Last year I bought a box of Bergger Prestige CM Grade 2, a warm-tone glossy paper. Eventually I found a way to tone it that I truly liked, and I wrote up an article on double toning papers as a result. I probably spent a good 40 hours in the darkroom printing and toning, and another 6 hours scanning prints and writing my story on double toning. Yesterday someone wrote to me stating they couldn't find the paper on Bergger's site. I, in turn, wrote to Bergger to find out what had happened. I received a response from John Horowy of Bergger stating that since they had only sold 20 boxes of the paper last year it had been discontinued. As a small manufacturer, they simply can't afford to produce products that don't sell. This is sad, since the paper had some unique qualities, but I believe this is a harbinger of things to come.

Black and white photography was already a niche market when digital came along, and we have seen major manufacturers discontinuing products one after another, even prior to the advent of digital. Kodak dropped Pan X and Super XX, and now the 2475 recording film. Kodak has also discontinued Kodabromide and Elite printing papers. As best I can tell from looking at their site, they no longer make a graded fiber base black and white paper, with the exception of Azo--and I bet it will be gone in a year or two. Agfa quit making Brovira (after producing it for over 40 years), and quit making Portriga for a time--now you can get the glossy but not the matte. Agfapan 25 is no longer available. If big companies like Kodak and Agfa are scaling back, what does that portend for smaller companies like Oriental, Bergger, Luminos, and Forte?

Particularly galling is the ignorance of some of the product reps I have encountered. I wrote to Agfa two years ago to complain about the demise of Brovira and the rep suggested I try Agfa Insignia--a warm paper with totally different qualities. I wanted to laugh and cry both at once.

Anyway, I fear we will see more black and white products disappear in the near future. The only thing I can think to do is to stock up on the products I really like. I'm in the process of learning the Vandyke brown process, which is an excellent intro to platinum/palladium printing. Learning these alternative processes will free me from the limitations of proprietary products, but will require me to return to the use of large format much of the time. I'm not quite ready to give up my medium format cameras yet, so I guess I'm going to stock up on my favorite papers and make prints while I still can.

-- Ed Buffaloe (edb@unblinkingeye.com), June 22, 2001

Answers

In the 60's I could get from Kodak, silk, tweed, canvas, glossy, matte, semi-matte papers (A, D, E, F, G, J, K, M, N, V, X, and Y).

You could get light-weight (didn't crack when you folded it), single weight, and double weight papers.

Mostly graded, but a couple of variable contrast.

And the only RC papers were Resisto and Resisto Rapid!

Or you could buy Agfa, Ilford, DuPont, Luminos ...

Today: well, at least there are some exceptional papers, but not quite the variety.

I'm not holding out any hope that Kodak will stay in this business, but let's hope Ilford, Oriental, Bergger, and a few others do.

-- Charlie Strack (charlie_strack@sti.com), June 22, 2001.

I think that you are a few years to late on this. B&W printing is gaining products, not losing them. Ten or fifteen years ago you basically had Kodak, Oriental and Illford. Now, at least, there are others competing in the market. While it is always discourging to lose something. I think that we have more choices now than in the recent past. Maybe things were better before that, but I am only 40 years old.

Or, am I imagining things?

-- Ed Farmer (photography2k@hotmail.com), June 22, 2001.

I still miss Velour Black and Medalist J!!! I think Kodak & possibly Agfa will eventually get out of the B&W business. That will leave Ilford & some promising Eastern European companies. In the curent Photo Techniques there is a listing of B&W papers where they hint that Brovira mey be produced by Stirling in India and Forte is advertising a paper that replaces Ektalure and Portiga. Based on this evidence I am guardedly optimistic about the future of "wet" B&W.

-- Robert Orofino (minotaur1949@iopener.net), June 22, 2001.

Tweed paper will not be missed, it was the butt-ugliest thang I ever did see.

Guess I'll go toss the rest of my Bergger CM in the freezer...I liked the one box I bought. I lament the loss of any quality darkroom product ('cept tweed)

-- Wayne (wsteffen@skypoint.com), June 22, 2001.

John Horowy of Bergger called me up and offered me a couple of remaining boxes of the Prestige CM, which I accepted gratefully. He does really care about his customers. He says the new BPF 200 film is doing well. I bought 10 rolls and plan to do some testing soon with PMK.

-- Ed Buffaloe (edb@unblinkingeye.com), June 22, 2001.

Greetings,

I agree with many of the sentiments expressed so far, but we should remember that the only constant in life, is change. I can't comment on the papers that were around in the 50's or 60's, because I'm only 42, but in the recent past, there's been a resurgence in B&W papers.

I personally believe in supporting those manufacturers that are committed to our craft and us. Unfortunately, Kodak has proven not to be one of those manufacturers. We live in a global economy and while I fully believe in buying American, Kodak will see as few of my dollars as possible. Here's a link to B&W papers and their characteristics: http://www.artzone.gr/paperzone/ori_seg.htm

Regards,

-- Pete Caluori (pcaluori@hotmail.com), June 22, 2001.

Pete,

I couldn't agree more. That's why I'm trying to standardize on Ilford films. At least they seem committed to B&W.

-- Charlie Strack (charlie_strack@sti.com), June 22, 2001.

