Bergger WarmTone

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I'm happy as a clam ... there's a box of Bergger Warm Tone paper waiting for me when I get home -- finally!!!

Has anyone used this paper? How do you find the results? What developers have you used?

I've heard wonderful things about Bergger in general and about this paper in particular - I've been trying to get my hands on some for months.

-david

-- David Parmet (david@parmet.net), March 23, 2001

Answers

Hi David:

Strange: I got my box with the Bergger paper too. I didn't try it yet, but I am going to use Agfa Neutol WA as developer. Works wonderful on Ilford MG Warmtone too.

-- Marc Leest (mmm@n2photography.com), March 23, 2001.


I guess everyone got delivery today!

I also picked up some Neutol WA. I've worked with Ilford MGWT in Ansco 130 and didn't like the results. Normally I work on Oriental Seagull but I've wanted to try warmer tones for some time now.

-- David Parmet (david@parmet.net), March 23, 2001.


I've had a box of Prestige CM grade 2 for six months and have been printing with it quite a bit lately. I find that fresh Ansco 130 gives a wonderful tone with this paper. I have also been double toning it in selenium (2 minutes) and brown toner (1 to 2 minutes), which causes it to give a lovely split that can range from very obvious to very subtle, depending upon the time in the brown toner and how long it is washed before being placed in hypo clearing agent. The tones change as the developer ages, and I prefer the color I get when the Ansco 130 is fresh. This paper also accepts gold toning, but I don't find it particularly pleasing most of the time.

-- Ed Buffaloe (edb@unblinkingeye.com), March 23, 2001.

Since I bought an entire truckload of the paper(& have been selling some as well)and have been printing with it for some time I will chime in here. Dektol works well as does Ethol LPD. A higher dilution of the LPD, such ad 1:9 or 1:12 seems to give nice, rich warm tones. Agfa Neutol WA works fine also. If you want a bit cooler tone try the Michael A. Smith formulation of Amidol. If you switch between developers you can control tone very well. You can also push the contrast a bit both ways from you normal grade if you are using graded paper by changing developers, dilution and the exposure on the paper.

-- Dan Smith (shooter@brigham.net), March 24, 2001.

I've tried Ansco 120, Ansco 130 (no HQ), Neutol WA, Dassonville D-3 at 1:15.

Ansco 120 was very nice. Ansco 130 without the HQ was roughly equivalent, with a slightly warmer brown tone that I found VERY pleasing for skin. I didnt like Neutal WA at all on this paper-it was pukey green. D-3 gives a rich brownish tone.

I also mixed up a variety of Edwal 102 using Potassium instead of sodium carbonate. I didnt particularly care for the look, being a tad green for me. I then added some (too much) benzotriazole, about .1 gram/liter. This slowed it WAY down and produced a rich red tone, not at all what I expected or wanted, but someone else might like it. Using only .025 g/liter eliminates the green w/out causing the red shift, but I still though Ansco 130 sans HQ was the best

So, David, you've had your paper for a month now-what have you tried??

-- Wayne (wsteffen@skypoint.com), April 24, 2001.



I've tried both Ansco 130 and Neutol WA. I'm going to mix some Ansco 120 and try that as well.

I'm still feeling my way with this paper. I really like the tones I'm getting but I need to work out issues like how much selenium, should I use brown toner (ala Ed B.'s suggestion on unblinkingeye.com), etc.

What has really surprised me is how good landscapes look on this paper. My original intention was to use it for people and portraits but last week I worked on some pictures of downed trees from the winter storms we've had here and I was really pleased with how they looked on the warm tone paper.

Lot's of work to do...

-david

-- David Parmet (david@parmet.net), April 24, 2001.


I would like to hear your experiences on toning when you have some. I havent done any toning yet. Well just a couple quick strips. I'm not big on toning but am not opposed to it if it gets me what I want. I'd rather get it by development though, so I've been trying a variety of papers and developers. I'm still not done testing either, have some Ilford MG and MG warm on the way.

-- Wayne (wsteffen@skypoint.com), April 24, 2001.

I'm sure other folks here could comment with more authority than I have on this subject but I find toning to be an essential part of the process.

Using Kodak Selenium diluted 1:15 for three minutes my prints developed in Neutol WA went from that greenish tint you also noticed to a nice rich brown.

There's a great article on unblinkingeye.com on split toning with Bergger Warm Tone paper in selenium and brown toner.

-- David Parmet (david@parmet.net), April 24, 2001.


"I find toning to be an essential part of the process."

I s'pose, but for me the point of the process is to get a print I like. If I can do it with one less step, I will...Course I'm not afraid to take an extra step if I *have* to...

Wayne

-- Wayne (wsteffen@skypoint.com), April 25, 2001.


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