Fred Astaire to Audrey Hepburn
www.photo-muse.blogspot.com blog
Jerzy, very good points, I could not agree more.
There is much talk on this forum about equipment, some of it very expensive equipment. And, there are those who bemoan the cost of silver paper. If you choose to use the silver process, be prepared to pay the price, or find an alternative. After all, "the print is the performance", to borrow a line from my friend.
http://www.mergross.com
Merg, if you don't like to read people bemoaning about this, please keep it for yourself.
I don't care who your friend was, I know what a print is.
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