Quick Colour Process Query

[Roger2000]

Dear All,

I’m going to venture into my first spot of colour printing this evening, using Kodak Ektacolour chemicals in a Paterson thermo drum. I seem to have everything straight in my mind apart from the issue of a stopbath, and I wonder if anyone could advise me about whether this is a necessary step in the process? If so, is a B&W stop bath adequate, or do I need to get hold of something else?

Many thanks in advance for any help on this one.

 

[Ian Grant]

In my Nova tank system I use a normal acetic acid stop-bath at double the dilution I use for B&W, that works fine.

Ian

 

[hrst]

Normal BW stop bath works, I prefer odorless citric acid.

And if you find drum processing tedious, don't hesitate to try tray processing at room temperature. Some people like drums, some people don't.

 

[Ben 4]

Stop Bath

When I started in with color print processing in drums, I tried forgoing stop bath, but found that I got streaking. The stop bath eliminated that. These days I use ordinary household white vinegar diluted 1:1 with water, which seems to work fine.

 

[ricksplace]

I use Kodak indicator stop bath at the same dilution as I do for B&W. I use separate solutions for colour and B&W. Supposedly the blix lasts longer if you rinse after the stop.

 

[PHOTOTONE]

Since RA4 can be done with pro-quality results at room temps, I see no reason to go to the trouble of using a drum. Trays work fine, as long as you are OK with working in the dark.

 

[Bob-D659]

With drums at room temp, you don't have to be in dark for long, and at 75ml for a couple of 2x5 test prints and an 8x10, the chems aren't very expensive either.

11x14 and 16x20 prints are a little unwieldy to tray process in the dark.

 

[Kevin Caulfield]

Same Ilford stop for BW for me for my colour processing at the same dilution.

 

[Roger2000]

Thanks for the advice chaps. I prepared some ilfostop at 35 degrees but - alas - when I finally get everything ready to go, the bulb went kaput just as I was lining up the first negative.

Without any spares, that was that. It's just as well it did fail, as up until that point I was rather confused as to why the image on the baseboard was so dark when the aperture was wide open. Close inspection of the bulb (halogen for the Durst M605) revealed that it was highly knackered with all the reflective bits worn away.

That's what you get for buying a enlarger head 'as seen' without looking it over properly.

Anyhow, I'm intrigued by your suggestions of using trays instead of a drum - at room temperature. Does this work well with the Kodak RA4 chems, and by room temp do you mean 20 degrees C? I rather thought it had to be done at 35 or else...

Many thanks once again for all your comments.

 

[hrst]

This is discussed here many times so I summarize:

Kodak RA-RT chemicals work in room temp, dev 2 minutes, blix 2-4 minutes. I use these times in 23-25 deg C but PE says even 20C is okay (and suggests the mentioned times). I've not used any starter, just the replenisher, as PE suggests. The results are perfect and no-one has ever reported any problems here with Kodak papers.

However, it is said that you may not get perfect results with Fuji papers in room temp.

Of course the higher the temperature, quicker the process. My room temperature is never 20C but rather 23 to 25. Maybe we have powerful house heating systems here.

 

[nickandre]

Trays at room temp is a great solution for Kodak Paper. Do not try it with Fuji paper. If you have a setup for warmer temperatures, go with it. I just find that processing 16x20 paper is best done in a tray. Room temp works fine but requires a filter change.

 

[perkeleellinen]

My room temperature is never 20C but rather 23 to 25. Maybe we have powerful house heating systems here.

Envious of this. I was printing at a room temperature of 17 last week, my darkroom always seems to be 2-3 degrees colder than the rest of the house.