RA4 Reversal process: red blacks...

[Lightfire]

In search of something new I decided to buy a roll of Kodak Premier Digital paper (I used Fuji CA before). It works perfectly with negatives, but when it comes to the reversal process... I get pretty much low contrast positives. I mean, it's impossible to reach any kind of black even if the paper sheet wasn't exposed (but was developer in a B&W developer). If I don't use any B&W developer (like in a normal RA4 process), then blacks are more than okay. Is it possible to correct them? I tried to add hypo (in different amounts), but it either killed any dark areas at all (they turned into yellow) or just turned the red blacks into green blacks. For the first developer I tried both Dektol and some Kodak X-Ray developer concentrate. I also tried to add some H2O2 to the color developer, but it didn't changed the situation at all.

The thing is, many people say that Fuji CA doesn't work well with the reversal process, but I actually got rich blacks and pretty much fine whites. The high contrast was a problem, but not for all slides. Oh, and there wasn't any kind of mottling. But with the Kodak paper... I can only get that low contrast, no blacks and a strong mottling (which actually doesn't bother me that much).

Thank you in advance!

 

[pentaxuser]

In search of something new I decided to buy a roll of Kodak Premier Digital paper (I used Fuji CA before). It works perfectly with negatives,
Thank you in advance!

Sorry I can't help here but I have a question if you have the time to answer. What kind of exposure times do you need when using Kodak Premier Digital paper for colour negatives?

Thanks

pentaxuser

 

[Photo Engineer]

I have never used that paper for making positives so I cannot speak from hands on experience. I can say that red blacks mean that the top layer is being affected more than any other layer during first development. Too much silver is being developed then in the cyan (top) layer.

Also, red blacks can take place if you add antifoggant, silver halide solvents in excess or Sulfite to the CD.

What dilution of Dektol did you use?

PE

 

[Lightfire]

Sorry I can't help here but I have a question if you have the time to answer. What kind of exposure times do you need when using Kodak Premier Digital paper for colour negatives?

Thanks

pentaxuser

Hmm... Since I've changed the light bulb in my enlarger to get more diffuse light, it would be difficult to compare the times (with a tungsten-halogen bulb I couldn't change aperture, so I had to use a lot of cyan filters to get acceptable exposure times). Now I simply use yellow and magenta filters, without any cyan ones. And the exposure times aren't too short or too long. More like... The last negative I printed (15x20 cm print) needed about 12 seconds to reach the proper density (aperture was slightly closed, f/8). So, I think that this paper has either ~the same ISO with Fuji CA or it's about 1 stops slower. It's also has slightly higher contrast than Fuji CA does. I also noticed it has to be developed 1 minute longer (in RA4 developer, room temperature. Fuji CA needed only 2 minutes)

 

[Lightfire]

I have never used that paper for making positives so I cannot speak from hands on experience. I can say that red blacks mean that the top layer is being affected more than any other layer during first development. Too much silver is being developed then in the cyan (top) layer.

Also, red blacks can take place if you add antifoggant, silver halide solvents in excess or Sulfite to the CD.

What dilution of Dektol did you use?

PE

Thank you for your answer.

I tried both 1+2 and 1+3 dilutions. The results were the same. If I remember correctly, there are 2 grams of potassium bromide in the concentrated solution. I'll try to remove it at all, I guess. Hope it will change the situation somehow. I didn't add any sulfite to the cd, by the way.

Is it a good idea to make a liter of Dektol without any bromide? In that case I can add it in small amounts to the concentrate after...

Thank you in advance for your answer

 

[Photo Engineer]

You mix your own Dektol? That is what it sounds like anyhow. That would be properly called D72 to distinguish.

The Bromide should have no effect as I used it too. However, removing it might help.

Otherwise, I have no idea unless you have some bad chemicals.

PE