Ilford Fiber paper: Warmtone Vs. Classic Fb Cooltone

[ConnectingTheDots]

I'm looking into the difference between these two papers and which you prefer and why...? Any actual expertise would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Roger Hicks]

The difference is clearly stated by the name, and which you prefer will depend on whether you like your pictures warm or cool in tone. I overwhelmingly prefer warm. Apparently cool tones are widely preferred in the Near East (source: Ilford). Today I don't use Warmtone as much as I used to, because I much prefer Ilford Art 300.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Mike-D]

I always thought that the cool tone paper looked flat. The tones were all there but it just felt that way.

 

[Corran]

You will learn way more by just trying a bunch of papers.

Buy some packs of 5x7 and some different developers and go to town. I used to stick to MGIV and Dektol as just a standard combo but now that I've started experimenting I'm really starting to see/feel the nuances.

Mike-D, it's interesting you say that because it kind of describes the same feeling I got from that paper. That said, I've not used the "new" Ilford papers. Just tried ART300 for the first time (wow! talk about deep blacks.) and am trying some Fomabrom papers, which have a really nice soft contrast but a full tonal scale.

 

[ConnectingTheDots]

@Roger I looked into your Ilford Art 300 paper. I can really find anywhere who reviews it. I'm just wondering if that paper tries flat? I notice it's 100% cotton-rag.

 

[Black]

Warmtone looks amazing whilst wet, however, I would argue that it ends up looking a little disappointing when dry because of this very reason. As a tactile experience, its a lot nicer to handle the RC, but RC as a finished product is lovely. But that wasn't the question. As a finished product, cool tone looks nicer, but that is, of course, subjective and yours is an unanswerable question.

 

[Ronald M]

Ilford FB gets a true black that is strengthened if selenium toned.

Warm is greenish to olive unless it is toned. I used to get a nice brown, not sepia which is redish , also with selenium. Absolutely gorgeous.

A true cool gets a bluish cast nice for seascapes, night scenes, snow.

Toneing requires non hardening fix. Complete washcycle, tone, and full rewash . Can be done the next day if you rewet 10 minutes.

Alternative selenium tone is non hardening fix, quick rinse ,15 sec, tone and wash.
This is my usual method.

Have a good light over tone tray so you can observe. Tone & time varies with selenium dilution.

Dyes color whole paper . Toners only color emulsion remaining proportional to density.

 

[Mike-D]

I found with the Ilford warmtone that when developed in D-52 from the formula I got much nicer, browner, warm tones than developed in Dektol. If I remember right Fomatone was even nicer. Its been a while.

 

[clcolucci58]

I use LPD at 1:2 for neutral tone with MGIV FB or 1:3 for warm tone with MGIV FB Warmtone, I like both results. Really depends on the subject that I shot.

Regards,
clc

 

[x-ray]

I use LPD at 1:2 for neutral tone with MGIV FB or 1:3 for warm tone with MGIV FB Warmtone, I like both results. Really depends on the subject that I shot.

Regards,
clc

I agree, Dektol gives a greenish color and LPD a nice warm tone on warmtone FB. This is my standard paper and developer.

 

[Colin Corneau]

Ilford FB gets a true black that is strengthened if selenium toned.

Warm is greenish to olive unless it is toned. I used to get a nice brown, not sepia which is redish , also with selenium. Absolutely gorgeous.

A true cool gets a bluish cast nice for seascapes, night scenes, snow.

Toneing requires non hardening fix. Complete washcycle, tone, and full rewash . Can be done the next day if you rewet 10 minutes.

...

Have a good light over tone tray so you can observe. Tone & time varies with selenium dilution.

....

This has been my experience, too. Warmtone is a great paper but on its own has a colouring that seems greenish to me, especially in the darker midtones and shadows. Toning in selenium or a mild sepia takes care of this.

The new Classic MG fibre-base paper, though, is dramatically different than the older version. And, in my view, all for the better. It reponds quicker to initial exposure and develops quicker, and its blacks and whites are really terrific.
I haven't toned it yet but I'm told it responds very quickly...overall, another winner from Ilford after its recent Art 300 paper, which was a heck of a lot of fun to use.