RA-4 print brightener

[brian_mk]

In an earlier thread I mentioned I had bought a cheap part-roll of Fuji Crystal Archive paper.

I tested the paper today and although it appears to be useable, the whites are not as bright as they should be. Processing an unexposed strip gives a result that looks off-white when compared to a new batch of paper. I have had this problem in the past with paper that is a few months old.

I was wondering if using a print brightener such as Fotospeed CPS100 would help with old paper?

 

[nickandre]

Seems like a crap shoot to me...

 

[brian_mk]

Seems like a crap shoot to me...

Yes it is a crap shoot.

Photography is an expensive hobby - it costs a lot in equipment, travel, processing etc.

When it is a hobby rather than a profession and find yourself made redundant as I was, then you have to try and cut costs or give it up.

 

[nickandre]

I would try an antifoggant in the developer before you try a print brightener.

If you want to save money there are rolls of paper on ebay which work out to be 700 sheets for $30 or something. You have to watch for the good deals. I recently purchased 400 11x14s in rolls for $60.

 

[pentaxuser]

As a past user of print brightener,( Nova and Fotospeed's) I has always assumed that the claim of an extra 10% brightness applies to the developed colours only but maybe not. If it works on the borders as well then it might be an alternative to anti-foggant which if I have understood PE correctly needs 3 anti-foggants( one for each colour).

PE understandably gets tired repeating himself but he may chime and say if these anti-foggants can be purchased. I suppose that even if they can then unless they were relatively cheap then it's a choice of putting up with slightly creamy borders or buying new stock. If inferior but cheap stock plus antifoggants = the price of new stock then it's a no-brainer

pentaxuser