Graded FB paper

Looking for any input on folks experience with graded FB paper. Which brands, grades, ect. So far I've only used Slavich in G2 and G3 and I like the results very much. What are the favorites?

Lodima for contact printing. Also Kentmere Kentona but that's discontinued... Heard good things about Emaks, thinking of trying their Grade 4.

I have heaps of older or expired of FB graded, and bits of FB only ever made in a single grade stashing in the freezer, and stacked in my darkroom. Ilford Gallerie (onlly made in 2, and 3 as I recall), and Ilfobrom. Zone IV Brilliant, which I like as well

Graded paper tends to loose contrast as it ages. I have a box of 100 8x10 SW FB Ilfobrom from the early 70's that was grade 5 when made, but acts like grade 1.5 today.

A step wedge is an old paper user's best friend (oh, and restrainers to add to the developer to suppress fog on occasion as well).

Emaks is the nicest graded paper I have tried; it works well for both enlarging and contact printing, and it also responds well to water bath treatment and using Amidol.
Not the whitest of baryta base to work with, but it is a stunningly beautiful paper, especially for portraits if I may offer a personal matter of taste.

Also, don't forget Ilford Galerie, Foma has some nice ones, and Oriental is often forgotten about.

But my experience lies with Emaks out of those that still exist, and it's a really nice one.

- Thomas

Thomas Bertilsson said:

Emaks is the nicest graded paper I have tried; it works well for both enlarging and contact printing, and it also responds well to water bath treatment and using Amidol.
- Thomas

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That's great to hear, Thomas. My preferred way of working is with Amidol and a water bath if necessary. I'm basically just looking for something a little hotter than a typical grade 3. Would you say the Emaks 4 is a true 4? Or even a 3 1/2 would be fine.

Thanks! Shawn

I have some Emaks grade 4 and it is, IMO, equal to Kodabrom II grade 5. I like it more because of it being FB instead of RC like the Kodak. I havent found many uses for that hard a grade, I prefer grades 2 and 3, and wish for some grade 1.

Pretty hard indeed then... Thanks, Rick. I'm looking for something to use when I Lodima 3 is not quite hard enough.

Shawn

Going softer is not a problem with the water bath treatment and the right paper, but you could also use a developer that gives more contrast, like Dektol or Ilford MG to go harder on the same grade.

My impression of Emaks is that it's softer than what its grade rating suggests, which makes me wonder if they have inconsistencies from batch to batch.

I printed the attached portrait on Emaks G2 using Amidol, and it brought out tones in the shadows that I wasn't able to reproduce with any other paper (enlargement) convincingly, even VC paper split grade printed. (Some areas block up in the scan, not so in the print).
It's absolutely beautiful paper, and as long as you get your negs just right for it, it'll reward very nicely indeed.

Try it, Shawn, it's inexpensive.

- Thomas