Considering color printing

[Rick A]

What papers are available for printing color slides and negatives these days. Will the same chems work for both types of papers. Can these be used under a safelight(Kodak #13)or is it only total darkness? I'm sure I'll have more questions later.

 

[perkeleellinen]

Hello Rick,

Negative printing - RA4 process
Slide printing - Ilfochrome process (or RA4 reversal: 'RR4').

Some good info here:
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Recent discussion on Ilfochrome here:
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

I use an RH Designs colour safelight:
http://www.rhdesigns.co.uk/darkroom/html/safetorch.html

But most of the time I'm fine in total darkness, you get used to it.

As for papers, you'll have to wait for a US-based member to tell you what's available near you.

 

[pentaxuser]

A sodium light such as the DUKA 10 or 50 will give good light perfectly safely.

pentaxuser

 

[DanielStone]

hey Rick,

negative printing paper:

Fuji Crystal Archive glossy, luster and matte(cut sheets 8x10-20x30)

http://freestylephoto.biz/600008946...chive-RA-4-Color-Print-Paper-Type-II-8x10-100

also comes in larger cut sizes as well

slide paper:

Ilfochrome(B+H is the best place I believe to order from, possibly Freestyle as well)

-Dan

 

[hrst]

The usefulness of color safelights divides opinions; some people say they are next to nothing, some people find they help a lot. This could be due to our differences in the sensitivity of our vision and personal differences in how long it takes for eyes to adjust in darkness. The illumination level when you switch the lights on to evaluate finished prints will also affect how quickly you can get back to safelights. The point I want to make that they ARE very dim. They will fog paper if you have a level comparable to usual BW printing environments. Still, I find even this very weak light a great help compared to nothing.

If you work with trays, you should especially have an extra color safelight you turn on at the end of the development time. At this point, you can actually have quite a lot of safelight (because the paper has lost some sensitivity when in developer, and the development time after the minimal exposure from the safelight will be only 5-20 seconds until it hits the stop), so you can very easily move the paper to the stop bath. This is how I work and it's very easy once you get used to it.

Usage of yellow LED light -- try to pick a LED that is not orangish and not greenish, but as "pure yellow" as possible -- is a poor man's equivalent to #13 safelight filter. Works for me very well at the end of the development. Look at this; http://www.rhdesigns.co.uk/darkroom/html/safetorch.html (I haven't tested this product but at least the price is not too high and I'd bet it works very well!)

It should go even without saying how much fun color printing is. It's just as fun as BW printing! However, if you are going to do Ilfochrome, you'd better have money. It's expensive, but the results may be worth it. RA-4 printing, however, is so cheap that you can print every snapshot without feeling bad .

 

[Photo Engineer]

Slide printing - (or RA4 reversal: 'RR4').

Never heard of this one! Any details?

PE

 

[hpulley]

Never heard of this one! Any details?

PE

I believe you yourself replied in this thread:
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[Photo Engineer]

Well, I missed Karl's calling it RR. Sorry bout that!!!

That is not RR-4 or anything but a cross process that I kludged up in my spare time when Radiance paper was canceled and when Ilfochrome went out of sight in price!

Thanks. I would disavow RR as being a real process because there are so many variants.

I see he is on AIM right now. I might just mention that name to him.

PE

 

[hrst]

The reversal RA-4 indeed is easy and interesting kludge to make cheap prints directly from slides, if you accept the compromised image quality and dub it "interesting" . Search for a thread started by me some years ago and you'll find some examples I've shown. There's also a thread in photo.net with examples, I think PE has referred to it many times.

 

[Hikari]

I never use a color safelight for RA-4. But I also use a rotary processor which means I am only working in the dark to expose and load the paper. It really is not different than working in a light room with your eyes closed.