Room Temperature

[mexico531]

Hi, can anybody tell me if Tetanal Colortec room temp RA4 chems can be used at 38 degrees. The reason I ask is the room temp kits are much cheaper than the 38 degree kits. I prefer to process at the higher temp as it's much quicker and my Nova slot processor copes very well at 38 degress.

 

[hrst]

Probably not. The developing time would be too short. They are designed for room temp.

Those room temp kits are also more expensive than the real stuff. Buy the 38C stuff: http://www.ag-photographic.co.uk/process-ra4-117-c.asp They are designed for 38C use and much cheaper.

In addition, Tetenal Colortec Room temp RA4 chemicals don't work. They have defective blix. It's all about luck if you can get usable prints at all. There's much discussion about this issue in APUG.

 

[Photo Engineer]

The Kodak RA-RT developer replenisher can be used from 68 F to 100 F with 2' to 1' development times. Just draw a line through the time temp chart to estimate your time/temp combination from that information.

Now, the color balance and speed will vary. So, you will have to compensate for this in your exposure, but once you have that, it will be pretty much constant at that given time and temperature.

PE

 

[mexico531]

Thanks hrst. I've always used the 38 temp kits both at work and at home and I'd never use anything at room temp. I just wondered if they could be used at a higher temp.

 

[mexico531]

Phot Engineer - thanks. I've always used the normal RA chems in my Nova slot at 38 deg, 45 secs for both dev and bleach. I've just found somewhere selling the room temp kits at a bargain price and wodered if they could be used at 38. Surely, at room temp the process times are going to be much longer. I used to work in Kodak photo lab and understand all about process control and chart plotting, so I'm well up on the standard temp RA stuff.

 

[hrst]

Bargain price especially sounds suspicious -- they may have some old stuff. The problem with these Tetenal kits is that their real shelf-life is about 6 months, and they have no date stamps.

 

[nickandre]

If it's a mono-concentrate kit run far far away clutching your money. Last time I tried bargain chemistry Part B of my ektacolor 1 gallon developer was black goop. That's bad.

 

[mexico531]

Tanks all for your help. I've never tried Tetenal - I now I don't think I ever will. I'll stick to my usual Kodak or Fuji as I fully understand how this works.