First time RA4 - Chemical questions

[ac123]

A bit random question I had that I've been searching for a clear answer on -

Am I able to use my RA4 chemicals (dev/blix) to print black & white negatives on black & white paper?
Or do I need specifically BW dev/blix to print onto ilford paper?

 

[MattKing]

A bit random question I had that I've been searching for a clear answer on -

Am I able to use my RA4 chemicals (dev/blix) to print black & white negatives on black & white paper?
Or do I need specifically BW dev/blix to print onto ilford paper?

You need the B&W developer.
You need fixer, not blix.

 

[koraks]

Am I able to use my RA4 chemicals (dev/blix) to print black & white negatives on black & white paper?

No.

 

[ac123]

Thank you! So I would just need BW dev and blix? (Are they really that much cheaper than RA4 chems?!?)

 

[koraks]

So I would just need BW dev and blix?

You don't use blix for B&W. 'blix' = 'bleach fix', a combination of a silver bleach and a fixer. If you unleash that on a B&W print, you'll be left with a blank piece of paper. You use regular fixer for B&W processes.

Are they really that much cheaper than RA4 chems

Yes. Especially if you purchase small quantities. RA4 chems aren't too expensive if you buy in bulk, but blix will inherently be more expensive than fix, since fix is basically just blix without the bleach, and the bleach is the expensive bit. A B&W developer is generally a little simpler, too, and the ingredients used are inherently more common and less expensive, but in this case, the cost differential is mostly a volume thing. If you buy minilab RA4 chemistry, it's not much more expensive to run color than B&W.

 

[Samu]

Note that this is blix, specifically. It comes in two components, A and B, and you need both. You generally don't need a starter for the blix.
Going by the photos, the listed products are old stock. This needn't be a problem.

100 liters is a lot of blix.

In addition to the blix, you'll need a developer. It's OK to use a different developer (Arista, Champion, Fuji etc.) with a Kodak blix and vice versa.



A replenisher is a slightly more concentrated and more alkaline RA4 developer. If used without seasoning or adding starter, it generally produces poor results. The starter is added (plus some additional water) to bring the developer on spec. This system works with large tanks/racks in mind where you typically replenish and not often replace the entire contents of the machine.

For home use in drums, kits like Arista etc. work without a starter or replenisher. They can be used one shot. They can also be reused until...well, there's no hard & fast rule. Until the results don't look good anymore or until you don't trust the consistency. Take your pick.

I find one shot with RA4 wasteful. Others swear by it. It's a matter of preference.

You might find this relevant: https://tinker.koraks.nl/photograph...ta-using-color-c41-and-ra4-chemistry-at-home/

I also don't use RA-4 developer one shot. Instead, I replenish. It works fine with a smaller quantity of liquid. Of course, the oxidation will have an effect, and the developer must be replaced some time. I use either CPRA ot Enviroptint 160MP, with quite big replenishing rate.

I have tried also these without replenishing. After about 20 prints of 20 x 25 cm for one liter of developer, the colors will begin to shift, but you still can correct it. For constant results, replenishing or one shot is needed. RA-4 is much more tollerant of little differences in times or temperatures than C41 pr E6. because the developer will practically work until completion.

 

[Samu]

No.

You probably could get some kind of black & white picture with RA-4 color developer, but nothing acceptable. Blix would then detroy it, and you would havr one blank sheet of paper. In color processes, all silver is removes. In B&W, silver makes the image.