Wanting to startup again

[richard littlewood]

This may seem like madness, but I'm wanting to produce big (possibly up to 40 inch) colour prints from 5x4 negs. I used to do colour years ago, and have worked in a lab, and I have a b+w darkroom set up to make prints that big, so I'm farmilliar with the darkroom, and colour printing 20 years in the past. The neg side of things is no problem, but as for the printing!. I would really like to use my current darkroom gear - I imagine a colour enlarger head is a must? or would it be possible to use filter packs if they still exist, and it would mean trays for developing. I'm going to check out paper availability, but I'd like to hear from seasoned colour workers out there. How difficult would this all be, and what would it take to make decent big prints. I dont mind the struggle - making big b+w's can be that! but just how possible is it, and what would be essential darkroom gear?
Cheers
Richard

 

[DanielStone]

well, I would imagine that the best way to enlarge would be horizontally, if you already aren't set up that way. The only thing about making prints that big is maintaining a water bath for the trays to keep temperature. Using trays for color is definitely possible, but without a watchful eye and a good thermometer, it can be a bit of a headache =(. As to a color head being a must, I would strongly recommend it versus color packs, being that you can dial in almost exact color values with it, versus a little more of a "sticks and stones" method with color packs, IMO. Regarding paper, if you want to go up to 40 inches(long side), you can likely purchase roll stock of fuji and kodak papers, I don't know if there is a purchase minimum, many shops that can get it usually have a minimum order, etc... Kodak and Fuji both have a good selection of roll media. (Fuji super gloss is one of my favorites for when i make big prints).

Have you considered scanning and getting a lightjet print made? It would be on the same kind of paper that you could use in your own darkroom, but with the great control of using photoshop. Especially for a print up to 40". And with the file, you can play with it as much as you want.

Whichever way you go, best of luck with it!!!

 

[Excalibur2]

***but I'd like to hear from seasoned colour workers out there.***

Well I was once a seasoned 8X10" amateur colour worker, and what a hassle never really enjoyed it esp after the motor failed on my Paterson that was rotating the drum with the print, winding by hand is so primitive erm and stains where chemicals splashed and IIRC the fixer could rot a steel sink, washing and drying the print ugh.....but it was a neccessity then because inkjets were primitive and lab prints were expensive, but would go back for B/W.
Can't imagine going up to 40", a cockup and the expensive paper is wasted.

 

[Bob-D659]

Temp control is easy, just use the Kodak 10 litre kits at 20C and 2 min processing time. Tray handling a 40" x xx" print in the dark might be a little challenging.

I picked up a 4x5 Durst with a colour head, power supply, multiple neg carriers, mixer boxes and other assorted goodies for $200 last fall. Way more fun and a fraction of the cost of buying a neg scanner, photo printer, etc.

 

[richard littlewood]

I dont mind the trays in the dark bit, and I imagine printing on days when my loft darkroom is hotted up in the warmer months only - days when keeping b+w chemicals cooler is almost impossible. As for filter packs I dont mind giving them a go before hunting down yet another enlarger - would a cibachrome pack be any good?
Bob, is the standard temp for the chemicals 20C now? I'm sure if I remember right it was much warmer than that.

 

[Bob-D659]

Standard temp for colour print processing is much higher. There are a few room temp kits for small volume printing that work. The Kodak RA-4 chemistry works fine at 20C and 2 minutes and is way cheaper than the dedicated room temp kits. There is a slight difference in the filter pack compared to "normal temp", but it is a consistent difference. There are a whole bunch of threads here on room temp colour printing here, just scan thru this forum.