Where to get Ilfochrome and RA-4 Chemicals in Canada

[SeanEsopenko]

I'm the new owner of a slightly used CAP-40 Cibachrome paper processor for $150 (average going rate it seems). I guess with a fairly simple mod I can slow it down for RA-4, and if I disconnect the heater unit I can use it for silver fiber paper (it has a 2 minute development time).

The amazing thing was it came with about $500-700 in unopened Ilfochrome paper that the guy kept in his freezer. He included a chemical starter kit that mixes up 2L of each chemical but that won't really be enough and I want to do some RA-4 as well anyways.

I've had a hard time finding a source for RA-4 and Ilfochrome chemicals in Canada. Any advice? I've called a few local photo shops and none of them seem to want to throw some extra stuff on a Kodak order so that seems to not be available.

[bob carnie]

Sean

unfortunately the lack of proper supply made me stop using Ciba material 4 years ago.
Jeff Wall in Vancouver is using the product and may be able to direct you to his source.
Getting the Bleach Fix across the border is problematic.
good luck


Bpb

I'm the new owner of a slightly used CAP-40 Cibachrome paper processor for $150 (average going rate it seems). I guess with a fairly simple mod I can slow it down for RA-4, and if I disconnect the heater unit I can use it for silver fiber paper (it has a 2 minute development time).

The amazing thing was it came with about $500-700 in unopened Ilfochrome paper that the guy kept in his freezer. He included a chemical starter kit that mixes up 2L of each chemical but that won't really be enough and I want to do some RA-4 as well anyways.

I've had a hard time finding a source for RA-4 and Ilfochrome chemicals in Canada. Any advice? I've called a few local photo shops and none of them seem to want to throw some extra stuff on a Kodak order so that seems to not be available.

[SeanEsopenko]

Thanks bob. Part A of the developer is tough, too. I couldnt find any contact info for him so I took a long shot and emailed a gallery representing him asking if they could provide an email address for him. For anybody interested, I'm in the process of opening up an account with mondrian, a canadian supplier of kodak chemicals, to get RA-4 stuff. If they can supply the RT chemicals (for roller transport) ill share the news and the cost. The sales rep is also checking if she can supply Kodak film and the cost. Might be able to get wholesale pricing on film

[bluejeh]

Hi Sean
In 2008 I contacted Ilford's supplier in the US, as well as B&H - neither will deliver the hazardous bleach chemicals to an end-user, however they will deliver to a (photo) company so we use Beau Photo here in Vancouver to import the chemicals. It does take some time to receive them. Since 2008 we've ordered 2 batches and now use the B&W developer and fix, and with the Ilfo bleach.
We are fairly new users to ilfochrome - how do you calibrate for the ciba color? Is there a particular procedure for this or do you eyeball it? I'm hoping to find a specific procedure that I can follow rather than eyeballing it.
Do you use specific filters?
thanks so much. Judy

[SeanEsopenko]

Hi Sean
In 2008 I contacted Ilford's supplier in the US, as well as B&H - neither will deliver the hazardous bleach chemicals to an end-user, however they will deliver to a (photo) company so we use Beau Photo here in Vancouver to import the chemicals. It does take some time to receive them. Since 2008 we've ordered 2 batches and now use the B&W developer and fix, and with the Ilfo bleach.
We are fairly new users to ilfochrome - how do you calibrate for the ciba color? Is there a particular procedure for this or do you eyeball it? I'm hoping to find a specific procedure that I can follow rather than eyeballing it.
Do you use specific filters?
thanks so much. Judy

That's good news to hear that somebody was able to get the chemicals in Canada. My wife has an art supply & custom framing shop so I wonder if that'd be "brick and mortar" enough for them to ship them without having to deal with a local shop.

I only printed about 15-20 prints from expired Ilfochome chemicals and they were from slides that didn't belong to me (old kodachromes of a friend's late great-uncle's). I noticed some heavy cross curves which I had hypothesized was due to the long expired chemicals and paper. The roller transport was at the proper temperature so that couldn't have caused it.

As for colour "calibration" I eye-ball it. I actually find it easier to colour balance images in the darkroom than scans on the monitor. My limited colour printing experience is from RA4 (gone through a couple boxes of 11x14, and 16x20 learning the beginnings). I'm just now learning how masks work and if the cross-curves I was seeing was not due to using expired chemicals/paper then I think I'd have to spend some time making correction masks. I can clumsily correct for a few things in luminance but I have no knowledge yet how to approach colour correcting masks. I'm suspecting having a densitometer and knowing how to use it might help me a bit with determining an approach for a set of masks but I haven't found a need to prioritize the acquisition of one yet.

If you're looking for a "procedure" you can get yourself one of those colour analyzer things and ensure there's a grey card in the far corner of every shot. I have one of those gizmos (given as a bday gift) but I've never taken it out of the box so I don't have much to say on how useful the process is.

On another note I have a fairly nice Halogen light in my darkroom that I can turn on to inspect a dried print. It's very similar to the track lighting found in most galleries and really helps with judging colour according to how it will look when hung on a wall. I also have a sheet of framing glass to hold in front of the print because I find conservation (anti-uv) glass adds a large amount of warmth which I may have to correct for in the print.

[Drew Wiley]

You will first need to visually calibrate color balance per your own colorhead. This is
done the old-fashioned way by printing a standardized chrome of the Macbeath chart
or something similar. Then you look at the package for Ciba's recommended YMC settings and note the difference. You can apply this difference to your next batch
and its printed parameters, provided the paper in each instance has been properly
cold-stored to prevent balance shift. Once you thaw a batch of Ciba, however, it
will gradually begin shifting color-balance, typically from being a little more cyan new
to being more magenta. After about six months, the highlight will crossover in such
a manner you cannot correct them. So it's good not to store opened paper not too
long.