and how about papers??

[sepiareverb]

from a recent "what film do you miss/want back" thread:

...Now, if this thread were about what PAPERS I miss, I could go on for days...

So, how about it- what paper do you miss? Even though modern papers are pretty darn nice- I'm thinking Ilford MG warmtone and The latest Seagull VC here- I certainly do miss some of the great 'old' papers (Hey, I'm not that old). So...

Oh the papers....

Just for starters- Brovira Rapid: I used to print on this a lot, Graded stuff, was the last one to come in grade 5 that I remember.

Portrigia Rapid: (still have one prints worth of this left in grade 2 & 3) Such a color! The old matte surface was gorgeous!, and the glossy just as.

Kodak Polyfiber SW in 8 1/2x 11- this is what I did my proofsheets on forever and ever. A proofsheet just isn't right on RC. The red china marker doesn't work the same on RC- I don't even mark proofsheets anymore.

Oriental Seagull G: Here I miss the surface that this used to have- when the blue boxes went the finest gloss of any fiber paper went with it. Smoother and finer than any glossy fiber paper before (that I knew) or since (that I've found).

And finally, Oriental Center: A warm-tone version of Seagull G, lovely almost sepia color right out of the box.

So, what did I forget?

 

[Bob T]

I miss Agfa Portriga also and I had settled on Forte Polygrade V FB for it's cool tones, so I'm looking again. Any recommendations?

 

[sepiareverb]

The Seagull VC is pretty good substitute for the Forte Polygrade, although Adox VC might be a closer match for color- this could be the same stuff I think sometimes.

I was printing interchangably on the Forte Polygrade and Seagull VC, with the end of Forte I'm sticking with Seagull. All my proof prints are done on Ilford MG vanilla, the proofsheets on the same, but RC, 8 1/2 x 11. Final prints are on Seagull or Ilford MG warmtone. I find the regular Ilford MG dries down more than other papers, and I can't seem to get a good handle on it for final prints.

 

[Bob T]

I'll definitely try some Seagull. I used it years ago and sort of forgot about it since I wasn't able to get it locally. Now I have to get paper and some chemistry mail order anyway. Anyone have experience with Bergger papers?

Thanks!

 

[nikon_sam]

Kodak's Ektalure FB Double Weight...

 

[Bryce]

Forte's polygrade neutral tone fiber papers, especially the semi matte variety. I tried the Seagull VC stuff, but the paper base is too bluish for my taste.
I'm hoping Kentmere will work for me, but haven't seen it yet. For the moment I have a stash of the Forte left, so no emergency.

 

[sepiareverb]

Bergger is gone as well. Papers were quite lovely- I tried the warm & cool VC, but the price kept me away.

 

[andreas]

Kodak Ektalure.
Agfa Portriga.
And recently the Forte Papers. They were stunningly good for lithprinting.
Damn 😡