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View Full Version : RA4 Blix at lower temperature.


Alamun
19th March 2010, 02:27 PM
Hello Everyone. As a new user I need some advice. In the past 10 years I have had an on and off relationship with colour printing, but as with many hobbyists I have never really cracked the colour balance challenge, or not consistently. I have available a COLORSTAR 3000 analyser but I have found the instructions less than perfectly clear to say the least.I have still about 300 sheets of Kodak Supra paper and some Fotospeed chemicals. However the Developer is the RT variety and the Bleach fix is from the 35degree kit. Can the Blix be used at a lower temperature and if so how long should the blix time be at 25 degrees?

I want to give the process a further try before giving up and am reluctant to splash out on another complete kit. I would be using a Nova 2 slot processor.
Any advice would be welcome.

Bob
19th March 2010, 03:30 PM
I think the blix is the same regardless of developer used, in which case, 2 mins @ 20C.

I assume from your spelling of "colour" that you may be in the UK, in which case, look at the Ektacolor chems sold by one of our sponsors: Ag-photographic (http://www.ag-photographic.co.uk/process-ra4-117-c.asp). The Developer and blix are sold separately.

Mike O'Pray
19th March 2010, 07:53 PM
You don't say whom the maker of the blix is but have a look at the instructions. If I recall correctly in my 35 degree kit there was a chart with times against temp for the blix.

I cannot say for certain but like Bob I think the blix is good for a temp range. My blix at 35C was if I recall the same as the dev at 35C which was 45 secs so 2 mins sounds about right at 25C. You can't really overdo blix unless you leave a print there for many minutes. If on contacting the maker and finding that 2 mins isn't enough then you can re-blix and re-wash.

Depending on how old your blix is and how much you have left, it might be worth a call to the maker or if the quantity is quite small and its quite old then as Bob has said consider Ag photographic. It's room temp stuff if that is what you want and I have yet to see better prices anywhere.

As far as the colourstar 3000 goes you have the Rolls-Royce of analysers there and it worth persevering with the instructions. If things still aren't clear then have a look at the Frances Schultz( of Hicks and Schultz fame) article where she was loaned one by Nova Darkroom I think and she was kind enough to write about her experience of setting one up.

I am useless with computers so don't know how to provide a link but googling it should get you there.

If you have no luck then PM me and I can check the full address and give it to you.

Best of luck

Mike

marty
20th March 2010, 12:30 PM
Hello, there. Like Bob says I use 2' @ 20C°~. The color balance looks good to my eye, I don't see difference from one print to another except when the developer starts to go that is. I'm doing more or less 30-35 8x10" prints with one liter. Don't give up, a waste of material has to be taken in account in the beginning (I don't even want to think about that:() , but when reached a color balance it will then be ok most of the time. Just a tip: pick a neg the has something that should be white and adjust the filter pack until it looks white, that worked for me (and I have no analyzer :) ).

Cheers, Marty.