COLOR ENLARGER

[Lita Puyat]

Hello! : ) I'm new to this so I don't know whether you're just supposed to
jump in and write a message on any subject....

Anyway, here goes:

I'm a professional photographer working in the Philippines, and do my own BW
darkroom processing and printing. For color C-41 and E-6 processing though,
I am forced to use the color labs here which I find far from satisfactory.
Having to send prints back to the lab for color tweaking is getting costly
and time consuming, and in fact, downright frustrating.

For this reason, I am considering buying a color enlarger and print
processor. I would still have C-41 processing done by the outside labs, but
intend to print my own C-prints.

Right now I have an early 70s OMEGA D-6 enlarger for BW and soup all my BW
prints by hand.

I learned how to make C-prints some years back when I took a color printing
course at ICP in NYC, and enjoyed the creative control gained from printing
your own.

At that time, the ICP darkroom had a huge Kreonite print processor.
For my needs, I don't think such a huge machine will be necessary. I intend
to do prints up to 16 x 20, mostly for portrait clients.

Any recommendations?

Thanks!
LITA PUYAT
Penombra, Inc.
Makati City, Philippines

[Owen Boyd]

Meteor Siegen 7040 Processor, and Ilford ICP42 are both good table top
processors which will process RA4 prints (C-type) up to 16" width.
The Meteor needs running water for wash, the Ilford does not.
Price should be a few hundred dollars US for either.
Owen Boyd
www.owenboyd.com

[Ian Grant]

Buy a British Nova tank system, althiough its hand processing the three or
four part tanks are vertical, economic, and the dev lasts months made up, 5
mins processing of RA-4 prints

Ian

PS - I speak as photographer returning to Colour printing after a few years
break, & the quality is superb.

"Lita Puyat" <peno...@vasia.com> wrote in message
news:3aa1...@news.sysads.com...

[Sandor A. Feher]

I would recommend the DoMac processor if you only will work with negatives.
It is a two bath , RA4, 1lt. tanks, simple, reasonable, easy to clean, will
handle from 8X to 16X size. Try to find a use one for around $800.-,
otherwise the best price for a new you will find at ADORAMA,
http://www.adoramacamera.com/

Enclosed is my easy steps for good color processing:

I would start with a fresh batch of chemistry, mixed properly. The
filtration should be between 60 to 100 units of yellow and magenta. Stay
away from cyan, and don't use three filter variation. You should have two
easel where you can print multiple images from the same negative into some
acceptable size that easily can be viewed. I do recommend the Jobo
VarioFormat (#6810), and the Nova Ring-Around 200024), also a Jobo line.
Place an 8x sheet paper on the VarioFormat easel, set your filter pack at
Y60, M50, expose the four quadrant individually, by setting your
magnification @8X, exposure time @10 second, start with your lens opening at
f4, f5.6, f8, f11. Select the best exposure i.e. the lens f-stop, keep your
time constant. Change nothing except the filter pack, use the VarioFormat
easel, keep the starting filter pack in window one, in window two add 20
unit of YM, in window three add 30 unit of YM, in window four add 40 unit of
YM. Choose your best print, swift easel easel for the Nova Ring-Around.
Place an other 8x paper into it and follow the given pattern, start exposing
the cubes by adding either 10 units or 5 units to your selected best filter
pack from above. You should arrive to your filter pack for the acceptable
print, leave everything as is for it and program your analyzer for this
reading. Till your lamp burns out or change paper this will be your standard
and you will be on your way to good prints. If you do not come within range,
just select a higher starting pack for your basic package. You should use a
good exposed negative for your test that have good colors in it, perhaps
including gray. Good Luck!

Lita Puyat wrote in message <3aa1...@news.sysads.com>...

[Jorge M. Treviño]

Ian,

I've been using my 12x16 Nova for several years now and can vouch that it's
faster than a roller processor. I go from dev start to lights on in 1 minute
at 35°C ! (Kodak paper on Kodak RA4) My process is: 45" developer, 10" stop,
45" blix with lights on after 5" in the blix --thus the minute in the dark.
From there to a large tray with Kodak siphon for 1.5 minutes. Dry with a
hair drier if in a hurry to evaluate, otherwise just hang to drip. Chemicals
last for three months with Nova's recommended replenishing. I like it so
much that a month ago I bought a Monochrome tank. It's fantastic going in
the darkroom and start printing immediately. I do b&w for an hour while the
color Nova stabilizes but plan to add a heater system 2000 (with
programmable turn on timer) soon, then I?ll be able to find it ready at any
time I wish.

--Jorge.

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