Adorama Variable Contrast RC paper

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Has anyone had any long term experience with Adorama's house brand variable contrast RC paper? I have tried some of it and seem to get acceptable results. It works well with the Ilford VC filters although it seems to want shorter exposure times than the Ilford VC paper.

I am just starting to get back into black and white printing after a 30+ year hiatus. I've been buying the Adorama paper because it is about half the price of Ilford and I wanted to keep down the cost of my learning curve.

thanks, Peter Schauss

-- Peter Schauss (schauss@worldnet.att.net), December 14, 2001

Answers

From what I have read & heard the Adorama paper is made by Ilford!

-- Melvin (bramley@nanaimo.ark.com), December 14, 2001.

If you like the results what difference does it make? I have students who have used that paper. some like it, some don't. I don't know what the paper speed is as i don't have a spec sheet handy. Iflord's is 200 for grades 0 to 3 1/2 and 100 for 4 to 5, the directions called for doubling the exposure, but in our labs that is usually too much. Test for results and go from there, regardless of label on the box.

-- Ann C lancy (clancya@mediaone.net), December 15, 2001.

Thanks for the feedback. It seems to work well for me. The price allows me to make a few mistakes and experiment without feeling like I am wasting $ on expensive paper. For now, at least, I am pleased with the way the prints come out.

Peter Schauss

-- Peter Schauss (schauss@worldnet.att.net), December 15, 2001.


My students have gone through nearly 1000 sheets of this paper, in 5x7, since October 1st with very good results. The paper handles well in the darkroom exhibits plenty of speed, works well with Ilford filters and even takes a sepia toning very well. I have been very please with the paper and plan to continue using it for future classes.

Hope this helps.

-- Ed Farmer (photography2k@hotmail.com), December 17, 2001.


There is an article on this paper in the October 2001 issue of Shutterbug. I haven't seen it, but noticed it last night in Shutterbug's index for 2001 articles.

-- Jim Rock (jameswrock@aol.com), December 18, 2001.


I read the Shutterbug article on this paper, It was from a while back, and was linked from the product description page of this paper on Adorama's website.

The reviewer said that the image is warm toned, and that selenium toning did not change it. It is also mentioned in this thread that it may be made by Ilford.

For those of you who have used this paper:

Do you find it warm toned? Did you tone it, and if so, with what result? Does it have that same unpleasant green cast that untoned Ilford paper has?

I have just started using Ilford paper after many years of using Agfa, and have overall been unhappy with it. I've gotten a lot of sheets with flaws on them, and their papers seem overall to be pretty thin. If Adorama's house brand is Ilford, then so much for my search for an inexpensive, good looking paper!

Any other "house brands" that I can investigate?

-- KL Vance (kmdrum@home.com), December 20, 2001.


I've been using Freestyle Arista RC/VC paper for a couple of years --AFAIK its re-branded Ilford Multigrade. A couple of weeks ago, I tried the Adorama paper and it seems to be identical. Since I live in NYC, I'll probably buy the Adorama paper in the future, rather than waiting for UPS ground deliveries from California (but Freestyle does have EXCELLENT customer service).

-- Robert Marvin (marvbej@earthlink.net), December 21, 2001.

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