What exactly is AZO paper?

**Tin Can** · 5-Jul-2015, 16:22

Originally Posted by Bruce Barlow

I have the evidence from when I tested papers and developers way back. Azo, enlarged from my 4x5 negative to 8x10 at Michael Smith's and Paula Chamlee's, blew every other paper away - Galerie, Forte, Seagull, Ilford Multigrade, Bergger, and more. It wasn't even close.

The articles I wrote for "View Camera" are at bwbarlow.wordpress.com. Part 4 deals with Azo.

Since I don't scan, I can't put up the prints here. Come visit. Maine's nice.

Fred Picker liked DuPont Varigam a lot.

Thanks for the article, testing and link.

I really enjoyed the conclusions.

**N Dhananjay** · 5-Jul-2015, 19:15

Originally Posted by Wayne

Azo has a mystique of being a superior paper, but I've never seen visual evidence of that being the case. Edward Weston used it a few times, perhaps, and it responds well to amidol which Weston also used. I think those 2 connections are 99% of the hyperbole surrounding it. Now I'm not saying that just to be a curmudgeon, I hope someone will retort by providing that visual evidence. Alas, none of the people using Azo today are Edward Westons, and even with Azo-amidol the majority aren't turning out work half as impressive as Weston's. Most of it is work that would arguably be just as good with more conventional materials. However I laud anyone for helping keep old photographic techniques and technologies alive for whatever unique qualities they possess or are perceived to possess. More choices are better than fewer.

For what it is worth - if you go to teh Azo section of Michael and Paula's website, you will see some sensitometric testing I reported that compares Azo to some (obviously not all) enlarging papers and another piece dealing with toning response. This does not mean there are no other good papers or that good prints cannot be made in other ways. But for a particular way of working, Azo (and silver chloride papers, in general, I suspect) do seem to offer a beguilingly simple approach.

Cheers, DJ

**Tin Can** · 5-Jul-2015, 20:15

That's me, simple.

**Bruce Barlow** · 6-Jul-2015, 04:23

Originally Posted by Randy Moe

That's me, simple.

+1

**Drew Wiley** · 7-Jul-2015, 12:39

I accidentally dropped a little 8x10 paper safe, which shattered and ruined the last of my azo. I won't miss it. And I'm damn tempted to drop my jar of Chinese
amidol too. I got some good Euro amidol again which doesn't stain the paper.