Ra4 paper developer advice needed!

[J Rollinger]

I have decided to take the plunge into color prints and need advice on the chemicals. I will order them from Calumet and here is what i will buy,(Kodak RA RT Developer Replenisher, Kodak RA Bleach-Fix and Replenisher). Are these the correct chemicals? DO i need a developer starter for the developer? I have C41 bleach and fixer, Can i use them or do i need paper blix? One last question please, If color paper is fogged from a safelight would it turn blue around the edges? The reason I'm asking is because i developed a few prints using C41 film developer and all the borders were blue.

Thank you
Jim

 

[Photo Engineer]

You do not need a starter for RA-RT developer replenisher. You should not use C-41 bleach and fix, as it can stain paper. If you have to, use a test sheet first and see if it comes out as white as a sheet that has been fixed alone.

Depending on safelight, the fog can be blue. But the C41 developer is much more active than the RA developer due to the use of CD-4 and therefore it might be fog from overdevelopment. IDK.

PE

 

[J Rollinger]

You do not need a starter for RA-RT developer replenisher. You should not use C-41 bleach and fix, as it can stain paper. If you have to, use a test sheet first and see if it comes out as white as a sheet that has been fixed alone.

Depending on safelight, the fog can be blue. But the C41 developer is much more active than the RA developer due to the use of CD-4 and therefore it might be fog from overdevelopment. IDK.

PE

PE, Thank you very much for the response. The blue must be from over development since i mixed the C41 developer 4 times the film strength. I did that because it worked with B&W paper and film developer.

Thank you
Jim

 

[andrew green]

i usedfotospeed and i loved the results.

 

[J Rollinger]

i usedfotospeed and i loved the results.

You can process it at room temperature, i like that. I already ordered Kodak chemicals, I wish i learned of Fotospeed earlier.

Thanks
jim

 

[Photo Engineer]

Kodak RA-RT developer replenisher will work at 68 F (20C) using 2' development time.

The other developers alter the formulation or color developing agent to achieve this which compromises image stability or other factors in the imaging process.

PE

 

[Ronald Moravec]

I quit PN so I could not answer there, but streaks and cyan are from under strenght stop bath or none at all. Multiple water washes in place of stop is only marginally effective.

Develope, stop, rinse, bleach/fix. That is how I use the 4 slots in my Nova. Before I went to acid stop, I got cyan borders and streaking. Usually I could get a good print or two, then it started.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Yes, Kodak recommends a 1 - 2% acetic acid stop for the RA process.

PE

 

[J Rollinger]

Yes, Kodak recommends a 1 - 2% acetic acid stop for the RA process.

PE

PE, Since i placed my order for the correct chemicals i have been searching and downloading everything i can find on the process. The information i got from Kodak's website states that a stop is optional! Please correct me if i am wrong. I have viewed it again and it states stop and wash is optional between the developing & bleach/fix.

 

[Photo Engineer]

I never ues the wash before the blix. But the stop is optional if you get cyan streaks and blemishes. The original instructions said that they only believed it to be the case in drum processors at 100F, but I have found it to be the case at lower temps and sometimes in trays with poor agitation in the blix.

The carryover of stop into the bleach is not important as long as you drain properly.

PE

 

[nickandre]

I have had absolutely no problems going from the room temp developer to blix without a stop bath. Make sure you're using Kodak papers. Don't use a safelight either. From my experience if it's bright enough to see what you're doing with the safelight, you're fogging the paper. I have had more success with a limited amount of white light filtering into the darkroom. It's enough to see what I'm doing and doesn't noticeably fog the paper.

 

[nickandre]

And what is a blix capacity that will ensure stability of my images? I feel like I'm pushing mine but I have no idea...

 

[Photo Engineer]

The test is really for the quality of the fix portion of the blix and the wash. If you test the paper using a retained hypo and retained silver test kit, this should give you some sort of assurance.

PE