RA4 Paper Negs Colour balance help?

crumpet8 · Feb 10, 2017

Hi,

So Ive taken the same photo and processed two different ways. The colour balance is whats off and maybe the development process isnt helping either?

Ill have to send exact filter details later tonight when at home but will post a general overview now I have time

Fuji Crystal Archive paper
Rated at ISO 25
Studio lamps
UV filter and a warming (Think its an 85b but will double check later)

RA4 process as normal for the neg. Kit from Rollei digibase kit

Reversal process with HC110 as BW dev for 2 mins.

Exposed under room light for about 5 seconds before beginning with RA4 process in light again.

I recently read that I should expose the paper from behind as well so will try that next time?

Thanks in advance, and thanks for the info thats already out

bvy · Feb 10, 2017

You need to filter out all that orange, or you're going to get blue positives. I was using 50M+50Y+85B last time I made in-camera exposures with Fuji Crystal Archive. This isn't quite optimal, because the combination of filters adds ND. And with strobes (below) the color balance still wasn't perfect. It was more accurate outdoors, but the contrast was unworkable.

In the enlarger, I've found 90M+100Y to be the neutral filtration point (gray) for FCA.

As far as the process, I was using Ilford PQ paper developer for the first developer and re-exposing for maybe 30 seconds -- both sides of the paper, but I don't think that's critical. What was critical was using the first developer one shot.

crumpet8 · Feb 10, 2017

bvy said:
You need to filter out all that orange, or you're going to get blue positives. I was using 50M+50Y+85B last time I made in-camera exposures with Fuji Crystal Archive. This isn't quite optimal, because the combination of filters adds ND. And with strobes (below) the color balance still wasn't perfect. It was more accurate outdoors, but the contrast was unworkable.
View attachment 172729

In the enlarger, I've found 90M+100Y to be the neutral filtration point (gray) for FCA.

As far as the process, I was using Ilford PQ paper developer for the first developer and re-exposing.

Great photo and tips. I'm pretty new with colour balance terms as I've used mainly bw and with colour film I've only used gels on my flash to balance light. Plus the whole negative/positive thing has me in a spin. By filter out (the orange in my neg?) you mean I need to use the opposite colour to neutralise it? Or even more orange/warmth because it's negative?

bvy · Feb 10, 2017

Loosely, yes. If you want, say, less magenta in your exposure, you would add a magenta filter. Seems counterintuitive, but that's how it works. For any well balanced exposure on color paper, you want to use whatever filtration (combination of filters) produces neutral gray tones under whatever ambient or controlled light you're subjecting it to. When you make an enlargement from a color negative, the orange mask acts as a filter.

Photo Engineer · Feb 10, 2017

I would not recommend HC110 for this project. You must use a low solvent developer such as Dektol.

You need about 100C or -100R in the filtration.

PE

crumpet8 · Feb 10, 2017

Thanks BVY. Hey PE! have read a whole lot of your posts over my Apug time so i thought you might pipe in here

Photo Engineer said:
I would not r HC110 for this project. You must use a low solvent developer such as Dektol.

You need about 100C or -100R in the f

PE

Would you be able to explain the visible/practical differences in using the hc110 vs dektol? I'm sure you've stated it elsewhere so I can also go back through my catalogue of saved links.

Photo Engineer · Feb 10, 2017

HC110 is a high solvent developer, and papers are mainly AgCl (Silver Chloride). They dissolve easily in high solvent developers and you lose detail in the top (cyan) layer and can also lose speed.

I use Sulfite in the CD to reduce contrast.

PE

bvy · Feb 10, 2017

Photo Engineer said:
You need about 100C or -100R in the filtration.

-100R? Seems like he needs more red filtration in his negative, not less. If I understand, the photo on the left (negative) was processed normally.

Photo Engineer · Feb 10, 2017

I'm referring to the filtration needed to obtain the positive. Sorry for the confusion.

It would be about +100R or -100C in the negative.

But, that is quite unusual either way.

PE

crumpet8 · Feb 11, 2017

Photo Engineer said:
I'm referring to the filtration needed to obtain the positive. Sorry for the confusion.

It would be about +100R or -100C in the negative.

But, that is quite unusual either way.

PE

Are you implying that it's different filtration for each process?

Photo Engineer · Feb 11, 2017

No, you either filter when you take the picture, or filter to get the final image in this case.

PE

RA4 Paper Negs Colour balance help?

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