In general

FOMABROM VARIANT III is a black-and-white, variable-contrast enlarging

photographic paper on a baryta paper base. Its contrast can be varied in a large

extent from extra soft up to ultra hard by using colour filters at exposure. The paper

is designed for amateur, commercial and artistic photography as well as for other

applications.

FOMABROM VARIANT III features a very rich half-tone scale over all contrast

grades, a shining white paper base and saturated blacks. The paper is manufactured

using silver chlorobromide emulsion that gives neutral-to-medium warm tone to the

silver image.

FOMABROM VARIANT III is manufactured on an baryta paper base in a glossy and

matt surface.

Safelighting

FOMABROM VARIANT III is an ortochromatically sensitized photographic paper.

Therefore, a suitable safelighting differing from that for conventional photographic

papers should be used. Dark-red safelight filters for orthochromatic materials, e.g.

Kodak GBX-2, Ilford 906, Agfa R1, Osram Duka 50, etc. in connection with a 15 Watt

lamp, discharge lamp Sodium Vapor etc. are fully suitable. Because of its high

speed, FOMABROM VARIANT III should be exposed to this safelighting only for

a time prerequisite to handling.

Exposure

FOMABROM VARIANT III can be exposed in all types of enlargers and printers

equipped with tungsten or tungsten halogen lamps. Particularly suitable are devices

with a special colour mixing head for multi-contrast papers. Other erlargers can also

be used, but separate correction filters should be inserted during exposure.

Contrast control

The contrast can be continuously varied from extra soft (contrast grade 0) to ultra

hard (contrast grade 5). FOMABROM VARIANT III being orthochromatically

sensitized, its contrast is controlled using yellow and magenta filters during

exposure. If only the blue sensitized part of the emulsion is exposed (under magenta

filters), the contrast will increase; if the green sensitized part of the emulsion is

exposed (under yellow filters), the contrast will reduce. The following methods and

devices are recommended for contrast control:

- standard sets of filters for variable-contrast papers (e.g. Foma Variant Filters, Ilford

Multigrade Filters, etc.)

- magenta and yellow filters in colour mixing heads

- special enlarging heads for variable-contrast papers

- colour printing filters (yellow and magenta)

- colour printers with a programme for variable-contrast papers

- black-and-white printers with an inserted magenta filter for hard and ultra hard

contrast grades

Processing

FOMABROM VARIANT III can be processed both manually in trays and

automatically in roller developing machines approved for photographic papers on

baryta paper base. Suitable are common neutral-working or contrast-working

developers as well as special developers for variable-contrast papers. The resulting

image tone is influenced by developers used.

For common work over all contrast grades and a neutral image tone, Fomatol LQN or

Fomatol P developers are recommended. Using a special Fomatol PW developer,

brown-green image tones can be obtained. From developers of foreign

manufacturers, developers such as Kodak Polymax or Dektol, Tetenal Variospeed,

Ilford Multigrade, etc. are recommended. For fixing, a common acid fixer (e.g.

Fomafix P) or Fomafix rapid fixer should be used.

Toning

FOMABROM VARIANT III can be toned using a direct toning method (the one-bath

one, e.g. by Fomatoner Indigo), or an indirect toning method (the two-bath one, e.g.

by Fomatoner Sepia). For a standard process, the indirect method is recommended.

The brown image tone is particularly very popular, being obtained using Fomatoner

Sepia Set. By changing the temperature of the toning bath, a wide scale of shades

from light yellow-brown to dark-brown or violet-brown can be obtained.

A blue tone can be obtained using the Fomatoner Indigo Set. The resulting image

tone depends on dilution, temperature and toning time.