Fujicolor Crystal Archive Paper (EP-2 / RA-4)

brian_mk · Jan 31, 2010

On eBay there is a roll of Fujicolor Crystal Archive paper for sale:-

The description states that the paper is for use with process EP-2.

I have only used Fujicolour Crystal Archive type MP and RA-4 chemistry (using a Nova tank).

Could this paper be used with RA-4 chemistry?

brian_mk · Jan 31, 2010

Interesting - a few minutes after I posted this question, another bid appeared!
Maybe someone out there knows the answer but is keeping it under his hat?

brucemuir · Jan 31, 2010

It wasn't me. I've had much better luck sticking with Kodak paper.

If you are in the US there is a lot of Kodak roll paper on the auction site for cheap.
I recently got some Supra Endura in the same dimensions as the Fuji you have here and I also got a 600 ft roll of 8in "Edge" to play with.

The Edge is a bit thin but looks good and works fine at room temp with the RA-RT kodak chemicals(around 62-64f here in DC).

Photo Engineer · Jan 31, 2010

AFAIK, no RA paper will work with EP-2 chemistry. The color developer is incompatible. It may work, but why take a chance. The EP-2 chemistry contains Benzyl Alcohol, the RA chemistry does not.

PE

brian_mk · Jan 31, 2010

I switched to Kodak Supra Endura (12" x 16") since Fuji stopped producing Crystal Archive paper in cut sheet form.
The Kodak paper seems just as good to me.

I was only interested in the roll on eBay because it looked cheap.

No doubt paper cut from a roll would be a pain to keep flat under the enlarger and would be tricky to process in a Nova tank because of the curl. Has anyone tried this?

Photo Engineer · Jan 31, 2010

An afterthought.

EP-2 has been discontinued for over 10 years, probably closer to 15 years. If this box mentions EP-2, I would hazard a guess that the paper is old.

PE

brian_mk · Jan 31, 2010

Yes - thanks PE - that is exactly what I thought.
I emailed the seller the question and he has replied that it is RA-4 paper despite the original description.

Do you have any experience of using paper cut from a roll with a conventional enlarger & easel mask?
Does the paper curl give problems?
Will it feed into a Nova tank slot without getting caught up on the edges?

perkeleellinen · Jan 31, 2010

brian_mk said:
Do you have any experience of using paper cut from a roll with a conventional enlarger & easel mask?
Does the paper curl give problems?
Will it feed into a Nova tank slot without getting caught up on the edges?

I bought a roll of Kodak Ektacolor Edge and I use a Nova. I've had no problems with curl yet, but I'm not that close to the core. I've probably cut around 100 10x8 sheets from it with no problems with curl - it's easy enough to get into the Nova. It is a bit curlier than ready cut sheets, but no functional difference so far.

Photo Engineer · Jan 31, 2010

brian_mk said:
Yes - thanks PE - that is exactly what I thought.
I emailed the seller the question and he has replied that it is RA-4 paper despite the original description.

Do you have any experience of using paper cut from a roll with a conventional enlarger & easel mask?
Does the paper curl give problems?
Will it feed into a Nova tank slot without getting caught up on the edges?

Roll paper, in my experience, is difficult to get flat on-easel. This can cause focus problems and other difficulties when handling including fingerprints on the paper. Others have reported good luck with it. I think it depends on age, humidity and position in the roll. Near the center, the curl is more obvious and difficult to work with.

I have never used a Nova processor. I have used a basket process and found it difficult to load with curly paper.

PE

Mike Wilde · Jan 31, 2010

I use roll paper from time to time; the price was too good to say no at $40 for 12" by 288' and less for the other part rolls, like 5" x about 150' for $10. It is a chore though. I use avaccuum easel and mask off the holes not needed with windows cut from ep/2 16x20 sheets to increase the suction on where the paper is. The noise of the vaccuum is annoying, so I save roll cut paper for production runs, like last week when I put out 35 8x10's of the same photo - a theatre company cast photo of thier latest production.

Rombo · Feb 1, 2010

Roll paper

I am using roll paper. I found some old boxes for this paper, which were removed from old machines (Noritsu, Agfa, etc). I mounted them on wooden board, with paper cutter. It is very easy to cut the paper.

brian_mk · Feb 1, 2010

Well, in the end I put in a low bid and won the item for £1.24 plus postage.
(That's about $2 to you American guys).

The half roll is about 150 ft long and 12" wide, so I figure it should cut around 112 sheets of 12" x 16".
That works out just over 1p per sheet!

My plan is to reverse roll it onto a length of plastic drainpipe and leave it like that for a while to reduce the curl before slicing it into 16" sheets using a rotary trimmer.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Fujicolor Crystal Archive Paper (EP-2 / RA-4)

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