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RA4 developer capacity and shelf life

Wayne

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Just for yucks and because I didn't feel like mixing a new batch, I did some printing with some Arista RA4 chemicals that I mixed up on December 7. The spec sheet gives it a one week life in processor, but doesn't say when the life is in a closed bottle. They also recommend one shot use, which I always prefer to do anyway.

I didn't print any comparisons to prints that I made when the solutions were fresh so I can't say that they action didn't change some, but I can say I still got quite acceptable results. I only had about 100 ml of developer left over, and I used it for 6-7 prints and the last one looked as good as the first.
If I was doing valuable prints for sale or making multiple copies of one image that I needed to be identical I would still go single shot, but it was nice to know I can reuse the solutions in a pinch and that they seem to last longer than suggested. I was developing 8x10s in a drum.

What have you found in this regard?
 
I think the capacity and longevity designations of RA-4 developers are somewhat conservative. I use the Ektacolor chemistry, and I'm finishing up a ten liter batch that I mixed up in the spring (and bought in August 2012). I keep the working solution in two liter soft drink bottles filled to capacity. As far as reuse, I find it beneficial to develop my 8x10's in the same 70ml of solution that I used to make my test prints. I make tests on 4x5 sheets and reuse that for as many tests as it takes (one to four usually). Then I make the final print using the same 70ml of solution. (I do this because I once ran tests for a print, and then made the final 8x10 with fresh developer from a new bottle. The color balance was way off, and I had to start over. Developer was probably pooped, but I was still able to adjust the color balance to get something usable).

I process at 94F for one minute using drum and motor base. My paper is Fuji Crystal Archive.
 
For comparison, what does Kodak claim for capacity and storage? Since I'm new to RA4 (bot not to color) I'm going the low volume, economy route with Arista. Eventually once I improve (and my pay improves) I will probably to go Kodak based on comments I've heard about it's longevity. BUt maybe Arista lasts pretty long too. There have been comments that the 10 liter Arista kit (no longer available, that I can tell) was Kodak but no such comments on the smaller kits I'm using.

 
I store the stock in recycled wine boxes and it lasts a very long time. The last batch I used up was probably 8-10 months old at the end.

I normally figure about 20ml for each 8x10 as capacity and add a little extra time for each run then toss it.
 
My beseler 8x10 tube uses 50 ml per print for 20 prints per liter. I have consistant results so I've never tried re-using the chems. It seems to me the biggest investment in color printing is time, so I want to make sure I get good results. Maybe after retirement I can experiment...Someday...
 
bvy said:
They claim six weeks for mixed solutions in "full, stoppered glass bottles" (very conservative) and for capacity, 16 8x10 prints per liter (more realistic). See: http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/j39/j39.pdf.
Click to expand...

I mixed my first batch of Kodak RA on June 3 and ran a bunch of prints (probably very close to capacity) through a couple liters. Just for yucks I ran some prints through it again tonight. I'll have to wait till they dry to bring them into the same light as ones from the first batch for the most critical evaluation, but the prints looked very acceptable if not almost identical. The solution wasn't even stored that well; it was in plastic milk bottles in mt darkroom, which easily reaches 80 degrees in the summer. Hopefully this means the rest of thye stock is also good, which I stored in glass with nitogen.
 
I compared prints under good light today and the prints from June are almost identifical to the prints from last night in 7 month old working solution. There is a slight warm color shift in last night's prints (~5cc), but no more than you'd expect from prints processed later in a session with the same batch of chems in the same day. Conclusion: Kodak RA chems last very loong even in working solution
 
Mixed some Kodak one gallon size of RA4 developer back in 2003 and it still works fine. Stored in PET Plastic since then, filled to the top. - David Lyga
 
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