I have seen Bergger papers advertised in some catalogs but have never used them. They seem to make a pretty good claim. If anyone has used Bergger papers before, how do they compare with papers you use or have used? Thanks.

-- brian jefferis (jefferis@erols.com), May 12, 1999

Answers

The warm-toned VC paper is one of the most beautiful papers I have ever used. The low zones can be delicately separated as can the subtle highlights. I develop in Ethol LPD 1:2.

It is extremely rich. It almost feels like you can stick your hands into the blacks. It's just lush.

The high-end Arches coated paper is a bit of a niche paper to me. It is extremely flat as well as extremely heavy. I think you have to have the right negative to take maximum advantage of its characteristics. I also found that the contrast could not be varied as widely through exposure and development as I would have imagined from such a supposedly silver-rich emulsion.

I have just obtained some of the neutral VC paper and will be testing it shortly. I'll try to put a posting when I have some results to report.

-- James D. Steele (jdsteele@erols.com), May 14, 1999.