Favorite paper and developer

[jfert92]

I print mostly 8x10 contact prints and currently use adox mcc 110. I'm just curious to know what kinds of paper you guys like to use and even what kinds of developers. I use dektol right now, and I'm about to try out some amidol.

[Gem Singer]

Ansco 130 from the Photographer's Formulary.

www.photoformulary.com

They are good source of information for photo chemicals.

[SamReeves]

Whatever's the cheapest fiber base glossy (usually Arista), and Dektol.

[IanG]

Forte Polywarmtone in ID078

Ian

[Gary L. Quay]

Kentmere Bromide FB Grades 2 & 3 in Formulary Amidol.
Kentmere VC Select FB or RC in Ansco 130 or Dektol.
Ilford MGIV FB glossy or RC luster in Ansco 130 or Dektol.
Fomatone Cream base FB Glossy in Dektol and Selectol Soft.
Foma Bromide in Amidol.
Adox Nuance in Ansco 130 or Dektol.
I'd love to try Adox MCC 110. I also have an unopened box of Oriental Seagull that I want to try out.

--Gary

[jfert92]

How do you like that Adox Nuance? I have some on the way.

[Gary L. Quay]

From what I understand, it's a graded version of Adox Vario Classic. I've used more of the Vario thus far, but neither resemble a modern paper. The contrast scale has a very gradual curve. I've used high contrast orthochromatic negatives with it, and ended up with some very expressive prints.

Don't start with low contrast negatives. You won't see black anywhere on the print. Nuance is about subtlety and beauty, not pizzazz. I use it mostly for portraits.

This is on Vario Classic, but it's the kind of thing you'll get from Nuance:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/4866723727_898c98aec2.jpg
As I mentioned before, this is from an ortho negative that was very contrasty.

This is the same negative printed on the last of my 5x7 Kodak Polygrade RC without filtration.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4117/4864380071_e6ece3da11.jpg
--Gary

[Keith Tapscott.]

I use Ilford papers most of the time developed in their own Multigrade developer according to the literature supplied.

[Jess C]

Oriental VC FB and Dektol.

[Jay DeFehr]

Slavich Bromoportrait in my Amidol Suspension, toned in selenium. Foma 111 is also nice, but much different.

[Vlad Soare]

For contact prints, Lodima and amidol.
For enlargements, ADOX Variotone and ID-20.

[Scotty230358]

I am currently enjoying Fomabrom Variant 111 developed in Kodak D72. I'm getting rich very neutral blacks. I am still looking for a responsive chlorobromide paper on a bright white base.

[Vlad Soare]

Scotty, if you like Fomabrom Variant, you'll love Fomabrom. ;)
Have you tried the Variotone? While it's no substitute for Polywarmtone (sigh... :(), I find it a beautiful paper in its own right.

[Andrew O'Neill]

Favourite paper: Rising Stonehenge sized with acrylic matte medium.
Favourite developer: 46 C water.

[Michael Jones]

Azo & amidol.

Mike

[Michael Jones]

From what I understand, it's a graded version of Adox Vario Classic. I've used more of the Vario thus far, but neither resemble a modern paper. The contrast scale has a very gradual curve. I've used high contrast orthochromatic negatives with it, and ended up with some very expressive prints.

Don't start with low contrast negatives. You won't see black anywhere on the print. Nuance is about subtlety and beauty, not pizzazz. I use it mostly for portraits.

--Gary

Wow; Nuance is the apporpriate name.

Thanks for posting.

Mike

[ki6mf]

Ilford papers and D 76 Diluted 1/3 developer 2/3 water

[archer]

Galerie and Ansco 130

[jfert92]

For contact prints, Lodima and amidol.
For enlargements, ADOX Variotone and ID-20.

How are you liking Lodima, I've been very interesting in getting some since I miss azo :(

[theBDT]

I am currently enjoying Fomabrom Variant 111 developed in Kodak D72. I'm getting rich very neutral blacks. I am still looking for a responsive chlorobromide paper on a bright white base.

