Color Printing Chemical Confusion

[CatLABS]

Mitsubishi may still be making their paper: http://www.mitsubishiimaging.com/color-paper.html

Yes they are and so are at least 2 Chinese companies, and various other no name brands, or non branded generic stuff.

Having just read J39, i would say its better to follow the manual then random numbers recalled of someones memory.

While RA4 is very forgiving, the chart calls for 35 degrees C, in the case of rotation processing in a tube, such as a Jobo.

You have a CPP2, and can set and adjust the temperature down to 0.1C degrees, and i would suggest following the charts and doing just that.

100F is 37.7C, sometimes used as a simple way to explain to non C users the processing temperature of C41 and E-6 (38.4C), in some case that might be close enough, though as far as i can read J39, has nothing to do with any RA4 processing option they discuss.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Having just read J39, i would say its better to follow the manual then random numbers recalled of someones memory.

RTFM is always the best. Thank you.

 

[wildbill]

Considering there's only two kinds of color paper still made, Kodak and Fuji AFAIK, isn't it probably a safe bet that Kodak is the paper that freestyle is cutting down from rolls and so wouldn't you just use the same kodak starting numbers?

i'm not a color printing person, but I'm just working off of logic and my available knowledge which says to me that there are only two RA-4 colored paper producers still making paper. Am I wrong?

yes.
Fuji also manufactures paper in the U.S. Freestyle isn't cutting down Kodak paper.

For several years I did all my darkroom shopping at Freestyle. I once overheard a salesperson respond to a customer's question with "if you want fine grain, try HP5 in Rodinal" No, I'm not making this up.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Having done design work on EP3 for 5 years, and having processed both EP3 and RA4 here and at EK for years, I can safely stand behind my recommendations above. What can I say? They work! I have several thousand prints here from 8x10 - 16x20 that were processed from 68F to 100F that attest to that fact. I've processed as many as 40 8x10 prints / night.

Go figure? I've talked to the engineers and chemists in charge! I was one! But then, ignore what I say and do what works for you!

PE

 

[Wayne]

Arista paper is reported to be Fuji

 

[DREW WILEY]

Freestyle has a particular Arista RA4 kit identical to Kodak ra/rt. But they might have the Kodak branded kits too. The trick is to have your temperature set so the development time is not so fast that it's hard to keep your timing consistent, or so slow that the temp is prone to drift during development itself. I personally use 84F for 2 min dev, and like to mix no more chem than I need in one day's session, which keeps it fresh. This is easy to do if you have accurate graduates. Fuji does not giving starter filtration values, since these will differ somewhat between
different colorheads anyway.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Kodak's filter pack is given in 2 parts.

1. Basic ball park which is 50R.
2. Offset of your current box from "standard".

Once you adjust #1 for your enlarger, let us say it is 20Y, 70 M, to give a good print, then the second one (+/-) is applied to adjust for the current box of paper.

PE

 

[DREW WILEY]

Not a bad starting point for Fuji either.

 

[Photo Engineer]

This is designed into the paper so that the yellow (blue sensitive) layer can go on the bottom. Thus the "ball park" is just about the same for both papers.

PE

 

[Sirius Glass]

I found two set of Kodak Ektacolor RA for 10 liters each. Forgot to pick up the blix. Samys on Sepulveda barely carries chemicals and I bought up the Ektacolor. I will have to go back there or on Fairfax or FreeStyle. FreeStyle is closed for 24 December. Who would figure?

 

[Sirius Glass]

This is one reason I was confused about color processing ...

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[Sirius Glass]

This is another reason the RA-4 chemicals are confusing ...

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[hgaude]

REALLY miss Calvin

 

[ME Super]

I love it when a photography thread turns into a Calvin and Hobbes thread. We miss you, Bill Watterson.