I've never tried room temperature RA-4. I know PE processed RA-4 at room temperature in a tray, 2 minutes each for developer and blix. Would be zero investment, just a tray and a watch.
That's great! I think a lot of folks think they need a lot of expensive equipment to make color prints, this is not the case. Once a filter pack is dialed in for the film/paper combination its easy. Fuji cut sheets are easy and produce brilliant color photosjust taught a fellow how to develop RA-4 at room temp at the public darkroom I just opened here in S. NH. He was pretty happy.
3 1/2 minutes to develop Fuji Crystal Archive at room temp. I have found adding development time and/or more vigorous development slightly increases color intensity, though there’s limits to it. That tells me it takes a bit longer to develop to completion at room temp than even the 3 1/2 minutes suggested by Ron long ago.
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Of course buying a new Jobo is fun! Get a CPP3 and several 3005 drums, 5 prints at a shot!!
Or this gem. Processes roll paper at 12 meters per minute! Sweet
https://www.ebay.com/itm/154377135543
I could just tap into my personal nuclear generatorThat requires a 32A 400V triple phase socket. Most private homes, if they even have a triple phase outlet, will only have 16A.
This was the type of thread I was hoping to come across.
I am new here but have been shooting film for awhile now. Most recently got my first experience at color printing in a darkroom lab in Los Angeles & now I'm hooked.
If anyone has any advice on what's a good way to get started while I am converting my garage into a darkroom that would be greatly appreciated.
Been looking for a Fujimoto Cp-31/51 or some table-top processor that would help streamline things but I've had zero luck.
I just came across a CPA 2 online for a really reasonable price but the opinions on drum processing are so divided everywhere I read up on - so I really don't know where to start.
Is a slot processor the best way to go?
Thanks.
Nice, I was looking into the Nova slot processors & they seemed pretty legit.When I started I used a roller drum but it was such a convoluted way of getting prints made and quite time consuming cleaning out the drum beforehand and afterwards. I changed over to NOVA in 1994 and have never looked back. If I have a lot of prints to make it also speeds up the process and if there are no other problems, I can make one print every 3- 4 mins which is pretty quick considering the developing, stop bath and blix times but not including the washing stages. The clearing up times after a session are also minimal, just wiping down, replenishing the dev and blix before turning everything off.
You might want to look at this thread on your Fujimoto machineNice, I was looking into the Nova slot processors & they seemed pretty legit.
I recently just purchased a Fujimoto CP51 after searching high & low for a CP31 but it forces me to have to put it in a separate room due to it being 220V.
Might have to consider something else that will streamline my process & works in my darkroom so I’m not having to jump through an additional hoop using it in my kitchen.
You might want to look at this thread on your Fujimoto machine
https://www.largeformatphotography....7066-Color-Darkroom-Set-Up-and-Fujimoto-CP-51
Best Mike
OMG, if you don't have the Fujimoto DO NOT mess with it. You have a lot of good options that don't require anything other than a tray. I have a little Nova setup that has no heater, I found it on Ebay new old stock, only upto 8x10 but each slot takes around 1 liter. You don't want much of anything until you get some experience with balancing filtration. Until you have the process figured out, choose a single color film, I would suggest Portra 160. Shoot only one emulsion regardless of the format.
Good lookin Mike I really appreciate that. If I end up
keeping this unit, this thread will be key for me.
I’m still heavily searching or a CP31 as i’m a renter & my landlord is getting cold feet about having an electrician come & set up what I need to power the machine in the garage…that being said, I may need to look to part ways with the CP-51 after all
My situation with a tiny 1B house & a girlfriend using our dining room table for her “home office” across from the kitchen (where this machine will be able to be hooked up) isn’t going to last long I feel.
Very unfortunate. This thing is clean & maintained, such a shame.
Not really in my experience. Prints come out just fine within the normal range of room temperatures in my former darkroom (ca 16C up to ca 28C). I'm not sure if there's a particularly essential thing to RA4 printing, but in any case a specific temperature does not appear to be it.The essential thing about RA4 developing is keeping the temp constant and relying on the ambient temp of a room I would have thought was very hit or miss.
Not really in my experience. Prints come out just fine within the normal range of room temperatures in my former darkroom (ca 16C up to ca 28C). I'm not sure if there's a particularly essential thing to RA4 printing, but in any case a specific temperature does not appear to be it.
My thinking is, we can all agree that the normal development time for RA4 paper is 35C. If the temp is lower than what is normal, this can produce problems, in that the paper has 3 colour layers which will all develop at the same speed when the temp is 35C, but lower than this the layers will probably develop at different rates and may distort the colour balance.
That's why you develop for long enough (2min will be long enough at any reasonable ambient temperature) to have all 3 colour layers of paper developed to completion. You can't overdevelop paper as you can overdevelop film. You need to leave it in developer way longer to notice the effect.
[QUOTE=" have a little Nova setup that has no heater,
+1With RA-4 consistent and repeatable temperature is very helpful.
The materials are optimized for higher than room temperature use because that greatly increases throughput - important for commercial users.
But the materials behave very well - good, accurate, repeatable colour and contrast - with longer development times and lower temperatures. So if maintaining a higher temperature is an impediment to your using RA-4 materials, work at lower temperatures.
You have ignored what several people told you. The higher temp is needed for speed. It should make sense to those who listen.
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