RA4 tutorials?

[coops]

It never occured to me to try this, and sounds like fun. I have a color head, 8x10 camera and a Jobo processor, so I want to try it. Can anybody recommend a good source of info, like RA4 for dummys?
Cheers

[Jon Shiu]

A good book on color printing is Henry Horenstein's Color Photography.

Jon

[Stephen Willard]

All of JOBO's user manuals cover RA4 processing whether you have a cpp2 or an ATL 2500. They cover everything about RA4. If you do not have a manual, then they are commonly sold on ebay. I have done tons of RA4 processing using a JOBO processor, and it is easier then doing b&w prints.

Hope this helps...

[csant]

RA4 processing works just like b/w processing, whether you do it in drums or trays. The only thing to take care of is keeping temperature stable. There are plenty of tutorials on the web.

[coops]

Thanks, I read one just now. The guy used color neg film, can the process be done with slide film?

[coops]

Thanks, I read one just now. The guy used color neg film, can the process be done with slide film?


Never mind, I have the answer. Seems more difficult, so I will stick with the color neg. for now, and have ordered the chemicals and paper. I guess I need to think about doing my own c-41 developing now.

[tgtaylor]

I agree with all of the above.

The only other items that you will need are a viewing filter set for determining color casts, ~$50 new, and a print viewing station - an 11x14 station will set you back about $300 new. If you don't already have, I would recommend gettin 2 Jobo 8x10 print drums (I'm away from home and can't recall the drum numbers) for test and 8x10 prints. Why 2? One is drying while the other is being used. With the right Jobo drums you can print up to 20x24 and color paper is cheap compared to B&W.

Finally, be sure to allow at least 10 seconds drain time for each chemical before pouring in the next. I process on a counter top in the kitchen with a gray lab 300 timer. I set the timer initially to 1:45.

Step 1: Pour in soak and start timer;
2: drain soak at 1:25 on timer;
3: Pour in Developer at 1:15;
4: Drain developer at 0.40;
5: Pour in stop at 0.30 and increase time on timer by one minute;
6: Drain stop at 1:10;
7: Pour in rinse at 1:00;
8: Drain rinse at 0.40;
9: Pour in bleach at 0.30 and increase timer by 1 minute;
10: Drain bleach at 0.55;
11: Pour in first rinse at 0:45;
12: Drain first rinse at 0:25;
13: Pour in second rinse at 0:15 an increase time on time by 1 minute;
14: Drain 2d rinse at 0.55;
15: Pour in 3d rinse at 0.45;
16: Turn up heat on dryer to max and drain final rinse at 0:00;
Extract paper walk back to the dryer in my bathroom where it takes ~ 50 seconds to dry;
17: Wash and dry drum with paper towels and examine print on viewing station.

Dat's all there is to it!

[csant]

I process on a counter top in the kitchen with a gray lab 300 timer. I set the timer initially to 1:45.

Hehe, this nicely illustrates why I actually don't love RA4 processing too much - it's really hectic, when compared to the lith, albumen or gum bichromate processing I usually do :D

[Mark Barendt]

I am actually really loving RA-4 and I don't find it a bit hectic.

Been using UltraFine's (http://www.ultrafineonline.com/ulracopach.html) kit so far.

Works great;
I mix up 600ml for 8x10, generally get about 12-15 sheets through the trays before it's exhausted.

Expose
Develop 2 minutes at about 85 degrees
Blix 1 1/2 minutes room temp
First rinse tray (2 liters water), un-timed, probably about 30 seconds just to get the bulk of the Blix off
Second rinse in large tray (4-8 liters), until the next print hits the first rinse
Hang to dry above the large tray

I'm also using a "Color by Beseler Subtractive Calculator" (http://books.google.com/books?id=D-UDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA78&lpg=PA78&dq=Color+by+Beseler+Subtractive+Calculator&source=bl&ots=_HmvpbjiRG&sig=hhhywKmOmvYR6B_m_yvs07E6hI4&hl=en&ei=rSm3S661KYbg8QSC_tnqAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CBoQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=Color%20by%20Beseler%20Subtractive%20Calculator&f=false), that I found at a thrift store, to get color and exposure.

With a little experience, one print with the calculator can get you darn close (you need to see a test print or two to get a feel for what the instructions are asking for and how the calculator's results relate to different types of subjects).

Typically now I can print one "calculator print" then set the enlarger with those results, then do one "straight print" to check the results. After that it's all about how I want that photo to look.

[tgtaylor]

I use the following Kodak Chemistry which you can find in most full service retail stores and can order online from places like Calumet. Only 61mL of each chemistry is required for processing one 8x10 print in a Jobo 8x10 print drum.

Developer: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/28803-REG/Kodak_8415580_Ektacolor_RA_Developer_Replenisher.html

Starter: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/28809-REG/Kodak_1026681_Ektacolor_RA_Developer_Starter.html

Stop: http://store.pictureline.com/kodak-glacial-acetic-acid-1-gal.html Currently dscontinued but you can still find it. A gallon bottle (~$25) will last years as you only use one ounce per 2 liters of stop.

Blix: http://www.adorama.com/KKRABFR10L.html

Note: 10 Liters of Replenisher will make 12.5 Liters of working tank solution.

[csant]

I am actually really loving RA-4 and I don't find it a bit hectic.

You are right, it really isn't - until you compare it to the times you typically need for lith (overexposed, 10-12 minutes development), albumen (some 7 minutes exposure, 10 minutes rinse) or gum (some 2 minutes exposure, 20 minutes "development").

I enjoy RA4, too, but once you are used to the longer times, anything that happens in less-than-2-minutes rhythm (almost) feels hectic :)

[Mark Barendt]

You are right, it really isn't - until you compare it to the times you typically need for lith (overexposed, 10-12 minutes development), albumen (some 7 minutes exposure, 10 minutes rinse) or gum (some 2 minutes exposure, 20 minutes "development").

I enjoy RA4, too, but once you are used to the longer times, anything that happens in less-than-2-minutes rhythm (almost) feels hectic :)

What drives me buggy is waiting 10 minutes for something to be done. :)

[coops]

Thanks for the info. I ordered the chmicals and paper from Freestyle and it should be here in a couple of days. I noticed the paper I ordered is the type-C paper, and the literature says it's for digital printing. Mentions nothing about optical printing. Freestyle assure me it's fine though.

[tgtaylor]

Welcome to the wonderful world of color printing!

Let us know the chemicals you ordered and how they work out.

[Drew Wiley]

Type C paper prints just fine optically. But at the same time, it has been improved for
digital use, so it's dual-purpose paper.

[coops]

Welcome to the wonderful world of color printing!

Let us know the chemicals you ordered and how they work out.


Thanks, finally got to do some printing this weekend. I used the Arista chemicals from Freestyle and Fuji gloss paper. The kit makes 2 liters, but I mixed up only 1. The Jobo drum requires 100cc of chemical and I quickly realized/hoped/prayed that the chemicals were not one shot. This would have allowed me to make only 20 prints.
So I reused the chemicals and it was fine. After getting the color mix down, it was great. I started off with 60 magenta and 40 yellow on my color head, but finished with 30 and 25.
My exposures were short, between 2-5 seconds, and that after stopping down 4 stops. Perhaps I should change the light source from high to low and increase exposure times , allowing time for a little dodging and burning.
I found that if the exposure is well exposed and sharp, the prints were great, and its really a lot of fun.