POP Paper

Hi

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I'm wondering has anyone used the Chicago Albumen (sp?) Works paper? What's it like? Is it easy to make good 8x10 contact prints with? What do they look like? Are you pleased with the process? Since trying to get Azo paper seems like a lot trouble to get in 11x14 sizes without buying more than you will ever need in your lifetime, this seems like a good way to go for 8x10 contacts with a good sized border. Thanks for your help in advance.

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FYI I really enjoy this forum, I find it most helpful and good reading plus the opinions given are honest and real. Thanks again.

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Sincerely

John

John,

This paper is a printing out paper so the process is very different

from Azo. The paper is doubleweight with a thick emulsion. There is

no developer but in order to get a neutral graytone the image must be

gold-toned. Without the toning, the image is orange. You can make

really fine prints with this but it requires more effort than Azo.

The shelf life of the Centennial Paper is short. The paper will

develop a base fog in less than a year at room temp.

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You might consider 20x24 Azo and cut it down to a custom size that

will permit a large border for your 8x10s.

I use this paper and am happy with it. You need a high constrast

negative (about N+2 development) to get a normal-contrast print. With

gold toner, the color can be brownish red, rose, or nearly neutral.

It depends on how long you tone and what formula you use. Gold toner

made with borax gives a rose color. You also need to use plain hypo

with this paper. Any commerical fixer will wipe out the image.

I'm to the point now where I use Centennial almost exclusively. I

think the finish is sweet, but as stated, you better be using

negatives with a long tonal range if you want nice results. Contrary

to popular belief, though, you don't have to tone in gold. I use

selenium with great results (1:200 to 1:250), but my favorite is

still gold borax. (Some people use platinum toner.) Try it. 50

sheets DW FB for $60 from B&S.

William......when you say plain fixer, not commercial fixer, could you

give more detail please. I tried printing POP with limited success.

The density of the blacks seemed to reduce during rinse/fix. I used

Ilford Hypam fix (1+9).

However, the process of making POP prints is very enjoyable, and it is

easy to see that the potential for making fine contact prints is there

if the technique can be controlled.

Many thanks....

Stephen,

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Uing plain hypo is suggested in the literature provided with the

Chicago Albumen Works paper. The formula is 150 g Sodium Thiosulfate

to 1 liter water. This has to be used within a few hours. Regular

fixer will wash out the image.

Even plain hypo will reduce blacks. Hypo with hardener, such as

Kodak RapidFix, will flat-out BLEACH your paper. I use two-bath

Rapid Fix without the hardener (part B), which is plain thiosulfate,

mixed from 1:10 to 1:7, depending on my mood and how many prints (and

with which toner) I'll be processing. As far as blacks being

reduced, as I said, it is unavoidable. Even if you print out until

your shadows are thoroughly "bronzed," you'll still get A LOT of

detail once fixed. That's just the nature of the beast; it takes a

special negative to get it just right.