RA4 101 with a basic enlarger?

Hi everyone,

I didn't realize that the RA4 chemicals and paper were as inexpensive as they are. I'm thinking that I may want to try out the color printing process for myself. However, I only have the Beseler 23C enlarger, which does not have a color head. I was planning on getting a set of Arista color filters (C/M/Y) from Freestyle to put in the filter drawer, if that would even work.

But the thing that confuses me is the denotation of filtration. I see starting suggestions like 30M 40Y, which means nothing to me other than a certain amount of magenta and yellow light being .

Are there any beginner guides out there for RA4 printing, preferably on the web or in old posts on APUG? (I did try searching, but it was still confusing)

Those are the filtration amounts. Try about 40M + 50Y IF, and only if, you have filtered properly in your camera (ie, outdoors no filter, indoors blue filter 80A). I use NO filter indoors under tungsten light and have to give much more yellow when I print. - David Lyga.

So, when you say, for example, 40M + 50Y, are you placing two filters (one magenta, one yellow) in the light path simultaneously?

I just dug out an old set of Beseler color printing filters that I had squirreled away. The packaging says that this is the 8932 (5 1/2 x 5 1/2) set for Beseler 23C and other enlargers. The filters are intended to go in the filter drawer just below the condenser. There are three colors included in the set: Cyan, Magenta and Yellow. The available filter values are .025, .05, .10, .20, .30, .40, and .50 for each color. You use combinations of these filters to obtain the desired value. To get a value of 45M + 55Y use the yellow .50 and the yellow .05 and the magenta .40 and the magenta .05. Using the Heat Absorbing Glass is recommended. You will have to increase exposure in the enlarger to compensate for the filter factor.

Be prepared for very short exposure times also. Most of mine were a second or two.