Anyone Tried Ilford Ilfospeed RC paper?

I'm interested in getting some of this Ilford RC paper:

 

Ilford ILFOSPEED RC DeLuxe Paper (1M Glossy, Grade 3, 8 x 10"

 

Has anyone here tried it? Did you like it? Anything I should be aware of?

 

Also, is there a way to see what their glossy prints look compared to their "pearl" prints?

 

Thanks.

Ilford glossy RC is a high gloss finish similar to any other glossy RC paper like the glossy color photo paper that one hour labs used to use before dye sub prints became common.

Self-finish RC glossy paper has a finish very similar to glossy inkjet paper, if that's any help. There's no dimpled texture like pearl paper.

 

OTOH, it's not a 'mirror' finish gloss either. For that you need a fibre based glossy paper, and to heat glaze it on a chrome plate, or squeegee the print onto a sheet of plate glass and let it dry. Although I haven't seen a glazing machine on sale in the last 15 years or more.

 

RC paper can't be glazed like that.

 

Last time I used Ilfospeed paper I got very good results, but that was many years ago and the formulation may well have changed since.

Edited July 17, 2018 by rodeo_joe|1

In the late 90's I did a lot of printing for a wedding photographer and invariably used Ilfospeed RC grade 2/3. Fairly straightforward in use.However long exposure times from Ilford XP negatives.

Self-finish RC glossy paper has a finish very similar to glossy inkjet paper, if that's any help. There's no dimpled texture like pearl paper.

 

(snip)

 

Although I haven't seen a glazing machine on sale in the last 15 years or more.

 

 

A few years ago, I was offered one of those for free.

 

But it is too big for my darkroom, so I turned it down.