Carl -- forgot your question about papers. I have long been a fan of Ilford Multigrade and find that many of my students and friends use it also, so would highly recommend giving it a try. Arista I (one) was the equivalent of it, but is no longer available. You might want to try the new Arista II, also made by a manufacture in England. It is very good and reasonable in price. A friend of mine swears by the relatively new Arista.edu, a reasonably priced paper for school users, but made by a major manufacture in Europe I believe and reported to be the equivalent in quality of the better known papers. I'm going to try it myself - it tones well, has a good contrast range, and fine print color...

You raise a good question and the final answer is of course best resolved thru careful testing. However, I do use Ilford Multigrade IV and have used Ethol LPD print developer with it. It comes as a powder and also as a liquid, although I don't see the liquid in stores. A friend got some liquid from the manufacturer and liked it very much. Freestyle sells the powder developer very reasonably and thats where I buy it. I mix it 2:1 or 3:1 and develop for 2.5-3.5 minutes at 70 F. It seems to be slightly on the warm side with that paper and that is the color that I like - especially with a slight Selenium toning. However, that paper does not take a tone as strongly as some other papers - it does give a deeper black and also extends the tonal range slightly. I would urge you to give the combination a try and compare it with the other tests you have made. Let me know if there are any other questions you may have... Richard Garrod