Black points

[Drew Wheeler]

Hello all.

I'm having a small problem with my RA-4 colour printing.

I've getting a really low black point? I'm using Kodak Ektacolor RA chems.

Is there a simple way of increasing the richness/deepness in my blacks?

Thanks in advance.

 

[koraks]

What do you mean by "low black point"?
Which paper do you use?

 

[pentaxuser]

Hello all.

I'm having a small problem with my RA-4 colour printing.

I've getting a really low black point?
Thanks in advance.

In addition to describing what a low black point is, can you tell us if it only blacks that are the problem. I think you might mean that the blacks are too grey but that my assumption. All the other colours deep enough?

A good replica scan of an "offending " print would be helpful

pentaxuser

 

[Sirius Glass]

Are you using a standard to determine what is truly black or just whatever negative you are working on? I suggest that you start with a standard color chart for comparison.

 

[Mick Fagan]

Are the blacks looking sort of, "Blue/Black"?

Meaning, do the blacks have a bluish tint when viewed in certain light? With RA4 printing, when the developer is going off from exhaustion and maybe sometimes from age, this is what you often see as a first sign things aren't quite right.

Are your negatives correctly exposed? Having a correct density negative is one certain step in being able to obtain good all round colour.

Where in Oz are you?

Mick.

 

[Drew Wheeler]

What do you mean by "low black point"?
Which paper do you use?

New Kodak Endura

 

[koraks]

Endura is capable of the best blacks I've seen on RA4 pepers. What exactly is your problem? How do you process - drum, roller transport machine, trays? What chemistry, how old, what time and temperature?

 

[DREW WILEY]

DMax is both film contrast dependent and paper dependent. Most RA4 papers tend to be a bit anemic in this respect, at least if you're comparing them to the deep blacks of past premium color processes like Cibachrome or dye transfer. Modern inkjet color prints suffer from irregular blacks, clumsily necessitating up to three different blackish inks in the set, with, arrrgh, dissimilar sheens! Provided you are processing the prints correctly, you might need to increase the contrast of the neg either by learning contrast-increase masking or by switching to a punchier color neg film like Ektar, or via both. Down Under, where you are, Andy Cross is a teacher of various such techniques. You will also get richer blacks from Fujiflex Supergloss, which a pricey polyester rather than RC paper medium, but now available only in full rolls.

 

[mshchem]

Hello all.

I'm having a small problem with my RA-4 colour printing.

I've getting a really low black point? I'm using Kodak Ektacolor RA chems.

Is there a simple way of increasing the richness/deepness in my blacks?

Thanks in advance.

So you are using current Kodak Premier or Metallic, Endura paper from a roll? Are you cutting your own paper from a fresh roll? Just a FYI Kodak Alaris doesn't sell cut sheets hasn't for years. Glossy paper dried on a proper drier gives the best blacks. Starting with a negative of a color checker chart is a good idea.

 

[DREW WILEY]

He only stated that he's using Kodak chemistry, presumably RA/RT, which is excellent for either Kodak or Fuji CA papers.