Preflashing RA4

[jabe]

I have been messing around with preflashing lately and have had some decent results but I am interested to hear how people approach pre flashing their RA4 prints.

What is your general approach to this? Do you balance the image first and then choose a pre flash color to compliment it? I don't see a lot of good info on this, so just hoping to open the conversation and hear other peoples input on techniques and things they have learned.

Thanks!

 

[koraks]

Yeah, balance first, then preflash using a neutral diffuser. But in 99.99% of the prints I don't bother. If it doesn't print ok as it is, I'd rather go out and make some new negatives.

 

[SteD]

Yeah, balance first, then preflash using a neutral diffuser.

I’ve been having good results with this method but am finding it quite time consuming to find the right flash time. Maybe there’s a quicker way? Only have one enlarger and don’t have room for another.

 

[koraks]

Yes, it's a bit of work. Which is why I don't do it in general.

 

[halfaman]

I do the flashing with a piece orange mask of the same film you I am enlarging to not alter the original color balance. The rest is exactly like in B/W paper.