Freestyle "Aristacolor" RA 4 paper

[Roger Cole]

Just got a print catalog from Freestyle and they now list a house brand RA4 paper. It says it's made in Japan so I presume it's Fuji, and probably regular Crystal Archive.

The listed prices are slightly cheaper than the Fuji brand product but, more importantly for some of us maybe, available in smaller size boxes. This isn't too important at 8x10 where I'd buy 100 sheets but in 11x14 it would save me buying 100 sheets when I might take quite a while to use up the whole box. Larger sizes are listed in the same sheet counts as the Fuji, just slightly cheaper. It's listed in Glossy and Lustre, no matte, which is fine with me.

I keep saying "listed" instead of "available" because it doesn't show up on their web site and even a search by the item numbers in the catalog don't turn it up. Usually the web site is more up to date than the print catalogs.

Anyone know anything about this? I'm not quite at the point of diving back into color darkroom yet, but as soon as I clear out some of the black and white backlog I may do so.

 

[Ben 4]

Saw That Too

I noticed the same thing. Highlighted as a new item in the recent Catalog, but not listed at all on the website. Let's hope the Catalog is right and their webmaster is on vacation!

 

[mikecnichols]

Just got a print catalog from Freestyle and they now list a house brand RA4 paper. It says it's made in Japan so I presume it's Fuji, and probably regular Crystal Archive.

The listed prices are slightly cheaper than the Fuji brand product but, more importantly for some of us maybe, available in smaller size boxes. This isn't too important at 8x10 where I'd buy 100 sheets but in 11x14 it would save me buying 100 sheets when I might take quite a while to use up the whole box. Larger sizes are listed in the same sheet counts as the Fuji, just slightly cheaper. It's listed in Glossy and Lustre, no matte, which is fine with me.

I keep saying "listed" instead of "available" because it doesn't show up on their web site and even a search by the item numbers in the catalog don't turn it up. Usually the web site is more up to date than the print catalogs.

Anyone know anything about this? I'm not quite at the point of diving back into color darkroom yet, but as soon as I clear out some of the black and white backlog I may do so.

That was my same thought exactly when I came across that last week. Definitely will get me some 11x14 paper soon.

 

[Paul Howell]

Might be Mitsubishi which is retailing in the US, at least in rolls. Dont know about cut paper.

 

[mikecnichols]

Might be Mitsubishi which is retailing in the US, at least in rolls. Dont know about cut paper.

Everything points toward Fuji....but I'm sure we'll see with the prints and print quality.

 

[Roger Cole]

Everything points toward Fuji....but I'm sure we'll see with the prints and print quality.

If anybody ever gets their hands on the stuff. Not on the website even when searched by item number seems to make it vaporware for now.

 

[DREW WILEY]

My question would be, exactly which Fuji paper? Is it the latest CA II or cut from leftover rolls of Super
C or something else? Either way, you'd be getting a good paper, but there are subtle characteristics which are a little different one from the other. The latest paper has a slightly whiter base.

 

[brucemuir]

Roger,
I always get very fast replies to emails.

I'd be interested in this stuff also.

 

[Roger Cole]

I'm just reluctant to email and ask about it when I'm not ready to actually buy any yet.

 

[brucemuir]

I'm just reluctant to email and ask about it when I'm not ready to actually buy any yet.

They wont care. They are extremely cool.

I bug Marv all the time if a product is being discontinued.
He will give me exactish numbers on how much/many rolls etc are left of a discontinued product.

Really great service there as most already know.

 

[coops]

Anybody try this yet? I am about to pull the plug on paper and chemicals for color printing and this paper may be a way to do it without spending lots up front

 

[EdSawyer]

I'd start with expired Supra Endura (Ebay) - it's as good as it gets and even a year out of date and not in the fridge it still prints perfectly.

 

[coops]

I'd start with expired Supra Endura (Ebay) - it's as good as it gets and even a year out of date and not in the fridge it still prints perfectly.

Thanks, I will look into that. I did order some Fuji paper before I read your response and do have a few questions if you don't mind. I read Horensteins book on color printing and he says that when using A jobo, developer is used as one shot so it maintain freshness. Is that right? Does not sound right to me. Cheers

 

[Roger Cole]

Thanks, I will look into that. I did order some Fuji paper before I read your response and do have a few questions if you don't mind. I read Horensteins book on color printing and he says that when using A jobo, developer is used as one shot so it maintain freshness. Is that right? Does not sound right to me. Cheers

That's generally how people do it with a Jobo, since the solution required is so small with drums. I suppose you could pour a couple ounces from a big jug then pour it back in and treat it like a replenished system, but I don't know why you would. RA4 developer is really cheap anyway.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Trying to replenish from a simple drum setup would seem to be a recipe for all kinds of inconsistencies and nightmares.

 

[Roger Cole]

Trying to replenish from a simple drum setup would seem to be a recipe for all kinds of inconsistencies and nightmares.

I agree and given the simplicity, consistency, and low price of RA4 chemicals (partly because you have to buy such large amounts if you use Kodak) I don't see any reason whatsoever to do it. But if someone is really determined, it might be possible.

 

[L Gebhardt]

I have replenished using a Jobo and had good results (checked with Kodak process control strips). So it can be done. Normally I use a roller transport processor and I think I used a replenishment rate that was about 50% higher than for that with the developer. The only time I use the Jobo is for 20x24 prints, so lots of solution used.

 

[coops]

I don't have the chemicals or Jobo in front of me so I am guessing a little here, but if I mix 4 liters of developer (Arista Kit) and use say 250cc a time in the drum, thats 4 prints per liter, or 16 prints from the entire kit? Are the other chemicals one shot also? I must be missing something here.

 

[DREW WILEY]

I don't have a Jobo, but in my own 20X24 drums I need only six ounces of chemistry per print, so it's
hardly worth the risk and hassle of replenishment, let alone even more exposure to the fumes.

 

[Roger Cole]

8x10s are usually about 2 ounces. Larger sizes proportionately more. No way would any size I've ever even considered printing take 250ml! That's nearly 10 ounces.

But I concede the idea may appeal more as print sizes go up.

 

[coops]

My Jobo drum takes 100ml and will develop two 8x10 sheets, so perhaps 50ml will do one 8x10. That will do about 20 sheets per liter, or 80 sheets for the entire 4 liter pack. What do you guys who use trays do? Do you fill the tray with a liter and use it for 20 prints and discard it?

 

[brucemuir]

What do you guys who use trays do? Do you fill the tray with a liter and use it for 20 prints and discard it?

Save it till it's spent.
Im using the Kodak RA-RT in trays at room temp.

 

[coops]

Save it till it's spent.
Im using the Kodak RA-RT in trays at room temp.

Thanks Bruce. Trying to understand how this is different to putting my 100 mls back into the liter bottle and re-using. I read a few minutes ago that 1 liter of Arista color chemicals should do about 60-70 8x10 prints. Thats a big difference from 20 prints I would get using as one shot. Seems I should just try it both ways and see.

 

[brucemuir]

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.

 

[Vonder]

Not the ones I use

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.

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...