Kodak Supra Endura F

[Fixer]

Hi,

I have a batch of approximately 6 X 50 packs of the above paper. I took over them from a colleague who left. What process is the papers meant for? They are still viable as to my understanding they only been cut up from a roll like last year.

 

[Photo Engineer]

This is color paper meant for the RA process. Both Kodak and Fuji make chemicals for this paper.

PE

 

[Fixer]

So in terms of exposure, i expose it normally like I would a color negative or is it meant for color transparencies?

 

[Nick Zentena]

It's for negatives. It's Kodak's current paper isn't it? Or have they changed names again.

 

[Photo Engineer]

You use this paper to make color prints from color negatives using the RA color process. The exposure is to be made on-easel using an enlarger.

PE

 

[nlochner]

THe RA-4 Process deals with three colour filters.

Yellow, Magenta, Cyan

Dial in the proper values determined by a ring around or other devices, and there you go.

nlochner

 

[Fixer]

Great, cos i have been browsing around and i have gotten confliscting statements about the use of the paper, as in its actual exposure with that of a negative film or that with a positive film.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Endura can be 'cross processed' in a reversal process to make direct positive prints, but the transparency must be selected with care due to the high resulting contrast.

This is not to be undertaken lightly. You must have a lot of experience to do it.

PE

 

[srs5694]

Endura can be 'cross processed' in a reversal process to make direct positive prints, but the transparency must be selected with care due to the high resulting contrast.

This is not to be undertaken lightly. You must have a lot of experience to do it.

To be clear, it doesn't really take anything more than the usual RA-4 experience and knowledge of a few extra steps to do this cross-processing. To do it well may take a lot more experience, though. My own experiments have been interesting but the results are, as you say, very high in contrast and not suitable for most scenes. I've only tried a couple of slides in this way as experiments.

FWIW, the process I followed was: Expose the paper, develop it in a conventional B&W paper developer (I used E-72), stop it, rinse it, expose it to light, and proceed on with the usual RA-4 processing steps.

One other point: Commercial labs with a digital workflow can use RA-4 paper in certain types of digital photofinishing equipment to make prints from slides. Once the slide or negative is scanned, it doesn't matter whether it originated as a slide or a negative. This could well be the source of the conflicting information Fixer has found.

 

[Fixer]

To be clear, it doesn't really take anything more than the usual RA-4 experience and knowledge of a few extra steps to do this cross-processing. To do it well may take a lot more experience, though. My own experiments have been interesting but the results are, as you say, very high in contrast and not suitable for most scenes. I've only tried a couple of slides in this way as experiments.

FWIW, the process I followed was: Expose the paper, develop it in a conventional B&W paper developer (I used E-72), stop it, rinse it, expose it to light, and proceed on with the usual RA-4 processing steps.

One other point: Commercial labs with a digital workflow can use RA-4 paper in certain types of digital photofinishing equipment to make prints from slides. Once the slide or negative is scanned, it doesn't matter whether it originated as a slide or a negative. This could well be the source of the conflicting information Fixer has found.

To clarify on what you have mentioned, is it safe to surmise that in order to obtain a positive image on the color paper from a transparency, i would first need

1) Expose the image onto the endura paper, develop the paper in a B&W Developer (Ilford Multigrade).

2) Stop & Rinse it

3) Expose the image to white light (For how long?)

4) Develope the exposed print in a RA4 developing process (I will be using a colenta auto processor )

The result will be a positive image from a trans?

 

[srs5694]

Yes, that's the process. When I did it, I pulled the paper out of the processing drum in room light for a few seconds to be sure it was completely exposed to light, then put it back in. That was probably overkill.

Bear in mind that, as PE and I have both said, the results will not resemble a normal print from a negative on RA-4 paper; the contrast will be high and the colors may be hard to get properly balanced. Feel free to play with the process, though.

 

[Photo Engineer]

I would not suggest a high solvent or high sulfite film developer as the first developer. It usually leads to excessively high contrast and large speed losses. The chloride emulsions in Endura paper are very sensitive to these types of developer.

I use Dektol 1:3 for 1 - 2 mins at 68 degrees for lower contrast. Sometimes I add sulfite to the color developer to push the contrast down even more.

PE

 

[javaheadjames]

Contamination of RA-4 Chemicals?

In a shared darkroom facility, contamination of the RA-4 chemicals (in a "COLEX" color print processor) is a concern. Would this type of cross process contaminate or exhaust RA-4 chemicals any more than regular RA-4 print processing, assuming a thorough wash and dry after the first BW developer?

I would not suggest a high solvent or high sulfite film developer as the first developer. It usually leads to excessively high contrast and large speed losses. The chloride emulsions in Endura paper are very sensitive to these types of developer.

I use Dektol 1:3 for 1 - 2 mins at 68 degrees for lower contrast. Sometimes I add sulfite to the color developer to push the contrast down even more.

PE

 

[Photo Engineer]

If you develop in a B&W developer and then stop and wash well, there should be no contamination. But, there are differences in the way people work and how efficient their wash cycle is. So, be extra careful.

PE

 

[RPC]

I use Dektol 1:3 for 1 - 2 mins at 68 degrees for lower contrast. Sometimes I add sulfite to the color developer to push the contrast down even more.

PE

I believe you once mentioned a chloride restrainer should be used instead of a bromide one in the first developer. I have found this to be so or fog results, so I mix my own first developer and use sodium chloride. I have only used Ansco 130 diluted 1:3 with fair results. Any reason you know of D-72 with chloride might be better?

 

[Photo Engineer]

I've done D-72 with chloride, bromide and nothing. All work and give different results in terms of fog and color balance. The only way to tell is trial and error.

PE

 

[hrst]

For RA-4 reversal process, see my reports at (there was a url link here which no longer exists) . I had good results with Dektol formula with reduced bromide.

BW First Developer does not have any ingredient that would kill a color developer with just finest trace. Just wash the paper well on both sides, using several wash cycles. You have to wash well anyway, otherwise the process won't work; you are going to expose it to the room light, and you don't want to have First Developer on the paper left at that point.

But start with color negatives first. It is very easy to print color negs optically and have great results.