Thoughts on Fotokemika Varycon (KG) paper?

[Claude Sapp]

Sales rep at Freestyle raved about this paper, and wondering if anyone has used it. Searching the forum was fruitless. Also, it is noted on Freestyle's website a red safelight must be used, has anyone fogged the paper with OC? Anyway, I am thinking about trying it out, but was just wondering what others have found.

[Colin Graham]

I just starting testing it, the fiber base version. It looks very good, neutral to cool in ansco 130. Not as cold as MGIV, not as greenish as Forte polygrade, not as warm as the Graded versions of Emaks. I'm trying to find a replacement for forte, if that gives you an idea of my perspective. I use red safelights so cant help you there but most of the eastern european VC papers seem to recommend red filters. I've also tried the foma variant 111 FB, very nice as well, so far I think I like it better; but it's pretty preliminary. Hope this helps.

[matthew blais]

My first attempts with it had me hating it. Haven't tried it since but once to see if it was at least suited perhaps to Lith...

I may try again, but first impression wasn't good. But that's me..

[Ole Tjugen]

I have hated it for many years, but with some negatives it's the best there is.
If I could only find a way to know which ones they are in advance...

[Colin Graham]

I have hated it for many years, but with some negatives it's the best there is.
If I could only find a way to know which ones they are in advance...

Interesting. I may have gotten lucky with the negatives I chose to experiment with. Could you and Matt elaborate on what you didn't/don't like about it?

[Claude Sapp]

Wow, wasn't expecting such a negative response. I did not think nowadays there were any really awful films or papers.

[Ole Tjugen]

Wow, wasn't expecting such a negative response. I did not think nowadays there were any really awful films or papers.


It's not awful at all, just a bit different from the papers I was used to. It has an extremely long shoulder, meaning that I find it difficult to assess the shadow areas of a print until it's fully processed, toned, and dried. That means that it takes a lot longer to find the best exposure for a print.

Also, the "kink" in the HD curve is more pronounced with Varycon than most other VC papers, which means that giving a half stop more exposure could well end up changing not only the density but also the tone scale in the midtones.

BUT: It's one of the papers I use most, and it gives exellent results as long as I remember that it's totally different from graded papers!

[matthew blais]

With my first attempt (with an image I had printed on Ilford) on Varycon,
the blacks came up very quick and "muddy" looking and the mids and highs were very flat. I then tried split grade printing without much more success.
I used up ten sheets or so varying contrast and exposure to see if I could get anything near what I was used to with other papers and finally just stopped.

For me, a bad marriage. I'm sure others have more experience in how best to use or what negs it is more suited for.

I still have 35 sheets or so and one day when I feel real good about what a great printer and photog I am, I may try it again just to bring some humble pie around.. :)

[Toyon]

I am trying Varycon again, and though the results are generally very good, I have a lot of trouble getting a decent black. I use Dektol 1:3 and 1:1 and have tried varying developing times from 2-6 minutes as well as adding benzo, but the blacks are still just charcoal gray.

[mcfactor]

I found that at higher grades (3 and above) the paper was very nice, giving nice midtone separation. However below grade 3 the paper was very very flat (even with contrasty negs) and did not look good at all.