Fotokemika shuts down paper manufacture

[IanG]

In many ways Mirko & Fotoimpex are the key here as they've really been the major distributor of almost all EFKE production for quite a long time.

I remember many older papers but the reality is we still have some of the best MCC and the Ilford range, polywarmtone possibly comiong back and some great products from Foma.

Ian

[Roger Cole]

I'm getting quite depressed over the current state of availability of black-and-white graded papers with a white paper base. With the alleged demise of Fotokemika, Emaks and Adox Nuance (which was/is manufactured by Fotokemika) will be gone. Oriental graded papers disappeared just a short while ago. Kentmere and Slavich are gone as well (at least from Freestyle, and I know no other source).

In the glossy, white-base graded paper department, that leaves ONLY Ilford Galerie. Fomabrom and other warm-white paper-base papers are still around, but are not for me... every time I find a paper I like to work with, it gets discontiued. I've watched a host of papers disappear over the years. Ilfobrom, Oriental G, the Agfa lineup, Kentmere, not to mention Kodak Elite, which I liked a lot.

Yeah, yeah, I can switch to VC papers and work with them, but they lack separation in the low midtones that grade 2 graded papers deliver. I guess I'll be underdeveloping and printing with grade 3 and above filters on VC more now. And, I'll be springing for Gallerie more often. However, it is quite a bit more expensive and, now that there are no competing products left, we will be at Ilford's mercy, so to speak. As much as I respect Ilford for their commitment to traditional photography, I find monopolies dangerous and unfortunate.

One can only hope that someone, somewhere is still making or will make graded, glossy, white-base papers and that they will step into the void left by the exit of Kentmere, Oriental, Slavich and now Fotokemika. Adox maybe?

And, if we are lucky, maybe the demise of Fotokemika is not as certain as this thread makes it seem. [snip]

Kentmere graded FB glossy in grades 2 and 3 from B&H:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search...228+4289268058

Most of it sounds like it will take a while to get, but they list it as something they will get for you.

Some folks on APUG are reporting importation of Slavich papers by Laser Reflections. AFAIK the problem with Slavich papers here is the lack of a regular US importer, not manufacture of the paper, so if there's enough demand maybe someone else will pick it up as a regular item:

http://www.apug.org/forums/forum172/...flections.html

http://www.apug.org/forums/forum37/1...ich-paper.html

Freestyle also still has a pretty big selection in their closeouts section, if it's something you'd like to stock up on.

In many ways Mirko & Fotoimpex are the key here as they've really been the major distributor of almost all EFKE production for quite a long time.

I remember many older papers but the reality is we still have some of the best MCC and the Ilford range, polywarmtone possibly comiong back and some great products from Foma.

Ian

We are very lucky in the number of excellent VC papers still available. I haven't printed on a graded paper since the 80s, with the exception of some Panalure if you count that, and maybe I don't really know what I'm missing, but there's no doubt that the VC papers today are some of the best ever made. Ilford MGWT may be the best paper I've ever printed on, at least when I want a warm tone.

[vinny]

fwiw, my last kentmere special order (vc glossy in sheets&rolls) took only 4 weeks. They ship to b&h, then b&h ships to you. My paper arrived with dents and holes in the boxes but no paper was fogged or damaged.

Kentmere graded FB glossy in grades 2 and 3 from B&H:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search...228+4289268058

Most of it sounds like it will take a while to get, but they list it as something they will get for you.

Some folks on APUG are reporting importation of Slavich papers by Laser Reflections. AFAIK the problem with Slavich papers here is the lack of a regular US importer, not manufacture of the paper, so if there's enough demand maybe someone else will pick it up as a regular item:

http://www.apug.org/forums/forum172/...flections.html

http://www.apug.org/forums/forum37/1...ich-paper.html

Freestyle also still has a pretty big selection in their closeouts section, if it's something you'd like to stock up on.




We are very lucky in the number of excellent VC papers still available. I haven't printed on a graded paper since the 80s, with the exception of some Panalure if you count that, and maybe I don't really know what I'm missing, but there's no doubt that the VC papers today are some of the best ever made. Ilford MGWT may be the best paper I've ever printed on, at least when I want a warm tone.

[John Kasaian]

Fomabrom is a happy paper! Try it and see

[jp]

Fomabrom is a happy paper! Try it and see

Is it made out of Happy trees (that Bob Ross saw)? It's a good paper.

[Jay DeFehr]

I'm getting quite depressed over the current state of availability of black-and-white graded papers with a white paper base.....Yeah, yeah, I can switch to VC papers and work with them, but they lack separation in the low midtones that grade 2 graded papers deliver. I guess I'll be underdeveloping and printing with grade 3 and above filters on VC more now.

Doremus,

I was depressed when Kentmere Kentona was discontinued, but I've found I can get similar, though not identical results from Kentmere Finegrain VC Glossy. If you use a staining developer, like I do, separation in the low values is not a problem. The trick is to use enough magenta filtration to get the shadow separation you want (there's almost no stain in the shadow areas), and let the stain protect the highlight detail. I've been printing a lot lately, on several different papers, and the only paper I really dislike is the Adorama house brand VC FB paper. Yuck.

[Kodachrome25]

What craptastic news!

I prefer Rollei IR400 for IR work, but I have a box of IR820 I have not had a chance to try....if I like it, I better buy a couple hundred sheets......Sheet!

[Captain Redbeard]

Just at Freestyle today, Emaks gone. Adox still in full production. Giving the fact that these papers were considered the same not sure why people are freaking out unless you print 16x20. That being said, I did buy lots of Efke film but they did say they have lots and they did have more in the warehouse. As far as I'm concern, who regularly shoots 35mm, 120 and 4x5 and prints directly to paper, the loss is min. Ilford and Oriental were the best papers. So what, Ilford and Foma is all that is left. Foma has matt and gloss and 2,3,4 grades. Ilfords graded paper is the best, has been and will be. If you need more options for with multi grade. I know its no good as I still use a cold light but thats life. BTW Rollei still offers Pan 25 and so does Adox and Efke might for a while longer. As far as IR, use it while you can, its expensive and will not be around much longer just like E-6. Heartbreaking but true. Don't get to upset, P+S and most DSLRs will be gone soon too as smartphones will kill that off. If I was in charge of a photo company I'd put my money where people with minds and talent spend, button pushers will always dump one thing for the next. That is where Ilford will succeed. I know, its expensive and options are great but its time to support the best. Has anyone really hated their stock, chemical, film or paper. I think its amazing what they offer. IF Efke can't get the act together to bad but I don't feel bad for them or Kodak.

[Michael A. Smith]

For those who either make contact prints or who can accept long exposure times for making enlargements, we have had a new round of LODIMA Silver Chloride Paper made in Grade 2 and Grade 3. It has an exceptionally long and smooth tonal scale and extremely high DMax. We have sizes 4x5 (a little bit), 5x7 (one box left), 8x10, 10x12 (a box or two), 11x14, 14x17 (a couple of boxes), 16x20, and 20x24. The paper was not inexpensive to have made, and consequently is not inexpensive. Anyone interested or wanting more infomation contact me through www.michaelandpaula.com

Michael A. Smith

[Roger Cole]

The old Adox Vario papers are/were coated by Fotokemika and will go if they do. The "premium" MCC and MCP papers are coated in Germany to the former Agfa formulas and will continue, thankfully so because they are excellent papers particularly MCC 110.