Ultrafine RA-4 Color Paper :Opinions or recommendations?

[DanielStone]

Hey all,

I was just parusing through my most recent Ultrafine catalog, and I noticed that they had their own Ultrafine RA-4 color paper.

Have any of you used this product before? I'm interested mostly because its quite cheap (8x10x100sht is $23.99+shipping).

Is this just re-branded fuji or kodak paper, or is mitsubishi or konica making papers for them?

I'm on a serious budget right now because of school, but due to being in a color darkroom course, I need paper....and this fits my budget.

thanks

Dan

 

[DanielStone]

no one has any experience with this paper? wow, i'm impressed, or is it bad?

 

[nickandre]

All I know is the 11x14 paper I wanted was not available. and has not been for a year and a half continuously...hmmm.

Having tried both fuji and kodak paper in my room temp setup I have determined through highly scientific testing that fuji paper gives me magenta crossover crap and kodak supra endura gives me shiny colorful pictures. I don't feel like saving 25-50% on my paper if 100% of my images will be utter crap. just my two cents. I personally opted for the $18 box of 8x10 (50 sheets) Kodak Supra Endura and was quite contented with my shiny images. Then I dropped $83 for bigger 16x20 shiny paper. It depends if you really care about your image quality or if you just want to test it out.

I also believe it's one of the two because as far as I know there are only two companies coating RA4 paper. I think you should try it and tell me what you think. Are you doing room temperature in trays or heated somehow?

 

[DanielStone]

All I know is the 11x14 paper I wanted was not available. and has not been for a year and a half continuously...hmmm.

Having tried both fuji and kodak paper in my room temp setup I have determined through highly scientific testing that fuji paper gives me magenta crossover crap and kodak supra endura gives me shiny colorful pictures. I don't feel like saving 25-50% on my paper if 100% of my images will be utter crap. just my two cents. I personally opted for the $18 box of 8x10 (50 sheets) Kodak Supra Endura and was quite contented with my shiny images. Then I dropped $83 for bigger 16x20 shiny paper. It depends if you really care about your image quality or if you just want to test it out.

I also believe it's one of the two because as far as I know there are only two companies coating RA4 paper. I think you should try it and tell me what you think. Are you doing room temperature in trays or heated somehow?

I'm using a Kreonite at school. Thank God . Personally, I wouldn't want to deal with trays and color chemistry. Usually I give in to the hybrid method with my color work. B/W I still prefer to use the darkroom.

-Dan

 

[DanielStone]

bump. I was wondering if anyone has heard of this, and or used it. I was looking through my Ultrafine catalog this evening over dinner (yes, fun night with me )

-Dan

 

[EASmithV]

At this point, Buy and try. It's cheap enough to try.

 

[Ed Sukach]

Some time ago, I used (and "wrung out" - thoroughly) Ultrafine RA-4 paper. I don't know if what they are seeling today is the same - rebranded "someone else's), but at the time, it was easily the equal to Ilford, Kodak, and Agfa papers.

Based on my experience, I would NOT hesitiate to recommend it, with the usual, and necessary, caveats.

 

[DanielStone]

thanks ed! I'll be placing an order shortly, and I'll let everyone know of my findings!

is mitsubishi or Konica still coating paper? I thought that they still did it for a limited market abroad?

-Dan