Fotokemika Emaks K-888 (J&C Nuance)

Recently was able to find time to try out some simple prints on K-888 #3 glossy surface. I'm sure there are other users here but it doesn't seem to get a lot of coverage in comparison to MGIV, etc. With the particular frames I used they would have printed better with a #2 paper but I figured Selectol Soft would help tame things to an extent. Results were higher in contrast than I wanted but nothing fatal.

Anyways, quite beautiful gloss surface and balance in tonality and highlight detail. Of the few I printed out it seemed to have a markedly nice look to it. Selenium toned towards typical purple/brownish red-eggplant, w/ 1+20 giving me the best balance for removing developer tint (I developed in SS 1+1) and settling down to an subtle warmth. Additionally, unlike a lot of modern papers, it actually seemed to respond to changes in development agitation, time, etc. This is one aspect of modern papers that I'd like to see change - the ability to have more control over the development process like we still have with film.

Of course, it's graded. But that's not necessarily a negative per se. Since I'm not much of a split-tone / local contrast freak the graded aspect doesn't really bother me. I typically reserve local contrast control to negatives that need it rather than wanting a "look." Haven't had a chance to lith print with it or anything but from past threads it seems to be responsive.

Even though the manufacturer describes it as a "warmtone" paper, it's definitely not warmtone in the MGWT sense. The base is quite neutral and the developed area fairly neutral (of course this depends on developer). Overall it feels neutral with a subtle hint of warmth untoned and allows one a lot of options for where to go toning-wise. It even looks nice completely untoned.

Dear clayne,

Thanks for the information. I look forward to your lith results.

Neal Wydra

Filling in about K-888. It was some time since I last used it, but given the correct negatives it's a beutiful paper. It's really responsive to different developers and procedures as the OP says. While the highlights are ok, the shadows really pop out of the print. All in all, it has all the typical characteristics of a chloro-bromide paper, i.e. it's slow, responsive, develops in 3-4 minutes, rich in tones ... In other words, more or less the opposite of e.g. Ilford Galerie, which comes out more or less the same regardless of developer choice etc. (Galerie is of course also rich in tones, but it simply "develops, full stop" when compared to e.g. K-888.)

The downside... Yes, there is a downside. QC and consistency with Emacs papers is terrible. The grades varies a lot and you simply cannot get another box of the same grade and expect it to be the same. The "solution" if you like the paper is to get hold of rather large batches from the same roll and store it cold. Second, as I mentioned above, the paper is slow, especially grade 3 which is so slow ... coffee ... and another cup ... before you've exposed it enough. Some well-calculated pre-flashing may do wonders, but will also render a softer grade paper.

//Björn

I've been a devotee of this paper for years! First discovered it in Zagreb and then started getting it from Freestyle and I have not had any problems with consistency. I usually develop it in Zone VI and Selectol and find that grade 3 does just about everything needed with Selectol. Selenium toned, it is exquisite. All in all, I think it's the best paper out there right now and use it for practically everything, especially now that J&C "Museum" paper is gone. And the price is right, too!

I've also been using this for a long time under various brands. A search should turn up quite a few posts about it on APUG. It has been sold as Efke Emaks, Cachet Expo, Maco Expo, and J&C Exposition Graded before it was rebranded as J&C Nuance.

Note that the different brands use different names/numbers for the grades, but there are always three grades.

I believe this is the same paper that we know in Europe as Adox Fine Print Nuance Warmtone?

It is my favourite paper; such blacks! When I returned to printing a year or so ago, I looked for a paper that might approach Agfa Record Rapid in quality (I used little else twenty years ago). Nuance does that. It's not identical to RR by any means but it has a quality rarely encountered in modern papers (possibly due to the coating method and high silver content).

Here's a jpg translation of a (there was a url link here which no longer exists). The original is several hundred percent better to look at.

A Couple of Asides

Red safe lights are not needed. I've a rather high level
of yellow-ish orange safe lighting. Makes for a very
well lighted easy to see about darkroom.

K-888 of several papers is the flattest out of the box.

IMO it is a very Good paper at a very reasonable
price. Dan

Emaks (Nuance) is Fantastic!

It's a beautiful paper! Try it in Ansco 130, LPD, or even Amidol. Amidol gave some of the best prints I've ever made on this very paper.
Deep, deep blacks with a lot more detail than my scanner and monitor can pick up, and a beautiful paper that is not perfectly white, which gives highlights a completely different look. Skintones look fabulous!

I agree with everyone. This is a really good paper, the tones in Ansco 130 and great. I have been using it for all my 4x5 contacts and I recently did a couple 20x24's on it that came out really well (although if I had the money, I'd probably buy Galerie).

I prefer it to Galerie myself, not that there's anything wrong with Galerie. I don't see Emaks as a paper to choose because it's less expensive.

hmm really interesting, does it lith well as well?

Emaks liths, but not like most other papers. Toning afterward is almost required. It's very beautiful in its own respect.
Some people feel Grade 4 liths best. I like Grade 3.

What kind of toning do you recommend for lith and what does it do? Just wondering since I've got a pack of 25 set aside for some lith printing...

Just pulled a few more prints out from drying for a couple of days in my film cabinet. There are a few that actually look better dry than when they were wet. Probably won't hold across the board for all subject matter, but still - pretty amazing paper. I've been using Selectol Soft 1+1 and 1+2 with this paper, using only time to vary contrast somewhat. I hope the prints look as nice in Dektol.

I tone most of my lith prints differently, with variations and combinations of sepia and selenium toners.
I'm on the verge of trying some gold and thiourea toners as well, but don't know what to expect yet.

Andrew T said:

What kind of toning do you recommend for lith and what does it do? Just wondering since I've got a pack of 25 set aside for some lith printing...

Click to expand...

Good info to have, thanks!