Liquid Emulsion Confusion

I want to buy some liquid emulsion. The differences between the

various products are confusing. In the UK, Silverprint

(www.silverprint.co.uk) sells Silverprint SE1 (normal contrast) and

Maco Black Magic (normal, hard and variable contrast). In the US,

Luminos (www.luminos.com) sells Luminos Silverprint (variable

contrast). Martin Reed's book, Silver Gelatin, says that Luminos

gets its liquid emulsion from Silverprint. However, Silverprint has

told me in an e-mail that there is no connection between the two

companies. Also in the US, Rockland (www.rockaloid.com) sells Liquid

Light (normal and variable contrast). For some reason, the Luminos

variable contrast emulsion is siginificantly more expensive than

Rockland's variable contrast emulsion.

 

Is anyone familiar with the differences/similarities between these

products? As someone who has not experimented with liquid emulsion

before, does it make any difference which product I try?

 

Thanks.

It also appears that in the US, Cachet (www.onecachet.com) sells the three Maco Black Magic emulsions, as well as a gelatin primer for metal and absorbent surfaces, and a hardener to help an emulsion adhere.

 

Any comments on these various products would be appreciated.

Silverprint and SE1 are exactly the same emulsion. They are both the SE1 emulsion, which comes in standard and vc forms and is manufactured by Silverprint in the UK. Luminos import the emulsion from Silverprint and sell it in the US as Luminos Silverprint.

 

I have only tried Silverprint/SE1 and Liquid Light, though I am told the Maco product is similar to SE1.

 

I found Liquid Light much too slow for my uses, and difficult to get decent contrast with. Silverprint/SE1 gave amazing tonal ranges and contrast on my first attempt with it, and I've stuck with it ever since. It's a great emulsion.

 

So I would recommend Silverprint/SE1. I wasn't aware it was that much more expensive than Liquid Light. You get what you pay for. I recommend the variable contrast emulsion.

 

Good luck with it.

 

C

One conern I have is that the SE1 emulsion is now a variable contrast emulsion only. The bottle touts a "new formula". How does this bode for people wanting to make plates?