Freestyle "Aristacolor" RA 4 paper

[Roger Cole]

The 2-bath kit I get from Freestyle is already shot, and it's about 2 weeks old. And the Kodak makes way too much...

Mixed fresh and spoiled in two weeks?

Something is VERY wrong, or VERY different from the Kodak.

 

[mikecnichols]

Well for one thing a jobo oxidizes developers faster than even an open tray.
I have no experience with jobo or rotary but in my experience the RA4 developers store well.

I think they store decently. I was using chems mixed the first week of April last week. They did decent, though I could tell the developer was about to die. I increased the amount for each print, but the blacks were becoming bluish (only in corners)....overall, I was impressed I even had that good of luck with them.

 

[photo-Jon]

The 2-bath kit I get from Freestyle is already shot, and it's about 2 weeks old. And the Kodak makes way too much...

I determine the correct proportions needed to make 1/2 gallon from the kodak 10 gallon kits, and use it to tray develop until it's expired; usually around 30 11x14 sheets.

 

[L Gebhardt]

I don't think the Jobo causes that much oxidation with the print drums. I use a low speed, and with replenishment I can get many more than 20 sheets per liter. Plus by replenishing I can feel free to add more than the bare minimum of chemistry to ensure adequate coverage since I know I'm not tossing all of the chemistry.

 

[EdSawyer]

When I was doing RA-4 in drums, I did manual replenishement. I'd pour 1/3 new solution in with 2/3 used solution on each run. So, for a 60ml load (say an 8x10 Cibachrome drum with kodak chems and ra4 paper), after pouring out the dev, I'd save 40ml of it. For the next print, I'd use that and add 20ml fresh developer. It worked fine that way.

Currently I use a Fujimoto CP-31 with it's own replenishment system. I think I have the replensihment rate set to 10ml (range of 5ml to 45ml), which is based on a print area that runs through the processor. So, something like 10ml per 8x10 or whatever. ( I can look up the ratios if need be.) Using it this way, I get about 45 8x10s per liter of RA-RT. I've been using the same batch of 10L (all mixed at once) since the end of last November with no problems.

-Ed

 

[Roger Cole]

I finally wrote to Marv at Freestyle late Friday, and he replied this morning:

Hi Roger

The 'NEW" Aristacolor RA-4 Paper is expected to arrive here on or about
Sept. 30th. It will be activated on the website shortly.

Thank you.

Marv Keller
Manager,
Customer Service & Consumer Direct Sales

Tele: 1.800.292.6137 ext. 108 or 1.323.660.3460 ext. 108
Fax: 1.800.616.3616 or 1.323.660.4885
E-Mail: marv@freestylephoto.biz
www.freestylephoto.biz

 

[Ben 4]

Great news—thanks for reporting this!

--Ben

 

[EdSawyer]

who makes it?

 

[Roger Cole]

who makes it?

That's still not known and I didn't ask since I assume they can't say. My guess is of course that it's just repackaged Fuji CA. It's about 15% less expensive per their blurb in the catalog (didn't do the math myself) and that's probably ball park for how much it could be discounted by their ordering large quantities to re-sell but that's all my speculation and worth what you paid for it.

We will have a better idea once someone has some in hand to compare.

 

[brucemuir]

Roger,
thanks for the update.
I got lazy and never emailed about the stuff.
Sounds promising.

 

[MattKing]

It's listed on the site now with an expected delivery date of Oct. 7. It also says "Made In the USA".

And the prices look good

 

[Roger Cole]

It's listed on the site now with an expected delivery date of Oct. 7. It also says "Made In the USA".

I wonder if "made in the USA" is a mistake, as the catalog says Japan. :confused:

But if it is made in the US that's excellent news. It means it's almost certainly Kodak paper. Not sure if Kodak would do a special run cut down from rolls for a larger order - probably. Or maybe they buy it in rolls and have it cut down or cut it down. Or maybe it's a mistake and it's really Fuji. At this stage, who knows? Someone will need to get it and try it and have other papers to compare it to. That latter would leave me out. I haven't printed color myself since 1999 or so and have only a few commercial prints recently made on Fuji CA.

 

[EdSawyer]

My guess either it's fuji, or it's kodak edge or supra ultra cut from rolls. I don't see Kodak making cut sheet paper (other than supra ultra) for 3rd party sales when they don't even offer that themselves anymore.

 

[polyglot]

So... did anyone try this stuff?

 

[Matt Brown]

So... did anyone try this stuff?

Yep. It's Fuji CA Type II. It's nice that they sell it in affordable 50-sheet boxes

 

[polyglot]

Excellent; thanks!

I know what I'm papering my loungeroom with, just don't tell my wife

 

[DREW WILEY]

How do you actually know if it's specifically CAII ??

 

[Matt Brown]

How do you actually know if it's specifically CAII ??

I don't know for a fact that it is CAII, but all my testing points to it. I have been using a variety of papers - ebay-purchased Kodak Supra Endura cut from rolls, Fuji CA Type II, leftover Fuji CA Type C, and the Arista stuff - and the Arista and CA Type II look exactly the same. Same blacks, same contrast, seemingly same paper weight, and almost identical filtration.

Compared to the papers I use and my old prints (on Kodak Porta Endura, Supra, and Ultra; and Fuji Type-P) there is no distinguishing between the Arista and the Type II.

 

[DREW WILEY]

I might sound nitpicky, but I've got a good reason. I assume it has the Fuji imprint on the back. My main concern would be that it's not leftover Super C paper - which was fine stuff in its own right,
but not quite a good per color rendition as CAII, which also happens to be slightly thinner, and has
a little cleaner white base to it. Guess I'll have to try some. Be nice if they had 30x40 boxes again, but I assume I'll just have to cut from rolls, and only use Arista for the small sizes.

 

[wildbill]

The most recent (fall 2012) says made in the usa. ?