PDA

View Full Version : Anyone using Forte paper?



brian steinberger
22-Feb-2006, 20:44
I wondering, for those who use Forte paper, what your favorite developer is. I tried out Zonal Pro tonight, and found it to produce very week blacks at standard dilution. Dektol is great, contrast-wise, but seems to leave greenish hues, diluted 1:2. What is your favorite?

Larry Kalajainen
22-Feb-2006, 21:46
E-72 works well. It gives a fairly neutral tone on Forte.

The formula is widely available on the web--try the APUG forum. It's a variant of D-72 but uses Phenidone and Ascorbic Acid instead of Metol and Hydroquinone.

lee\c
22-Feb-2006, 22:13
I use Forte with Zone VI paper developer and the green tone is gone. The green that Dektol produces can be neutralized with selenium toner bath. It is a nice paper.

leec

paulr
22-Feb-2006, 23:46
Ansco 130 and 120 are tough to beat. I used them exclusively for ten years or so on fortezo.

A few of us blabbed about 130 recently in this thread: http://www.largeformatphotography.info/lfforum/topic/505016.html

Nick Morris
23-Feb-2006, 06:07
I have been using Forte Polywarmtone Semi-Matte w/ Dektol 1:1 & 1:2. Like you, I found the blacks a little weak. My darkroom is down for a move, but when I have it up again, I am planning to try the Ansco developer, and maybe amidol, along w/ nelson gold toning. With the Dektol, I found the blacks were stronger w/ fresh developer, and I didn't notice any green tone. I really like the ivory base of this paper and its overall look. Even though the I haven't got what I want out of it yet, it is a paper worth working with, especially now that my favorite Agfa Multicontrast Classic is gone.

Andrew O'Neill
23-Feb-2006, 08:13
I like Forte Polygrade V in Ilford's multi-grade developer. For slightly more contrast I use dectol. How fresh is your paper? Even slightly outdated paper will produce weak blacks. I've noticed this with this paper.

Jim Galli
23-Feb-2006, 08:53
I rather like warm blacks that Forte can do so well. Here (http://www.apug.org/forums/article.php?a=123) is the Ansco 135 formula but re-calculated to make a one time small batch of 850ml that is already at 1:1 dilution when mixed. I use it for a session and throw it away. But should you get interupted and want to keep it overnight, the 850ml with some carry off will fit perfectly into an empty dark wine bottle with no air space at the top. On glossy fortezo (will there be any more of this when my box is gone?) I can acheive d-max of 2.16 with fresh developer and a selenium bath.

Paul Metcalf
23-Feb-2006, 09:08
Ilford Bromophen (their version of dektol).

Selenium toning at moderate strengths (e.g. 1:30) for brief time (2-3 minutes) knocks some of the green cast out (mid-tone green cast). Weaker solutions (e.g. 1:128) have no impact in my experience except at very long times. Strongly solutions (e.g. 1:3) go brown-purple in deeper tones. I like the way the toner stays away from the highlights in Forte Paper (Polygrade VB).

Craig Wactor
23-Feb-2006, 10:04
VersaPrint II, a glycol based developer from Fine Art Photo Supply (http://www.fineartphotosupply.com/chemicalspage2.htm), works exceptionally well with Forte. It does not keep well, though.

Craig Wactor
23-Feb-2006, 10:05
sorry, it's glycin, not glycol.

paulr
23-Feb-2006, 10:48
i selected developer for the tonal scale, used a very weak selenium solution (1:20 or so) briefly adjust the tint of the final print, and then nelson gold toner (diluted 1:2, much weaker than recommended) for warmth. fortezo is very active and responds more quickly and intensely to toners than other papers i've used. dilute developers slow the reaction enough to make it controlable.

there's also a complex interaction between degree of development and final print color after toning. it took me five years to figure this out, but i think i have it pretty well dialed in now. i can share my notes if anyone's interested.

luckily the paper's back on the market so all this arcane knowledge isn't completely obsolete. yet.

Scott Walton
23-Feb-2006, 11:48
Personally I like LPD for all my printing. It lasts a long time in the tray and has really nice rich tones. I usually dilute it to 1:1 for a cooler tone but have diluted out to 1:5 for a slightly warmer presentation on occasion.

Thomas Trottier
25-Feb-2006, 12:43
Forte makes a warm tone paper and a cold tone paper. As well Forte makes three kinds of developers: warm, cold and neutral. I use Forte Cold tone paper and I found that using either Forte cold or neutral developer left my blacks weak, giving them a blue cast. Now I use the cold paper with the warm developer, which gives me a nice overall neutral tone with deep, rich blacks.