paper

[dfoo]

What papers do you guys use in the darkroom, and why? In the past, I've used grade 2 and grade 3 shantou era matte fiber and glossy RC paper, simply because it was very cheap, and easy for me to get in China. However, I tried some Ilford MGIV VC paper this weekend for some split grade printing this weekend, and I really like it!

 

[whickus]

i like kentmere fb glossy. kentmere is owned by ilford, but it's still relatively inexpensive. 100 sheet boxes go for a little under $70. i haven't used very many other fiber based papers, but i'm happy with the kentmere. brighter than fotemika, but probably not as bright as oriental. the feel and texture of fiber based is so much better than rc, just sturdier i guess. kinda like a leica versus a bessa.

 

[nikon_sam]

Ilford RC & FB Multigrade paper
Agfa Classic FB (when I can buy it)
Kodak (I still have some Ektalure FB paper...beautiful stuff)
Oriental
Forte
All papers are Multigrade since I have colorheads on both enlargers...
I don't believe I've ever used Graded papers...
I've been very happy with all the papers I have right now...it's just knowing which paper to use with the neg you're printing...

Forgot the "Why??"

I use RC if I'm doing a lot of quick printing and not as concerned of the final use of the print...
Fiber Based gets used when it's something I really, really care about and may only print at most two or three copies of...

 

[Svitantti]

Kentmere VC select fine lustre (RC) and I would buy Kentmere Fiber also but I dont use fiber so often and still have some old ones. I would also consider other German/european papers because of the prices.

I think Kentmere is better than Ilford if you dont look at the name so much. Fine Lustre is just great looking, the surface is nice. Kentmere papers also work very nicely with toners, which is not so easy with Ilford papers.

In the end I'd say, if you dont tone your prints it doesn't matter so much which paper you use, except glossy vs. matte etc...

 

[Tom A]

I generally use Ilford's MG IV RC for quick stuff. A couple of years ago a store had a sale of them and I nabbed 2 boxes of 10x100 8x10 for about $450! It is a generally good paper as RC's goes. I also have 3 boxes of 100 sheet of Agfa RC, Like the blacks a bit better in that.
For fiber based stuff, generally Oriental, but also Ilford MG IV for a warmer tone. Still have some Ilford Warm Tone 11x14 left too.
I always buy paper when I see it for sale. I even have a 500 sheet box of Agfa #6 (8x10 SW) - it is getting on in age, but still works as a "hail mary" paper for those blown negatives. Call it Art and you can get away with it.
The more exotic stuff, Forte, Berger, Kentmere, etc is not available here on a regular basis so I tend to avoid them. Nothing worse than running out of a paper emulsion that you just have gotten to work for you and hearing "Sorry, don't stock that anymore".