Photography 101: Printing in the year 2008

[venchka]

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!

 

[feenej]

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]

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.

 

[venchka]

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?

 

[David Goldfarb]

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]

I'm quit excited, since my "new" enlarger will arrive some day this week. It was posted this monday. 😉

 

[sepiareverb]

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.