RA-4 Chemical Recommendations

[shallabal316]

Hey Folks

Greg pointed me towards Kodak RA4-RT chemicals as an alternative to the Arista kit i've been buying. Those chemicals appear to be on backorder everywhere I know to look. I did however find this:

https://www.uniquephoto.com/product/...rchString/ra-4

I've read several posts about the difference between different types of RA-4 chems, but couldn't find anything telling me the specific difference between the Ektacolor RA-4/RT and this Prime LORR Developer. Can anyone help here? Much of this is going a bit over my head, which is probably why the Arista kit is available in the first place - for noobs like me.

Also, there seems to be a big back and forth over the necessity of a dev starter for the past...forever, so I thought I'd ask for a May 2021 update. I'm using a Jobo CPA2, usually at 85F with the Arista kit. Only reason for selecting that temp is the shorter time it takes for the Jobo and chems to get to temp vs the benefit of the slightly shorter dev/blix times. Fuji CA papers.

[BLATT LAB]

The Adox RA-4 kit is amazing. It just dev and Blix. Adox says this kit was developed to NOT need a dev Starter.

[shallabal316]

I took a look for that kit just now, but couldn't seem to find it from a US supplier.

[BLATT LAB]

I think Fotoimpex is their main distributor and ships worldwide. They should have it in stock.

I took a look for that kit just now, but couldn't seem to find it from a US supplier.

[Wayne]

in stock https://www.uniquephoto.com/product/...String/ra%20rt

Blix is out of stock but why dont you just call and ask when they expect it? https://www.uniquephoto.com/product/...String/ra%20rt

[shallabal316]

in stock https://www.uniquephoto.com/product/...String/ra%20rt

Blix is out of stock but why dont you just call and ask when they expect it? https://www.uniquephoto.com/product/...String/ra%20rt

Huh. Looked right over that. Thanks!

[Drew Wiley]

I've interchanged between Kodak Ra/Rt and Arista or their Silver Pixel kits even in the same session. They all seem to work identically; good quality. Just make sure you're getting the right kit. There are other varieties of RA4 processing out there that I've been disappointed in. These Ra/Rt and Arista kits ARE starter. That's all you need. What you don't need is the replenisher or stabilizer, unless you have an automated roller-transport processor. Drum processing should be done one-shot, not replenished; otherwise you're risking anomalies.

[shallabal316]

I've interchanged between Kodak Ra/Rt and Arista or their Silver Pixel kits even in the same session. They all seem to work identically; good quality. Just make sure you're getting the right kit. There are other varieties of RA4 processing out there that I've been disappointed in. These Ra/Rt and Arista kits ARE starter. That's all you need. What you don't need is the replenisher or stabilizer, unless you have an automated roller-transport processor. Drum processing should be done one-shot, not replenished; otherwise you're risking anomalies.

Thanks Drew.

Honest question- if I’m doing a rinse stage between dev and blix, and 6 rinses of drum between prints + drying drum, am I still at risk of contamination or anomalies? What should I be looking for?

[Wayne]

Thanks Drew.

Honest question- if I’m doing a rinse stage between dev and blix, and 6 rinses of drum between prints + drying drum, am I still at risk of contamination or anomalies? What should I be looking for?

Are you asking about this because you are reusing or doing partial reuse? Because I don't think that will matter for the purpose of your question. And of course some people do partial reuse in drums with results that are satisfactory to themselves, which is all that matters.

You may not even need the rinse after development unless you experience problems without it.

[Drew Wiley]

I use an ample pre-wet, which among other things helps bring the inside of the drum to the correct temperature, then do a brief ample rinse after the stop bath, taking care that the bottom of the drum get rinsed too. It't just a bit of insurance because there have been a few instances, especially using large drums, when a bit of previous developer somewhow still clinging to the bottom, or perhaps around the entry rim, caused a blemish. The final rinsing after the Blix step I'd classify as washing instead. And I do five or six changes of water for that, AFTER the final blix; so yes, considerably more thorough washing than in commercial roller-transport processors. Why? Just a hunch that the long term result will be better, more permanent. It certainly doesn't hurt. Those extra rinses aren't for sake of cleaning out the drum, but in relation to image permanence itself. After the print is removed, I always rinse it out by itself a little more, and even gently hose of the prints itself briefly before placing it on the squeegee board.

And Wayne is referring to re-use of chemicals in a drum, presumably with a bit of replenishment, and correctly states it in the context of being satisfactory to certain people. To me that sounds like, "good enough for government work" - not my own cup of tea, or should I say, day old cup of tea. And he correctly points out that a rinse after development is not standard practice. Well, a stop bath is, and I happen to add a minor water rinse after that, just for sake of a little extra insurance, that's all.