color chemistry
jam...@netdoor.com
Francis A. Miniter
information available on RA-4 Chemistry. At least three options exist.
First, there is the MSDS, which Kodak publishes on-line and which reveal
all or almost all of the materials used. This list is again repeated on
the containers themselves. Actual weights are not given, so some reverse
engineering would be required if this were the only source.
Second, however, Photo Techniques USA (formerly Darkroom and Creative
Camera Techniques), a photography magazine has published various RA-4
formulations over the years. The following is as complete a list as I
could compile.
DCCT Nov-Dec 93, p. ? [I don't have the issue]
PT Sept-Oct 98, p. 22
PT Jan-Feb 99, pp. 56-57
PT Nov-Dec 00, pp. 20-21
PT Jul-Aug 01, pp. 15-16.
Each of the above was authored by Dr. Robert Chapman.
No formulas are given in the 1998 and 1999 articles. The '98 article is
more about a process problem and the 1999 article is descriptive of the
chemical processes involved in color printing.
In the 2000 article, generic formulas are given - CAS numbers are added
by me to ease the problem of acquisition of some of these chemicals:
RA-4 Developer
-------------------
CAS #
Water 700 ml
triethanolamine 2-5 ml
N,N-diethylhydroxylamine 3-7 ml 3710-84-7
polystyrene sulfonic acid 1-2 g
2695-37-6
CD3 4-5 g
Lithium Sulfate 0.5-1.5 g
10377-48-7
Potassium Sulfite (45% sol) 0.5-1.5 ml
Potassium Carbonate 20-30 g
Water to make 1 Liter
Adjust pH to 10.0
RA-4 Bleach
-------------------
Water 500 ml
Ammonium Thiosulfate (60% sol) 2-5 ml
Sodium Metabisulfite 15-20 g.
Sequestrene NH4Fe 120-150 ml 021265-50-9
Water to make 1 Liter
Adjust pH to 10.0
The 2001 article repeats the above formulations. After the 2000 article
I wrote to Dr. Chapman at Photo Techniques regarding possible sources for
some of the more obscure chemicals. No comment was forthcoming, either
privately or in the magazine.
I have located some companies that supply some of the hard to find
chemicals:
N,N-diethylhydroxylamine Pfaltz & Bauer, Acros
Lithium Sulfate Pfaltz & Bauer, Baddeley,
Lab Depot
Polystyrene Sulfonic Acid Pfaltz & Bauer (not normally a
stock item)
I have not located, however, any source for Sequestrene NH4Fe, which is
also known as Ammonium ((ehtylenedinitrilo) tetraceto) ferrate III, or
Ammonium Ferric Ethylenediaminetetracetic Acid or even Ammonium Iron(III)
Ethylenediamine Tetracetate.
The Third option arises from an article published in this newsgroup in
August, 1999, by Bill Laut, who reverse engineered RA-4 developer and
Blix from a Beseler ambient temperature kit to come up with formulations
that may be obtained and mixed without excessive stress, strain and
expense. They follow:
Bill Laut's RA-4 Developer
------------------------------
Water (room temp) 750.0 ml
Triethanolamine 6.0 ml
Sodium Sulfite, Anhydrous 1.0 g
CD-3 5.0 g
Potassium Carbonate 40.0 g
Potassium Hydroxide* 5.0 g
Sodium Chloride 0.5 g
Tinopal SFP** 0.5 g
Water to make 1 Liter
* Only required for ambient temperature operation with no additional
development time.
** Optional as a brightener. I have no source for this chemical and do
not use it.
Bill Laut's RA-4 Blix
--------------------------
Water (room temp) 750.0 ml
Ammonium thiosulfate (60% sol) 80.0 ml
Ferric Ammonium EDTA 10.0 g
OR Artcraft's Iron EDTA (47% sol) 22.0 ml
Water to make 1 Liter
All these chemicals are readily available.
I have been using Bill Laut's developer formulation for the last few
years with acceptable results. I have not used his Blix, simply because
I have a vast supply of Kodak Blix that I am slowly consuming.
For completeness sake, CD-3 is a color developer invented by Kodak. Its
true name, along with all the other true names for color developers was
published in this newsgroup by Professor Michael Gudzinowicz on April 18,
2001. It is:
N-{2-(4-Amino-N-ethyl-m-toluido)ethyl]-methanesulfonamide sesquisulfate
hydrate (CA).
Francis A. Miniter
Jtown2354
Now, if you are requesting information on RA4 chemicals - there are many books
and other publications on equivalent formulations.
jam...@netdoor.com
wrote:
>what would you like to know?
I am looking for substitute formulas for the RA4 developer and Blix,
and sources of chemicals for any formulas.
Bill Schmitz
I am interested in a C-41 formula and wonder if
anyone has one in use that works well.
Bill Laut
> what would you like to know?
>
>
> On Sat, 02 Mar 2002 04:23:12 GMT, jam...@netdoor.com wrote:
>
>>Does anyone have any information on the formulation of RA4 chemistry?
A few years ago I posted a C-41 formula that I had received from a friend.
However, even though he gets great results with it I found it to be on the
"hot" side. It should still be accessible via Google.
I've been meaning for a long time to buy another pckage of control strips
and once-and-for-all *finally* refine the formula for one-shot processing.
I'm almost done with my migration to Linux (it's great to be using a real
OS again. Much, MUCH more secure than Windows 95/98/ME could ever be).
Once I get done with the final tidying-up of encryption keys and firewall
rules, etc., I'll do the refinement and then set up a webpage to document
the formulas.
Bill
P.S.: Not to go off-topic, but there appears to be a really insidious
"back door" in both Outlook Express and Internet Explorer. It was designed
in by Microsoft and its apparent purpose is to "smuggle" incoming TCP
connection requests past any firewall you put in its path. Normally, in
the client/server paradigm the client creates a socket and then calls the
connect() service to establish the connection to the server. What
Microsoft is doing is declaring the socket as a "listener" before issuing
the connect() service. Consequently, after the circuit is established any
website or POP3 server you visit could conceivably re-issue the SYN flag
back to your PC over the Established connection. Every firewall along the
line will correctly recognize that as a re-synch attempt and allow the SYN
to pass through. However, because OE/IE declared the socket as a listener
before establishing the link, once that "re-synch" reaches the networking
software on your PC the TCP layer will forward the packet to OE/IE to let
them decide if they wish to accept the incoming connection request. And,
because the typical connections to ports 25/110 and/or 80 have lifetimes
usually measured in seconds, your likelihood of catching this BO in the act
is about zip.
Pretty neat trick, huh?
When I first saw it, my reaction was "Screw this crap" (or words to that
effect. :). Linux, with its wonderful "Open Source" model, has never
looked so good.
Francis A. Miniter
Great to have you back with us. I am looking forward to your results.
Francis A. Miniter