Kodak Portra B&W Paper, any tips?

perkeleellinen · Dec 11, 2009

Wasn't sure if here or the colour forum would be best for this.

I went to Nova Darkroom today and found a box of Kodak paper in their clearance bin. It's Portra B&W paper - process RA4.

Sounded interesting so I bought it. Anyone ever use this stuff? The guys at Nova had no idea how old it was or anything about it at all.

Is this a graded paper? VC? Any info?

Anon Ymous · Dec 11, 2009

Panchromatic, to be used in RA4 chemistry; mostly for minilabs. The equivalent in traditional BW was Panalure.

More info here.

EDIT: Contrast could be changed!

pentaxuser · Dec 11, 2009

If it is processed as RA4 then it sounds as if a colour safelight is needed or do it in the dark. You may have such a light or like some others find processing in the dark quite straightforward. I have a DUKA 10 sodium light which is fine for RA4 but without it I'd find RA4 inconvenient to say the least.

The problem with normal B&W paper and colour neg is that it doesn't faithfully translate the colour neg tones into B&W. Presumably Portra overcomes this drawback so that would be an advantage.

You couldn't use it for toning either as its RA4 paper. Presumably it really comes into its own for photogs at say weddings who shoot colour neg exclusively but wish to convert some negs into B&W as faithfully as poss. Same goes for any kind of photog who shoots exclusively colour but occasionally sees a scene that cries out for a B&W print.

Let is know how you get on with it.

pentaxuser

nickandre · Dec 11, 2009

I've heard it referenced but I think it went out a while ago. It's variable contrast but requires a color head. It doesn't use normal VC filters. You also want to use it in the dark.

perkeleellinen · Dec 12, 2009

Thanks for all the comments and especially Anon for the data sheet.

Interested to see how well it renders a colour neg into black and white. I might get chance to experiment early next week.

I wonder if my colour safe torch will fog the paper.

perkeleellinen · Dec 12, 2009

This is what the box looks like if anyone is digging around clearance bins looking for the stuff:

pentaxuser · Dec 12, 2009

Perkeleellinen. I'd be especially interested in your findings of a colour neg rendition as a B&W print with this stuff. It's a good while since I visited Nova. Last time there I don't recall a clearance basket. Pity I haven't been over, I'd have been tempted to buy it myself.

pentaxuser

perkeleellinen · Dec 12, 2009

I'll be sure to report back.

From memory the clearance bin had a pack of 25 Ilfochromes (large size), an even bigger pack of Ilford paper, lots of Tetenal paper around 3"x4" and a couple of darkroom books.

Steve.

Kodak Portra B&W Paper, any tips?

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