Ok - I'm a bit late to the show, but I've finally tried out this stuff. For those who missed out on the launch, this is the new paper from Harman/ ILFORD which is a kind of collaboration between the British film/ paper manufacturer and Hahnemuhle (of ink-spurt paper fame). It is the first new darkroom paper produced by Ilford for 13 years, and is said to be "a true fine art textured matt paper with a MULTIGRADE coating on 100% cotton rag, acid free paper base"
I've printed on a variety of papers etc since I started, and I do consider myself to have reasonable abilities/ skill when it comes to silver printing. I have a preference for deep rich shadows that are just on the edge of detail, and subtle highlights just above paper white. I think the control of these values is what makes a print pop, as opposed to flop. I'm so used to the traditional baryta papers and how they demonstrate these qualities that if I dont get the control I want immediately, I turn off and look elsewhere. So far, the only papers I have found that do not give me this are "pearl" surface RC papers - they lose something in the depth and sparkle so I generally avoid them unless they are requested by someone for whom I am printing.
The MG Art paper felt remarkably light despite it's thickness, and, apart from the emulsion side, it felt just like a fine art inkjet paper. It was initially difficult to work out which was the emulsion side under the safelight, but once I'd worked it out, I had no more problems. It was easy to use and process, and in Bromophen 1:5, it gave lovely browny-olive tones. It was awkward to wash as it tended to float right out of my slot washer - I had to find something to keep it under the water as it wanted to rise up at least 1/3 out of the water.
I tried some harman selenium toner (17:3 dilution) which gave a very nice plummy shadows / cool blue mid-highs split in about 1 minute! It takes this toner really quickly. Only a further 2 mins and the whole print was a plummy/orangey/ reddy selenium tone - not overly pleasant, but I never liked fully tone strong selenium.
Technical stuff aside, the most important thing is the subjective assessment once dry. Do I actually like this stuff? the answer is no - not at all. It has a kind of satiny finish somewhere between gloss and matt - this in itself is not a bad thing, I loved the Oriental MG warmtone paper that had a similar finish - almost like a slightly shiny eggshell - very nice. But it just does not work for me on the MG art - the texture of the paper mixed with the sheen of the light hitting the surface makes it almost impossible to see the image unless the print and the eye are perfectly parallel. THis effect is more marked in the shadows which lose all detail in the glare. The texture also seems to produce a mottled effect in the mid tones and shadows that mike it look like the negative has been developed badly. Also, there is a loss of sharpness/ crispness - I suspect as a result of the texture.
There is a huge dry-down factor also. I compensated for my usual 9% yet I've got muddy grey highlights on the dried prints (although this is something that just needs testing for and can be overcome).
I think this is a paper that you need to use to fit an image to. Provided you have a negative that does not have brooding shadows, or you want to print relatively high key, and you are not too worried abotu sharpness or fine detail, then it will work.
It certainly does not suit the way I like to print my own pictures.
There are lots of people who report really loving this paper, and have been creating wonderful prints using it (see Jon Butler's award winning picture above), but it's just not for me.
wish I'd bought the new MCC that Ailsa's been raving about now.