All of you who are saying you are 'only 40-whatever' are making me feel quite young at 37 - thanks!

I'm relatively new to darkroom work but from what I hear from folks on this board and on the various lists is that there are more options in paper and film in the past few years than there have been in a while.

Maybe what's happening is that as Kodak and Agfa get out of the B/W business many smaller companies - like Bergger and Photogs Formulary - are stepping up with new products.

Also, as I posted in another thread, I'm taking workshops at a local art center and there seems to be no shortage of people signing up for the darkroom classes. Maybe there is a market for companies like Bergger that Kodak is to large to address.

Personally, I plan to do this for a long time and as long as there are places to buy paper, film and chemicals I'll support them.

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

I think we all ought to start coating our own papers to start a grass routes movement to show some of these companies what for! Well that was a fleating thought... Cheers

-- Scott Walton (f64sw@hotmail.com), June 25, 2001.

As an avid black and white worker for over 20 years I too have seen papers come and go. But while we have company's like Ilford and Kentmere UK I firmly believe b/w is still in safe hands for a good few years yet. Ed you are wise to be looking into alternative processes I think its something we b/w workers should consider. However as I'm not getting any younger I'm not too keen on carrying an 11x14 camera. Best wishes,

-- Trevor Crone (trevor.crone@uk.dreamcast.com), June 27, 2001.

Trevor, I know what you mean about large format cameras. I injured my back 5 years ago lifting a motorcycle frame that had just been powder- coated out of the boot of my car--I thought I would never be able to carry a heavy camera again. After a couple of years my back got better, but I had already sold my 5x7 Deardorf. Fortunately, I couldn't bring myself to sell the 8x10.

On the other hand, I bought a couple of fine medium format cameras, and have become quite inured of them. What a lot of people don't realize is that bromoil is a process that starts with a standard silver print--it may be enlarged or contacted--it does not require large format. The process bleaches out the silver and replaces it with ink, making a permanent print. I plan to go to the Alternative Process International Symposium (APIS) in Santa Fe next month and meet Gene Laughter and Ernie Theisen, who are probably the leading bromoilists in the U.S. today, and learn what they have to teach. I understand that bromoil is still widely practised in Great Britain. I'm sure it will take time, but I plan to master this process. At the same time, I will continue to pursue 8x10 photography so one day I can try my hand at platinum.

-- Ed Buffaloe (edb@unblinkingeye.com), June 28, 2001.

Generally speaking, as long as there is a demand for something, there will be a supply....the driver being demand. And price will adjust.

If you hold the opinion, as I do, that the B&W Photography market suffers from too much supply then is this adjustment really such a bad thing?

True, the price of our suplies goes up and some might disappear altogether but think about it: The price of our work goes up, the market shrinks, and the only practitioners left are the ones that are truly dedicated to the craft. This should bring about an increase in the overall quality level and might even earn some respect for the art and craft of Large Format Black and White Photography!

-- Bruce Wehman (bruce.wehman@hs.utc.com), June 28, 2001.

Thought I was on the Large Format Forum....But, shure, it still applies to B&W Photography in general.

-- Bruce Wehman (bruce.wehman@hs.utc.com), June 28, 2001.

I agree we will see more and more products eliminated. As digital becomes a larger protion of revenues for the largest companies they will look towards other areas of thier operations where they can cut costs to improve the bottom line. It would not be a shock the see kodak eliminate or sell off its B&W division in the near future. Polaroid recently announced it would eliminate 3000 jobs and concentrate its efforts in digital imaging. I do believe we will still have papers, film and chemistry in the future but the choices will keep getting smaller untill a few companies can capitalize on the fine art/hobby market. Ilford gives me hope as they seem to still be producing new film and papers. But if you want to blame someone don't blame the companies, blame the lady I talked to at a dance recital for my daughter. She was proud as punch of her little Olympus digital camera that could hold 100 shots on a card and then be downloaded on the internet to all her family around the country. Why, she had never been interested in cameras untill she got the Olympus as a Christmas present. Blame her and the millions of other point and shooters who don't know an F stop from a lens cap but have changed the dynamics of the photo industry forever.

--Jim Chinn (Jim134@DellEPro.com

-- Jim Chinn (Jim134@DellEPro.com), June 29, 2001.

Jim,

The point and shooters have always determined the direction of some companies (like Kodak). Remember, if you sell to the masses, you can make your profits. Why do you think 110 was popular? It certainly wasn't for it's 8x10 enlargements! Why do you see Kodak Max and Kodak Gold on supermarket shelves everywhere? Because that is what the masses want. The name of the game with the masses is speed and convienence. Doing your own wet work is really neither when it gets compared to 1 hour photo labs and/or digital. The normal Joe Shooter wants to take his pictures and have them back as soon as possible (instant gratification). As for digital, Joe Shooter is playing with the Internet too. Why would he want to shoot film, have it developed and scanned, just to send to Aunt Edna? With digital, you cut out the middle man for ease and cost.

What kills me is most Joe Shooters out there are buying 3+ megapixel cameras and will only print up to 8x10 or send pictures via the internet. The megapixel race is on but the comsumer doesn't know why they need one camera vs. another!

-- Johnny Motown (johnny.motown@att.net), June 29, 2001.