Contact Printing Question: Paper & Developer

[Jim Noel]

Do people use different paper for Contact prints than for other printing? I find, like film, that it's easier to specialize on one type of paper.

Is there some reason for using a particular paper for contact prints that's different from enlarging printing?

Contact papers are silver chloride and contain no silver bromide. They are several stops slower allowing fro more control, and they have a much longer contrast range.

[StoneNYC]

Contact papers are silver chloride and contain no silver bromide. They are several stops slower allowing fro more control, and they have a much longer contrast range.

OH!!!!! So the OP meant stuff like Azo? I think that's a non Silver Bromide right?

Ok NOW I get it! Thanks! I've always just used the same paper for contact as enlarging, but now I see the benefit and reason for the post, thanks Jim!

[Greg Y]

Stone, Now that you have secured your Fuji 600 (congratulations!)....the long tunnel of contact printing is definitely a rabbit warren one can get lost in. If you haven't already...check this site. The folks responsible for keeping Azo going for so long & for developing Lodima paper:
http://www.michaelandpaula.com/

[StoneNYC]

Stone, Now that you have secured your Fuji 600 (congratulations!)....the long tunnel of contact printing is definitely a rabbit warren one can get lost in. If you haven't already...check this site. The folks responsible for keeping Azo going for so long & for developing Lodima paper:
http://www.michaelandpaula.com/

Thanks for the link. One thing at a time, I'll be contact printing 8x10, 11x14, and 14x17 Ilford WT semi-matte, Art300, and Foma Variant123 only for at least the next year before I use any specialty papers. Perhaps after that I'll branch out.

[Robert Kalman]

OH!!!!! So the OP meant stuff like Azo? I think that's a non Silver Bromide right?

Ok NOW I get it! Thanks! I've always just used the same paper for contact as enlarging, but now I see the benefit and reason for the post, thanks Jim!

Yes, I meant stuff like Azo ;-) So, based on thread responses to my original question, besides Lodima, with which I have some familiarity, there is also Bromportrait, which is apparently only available through the manufacturer in Lithuania, and Fomalux. I just ordered some Fomalux from Freestyle. Many thanks to everyone.

[jnantz]

What paper and developer combination do you like these days for making contact prints?

you can contact print on most anything, rc to fb, dw to sw, glass, paper or metal ( if you coat your own).
i like making beefy LF negatives which are suited to using silver chloride / azo and ansco130 ...
but will probably be making my own contact speed emulsion before the summers' end.
should be nice to make glass, metal and paper contact prints

[Rick Olson]

Yes, I meant stuff like Azo ;-) So, based on thread responses to my original question, besides Lodima, with which I have some familiarity, there is also Bromportrait, which is apparently only available through the manufacturer in Lithuania, and Fomalux. I just ordered some Fomalux from Freestyle. Many thanks to everyone.

B & H sells the full Slavich line (Bromportrait and Unibrom) through a distributor. Just ordered a batch!

Rick

[Carl J]

Rick, have you used any of these Slavich papers for contact printing before? Is there Checked B&H and the price is certainly reasonable. Would you recommend the Bromportrait 80? Which developer(s)?

Thanks.

[welly]

At the moment, just standard cheap and cheerful Ilford RC paper until I get my darkroom processes in place but have a pack of Fomalux 111 at the ready for when I do. Still really pleased with the results I'm getting even on the Ilford paper. And it's still a huge novelty to friends/family who have seen my prints to actually hold a photograph again.

[Rick Olson]

Rick, have you used any of these Slavich papers for contact printing before? Is there Checked B&H and the price is certainly reasonable. Would you recommend the Bromportrait 80? Which developer(s)?

Thanks.

Hi Carl J - Yes, I have been using Bromportrait 80 papers for my contact printing for a few years now when Freestyle Photo was selling it. Found it again recently at B & H through their supplier. Many of the images you see that I have posted in the "LF image only, no written comments, reply by image only" thread are scans of my Bromportrait 80 contact prints. For a print developer, I am using Photographers Formulary PF130 (Ansco 130). I use Lodima paper also and it's terrific, but it's very expensive for me, so I was looking for an supplemental option, did some experimentation with other graded papers (EMAKS Graded-now discontinued) and found that Slavich Bromportrait 80 was a very close match to Lodima in tonality and contrast range, along with being very affordable. I mostly use TMAX400/TMY film along with Efke/Ilford and develop my negatives to a density suitable for Lodima/Slavich.

Rick