Isn't Arista Edu Ultra FB VC basically rebranded Fomabrom Variant 111? As Arista, it's cheaper... :)

[Vaughn]

Homemade carbon tissue -- developed in hot (120F) water (no stop/fix/HCA required.) ...:D

Vaughn

[Vlad Soare]

How are you liking Lodima, I've been very interesting in getting some since I miss azo :(
I can't compare them directly, as I've never used Azo. In fact, I'm not too experienced with Lodima either. I'm new to this contact printing thing.
So, I can't compare it to Azo, but I can compare it to the enlarging papers I've used so far, and with certain subjects it wins hands down. I've reprinted a few of my older 4x5" negatives on Lodima, and I got noticeably better prints, much easier and faster. Lodima is my only reason for moving up to 8x10". I was perfectly happy with 4x5" back when I didn't know what silver chloride papers were all about.
With Michael Smith's amidol formula it gives neutral tones, but you can make it as warm or cold as you like just by changing the amount of potassium bromide, or the developer altogether.
I believe it's faster than Azo. I've read of people using 300W bulbs with Azo. My 150W halogen lamp is too strong for Lodima; I'll have to try a lower wattage one.

[Toyon]

Varycon in Formulary 130 - like no other paper, slightly pearlescent with a great range of tones and subdued brilliance.

[John Kasaian]

Fomabrom N111 in Ansco 130. For contact printing I'm leaning towards Fomalux in...what else...Ansco 130! I may try an ascorbic acid developer someday, but not today.

[Rick A]

I've been trying Emaks with Selectol and Selectol soft. I find that it prints one grade harder than the Kodak and Ilford equivalent, and manipulated easily with developer dilutions. I ran out of Polywarmtone a few months ago. Also, Varicon for MG paper in Edwal LPD has a wonderful look that I like.

[mikew]

Like others have eluded too, paper and developer choices are really personal. And I should preface my comments by saying that my art practice revolves mainly around landscape and studio work using the Zone System...so my negs are really dense...which matters in terms of how to best extract that visual information.

In my opinion, Ilford's FB Warm Tone Glossy paper yields the most latitude for contrast and tone. For whatever reason, I can't tease out the same qualities in Oriental papers or even other Ilford papers.

In terms of chemistry, the Dektol/Selectol Soft combo is ideal but it's really hard to find Selectol Soft these days. So, when two-bath developing, I'll usually use the Beers formula and separate out the Hydroquinone and the Metol formulas with a few minor chemical tweaks. The issue is that you have to mix it.

And an FYI regarding Dektol: even though Kodak claims otherwise, print results drastically diminish after about 6 weeks from being mixed - stock. That's from a source who has more experience than all of us combined. So, Dektol's prime is during that first 10 days...for those who are interested...

A great resource for all this info is the Darkroom Cookbook. It includes pretty much every formula for photo chemistry including different ways of manipulating your current developer to increase or decrease contrast - as well as other things - through Sodium Carbonate Monohydrate and Potassium Bromide solutions respectively.

The most important thing is that you like your results. And as far as experimenting goes, the best thing to do is just pick a direction and go with it...for at least 3 months.

Great comments everyone.

Mikew

[banjo]

hay all
I like the Zone VI developer but it don't look like that Calumet is going to
keep having it made any more!

banjo

[Wayne]

Polywarmtone (all gone, for now) in Wayne's Top Secret Phenidone-Glycin Developer.

[Filmnut]

I usually use Dektol for print making and either Ilford Warmtone, or some of my remaining supply of Agfa mcc.
Keith

[William McEwen]

I like the Zone VI developer but it doesn't look like Calumet is going to keep having it made anymore!

Hey, Banjo -- you're right. Calumet has discontinued all Zone VI Chemicals. They told me the company that provided the Zone VI chemicals to them went bankrupt. And they made me feel like an ancient petrified piece of sh** for inquiring.

So the last remnant of Zone VI Studios is gone. It took Calumet about 15 years to snuff it out. I harbor no ill will! Zone VI was a niche market company, and Calumet is Alagamated Hugeness Incorporated.

The only Zone VI chemicals I used religiously were the print developer and the pure hypo.

I'm now using Kodak Dektol, and Photographer's Formulary sodium thiosulfate.

The sodium thiosulfate is not handily prepackaged in one-gallon measurements, but it is easy to measure and mix, and it's DIRT CHEAP!

[Jim Galli]

Last weekend I used up a 25 sheet pack of 11X14 Slavich Unibrom 160 glossy #3 with Chinese Amidol and toned in Selenium. I got some of the best results of my life and am on my way to Freestyle the day after Christmas to buy some more. Just superb, and is this one of the sharpest papers ever? 11X14 contacts shot with some of my sharpest lenses, so that could be it too. Yes, I make sharp pictures..........sometimes. :p