venchka
Veteran
Once upon a time I printed on Agfa Brovira #2. I'm not sure what the surface was called. It as lightly textured with a sheen. A lustre finish perhaps?
Fast forward. March, 2008. Having recently collected 2 darkrooms for the cost of gas to go and get them, I am searching for a paper replacement for Agfa Brovira #2. A real paper. Graded #2. Hopefully one that will equal the prints I have from the original. I still have the negatives and prints from the last batch of Brovira I printed on many moons ago. Comparison between the original and today's papers will be simple.
What say Ye?
Kodak Dektol was my developer of choice back in The Dark Ages. I can buy it locally in Houston. Any reason to change? What dilutions and developing times are Y'all using?
As always, thanks for your help. The RFF has been a great resource for me since I emerged from my Photographic Black Hole in 2006.
Cheers!
Fast forward. March, 2008. Having recently collected 2 darkrooms for the cost of gas to go and get them, I am searching for a paper replacement for Agfa Brovira #2. A real paper. Graded #2. Hopefully one that will equal the prints I have from the original. I still have the negatives and prints from the last batch of Brovira I printed on many moons ago. Comparison between the original and today's papers will be simple.
What say Ye?
Kodak Dektol was my developer of choice back in The Dark Ages. I can buy it locally in Houston. Any reason to change? What dilutions and developing times are Y'all using?
As always, thanks for your help. The RFF has been a great resource for me since I emerged from my Photographic Black Hole in 2006.
Cheers!
feenej
Well-known
Dektol is fab. I use it. I just leave the paper in there until the blacks are as black as possible, about a minute.
David Goldfarb
Well-known
Graded fiber papers out there off the top of my head are Ilford Galerie (whitest base), Efke/Adox Emaks (my favorite, particularly in amidol), Slavich Unibrom (I've seen some nice prints on it), and Oriental Seagull (different from the old version, but still a very nice paper).
Best to buy some 25-packs and see what appeals to you. They're all capable of producing excellent prints, and it's just a matter of taste which you prefer.
Best to buy some 25-packs and see what appeals to you. They're all capable of producing excellent prints, and it's just a matter of taste which you prefer.
venchka
Veteran
Thanks! I should have known. The answer to such multi-variable, personal taste questions is usually: It depends.
What fun! Buying a lot of paper and making a lot of prints. There are worse tasks in life, hey?
What fun! Buying a lot of paper and making a lot of prints. There are worse tasks in life, hey?
David Goldfarb
Well-known
Another thing, since I like Emaks--there are a few different grading systems for this paper, depending on how it's branded (it's also been sold as J&C Nuance, Cachet Expo RF, Maco Expo RF, J&C Exposition Graded, and a few other things). There are three grades (in some versions 2/3/4, also 1/2/3 or Soft/Normal/Hard), and the softest one is like grade 1.5 compared to most other papers, and the middle one is more like grade 2.5. I rarely use the hardest grade, but I'd say it's between 3 and 4.
Florian1234
it's just hide and seek
I'm quit excited, since my "new" enlarger will arrive some day this week. It was posted this monday. 
sepiareverb
genius and moron
There is also Kentmere Bromide. Most of the graded papers seem to be glossy only these days. Slavich makes a 'silk' finish which is much like an old Agfa Portrigia surface, but with a bit more pronounced texture. My guess is that the new Seagull will most closely match color & feeling of the old Brovira, but I printed on glossy Brovira back when.