Another point mentioned in the same local Newsletter is the economy of
using R14 direct reversal paper at £5.29 for 10 sheets 10” x 8” from
Jessop as compared with Agfachrome Speed costing £20 for 10 sheets 10”
x 8”. In a recent Amature Photographer. Photec of London. offer the
equivalent of this paper, Agfachrome FE, in glossy or lustre. By buying a
10 sheet packet of 20” x 24” and cutting it down to 10” x 8” 60
sheets are obtainable for a total cost of £11~62 (including postage). A
single sheet costs but 20p approximately is an extremely useful
proposition. I have adopted this practice and find the paper perfectly.
Inter-changeable with Ektachrome R14. Cutting down in the dark is not
difficult if a simple cutting jig is made and a Stanley knife against a
straight edge is used.
I”~r processing (Direct reversal printing) is ‘Home brew’ to the
formulae detailed in the British Journal of Photography Annual. An
expensive book but access to it’s contents can be obtained in the
Birmingham Central Library and no doubt similar facilities are available
elsewhere.
For
the second exposure I do not take the paper out of the drum but lower a 60
watt bulb on a flex inside for 10 seconds or so. Thus the paper is not
disturbed until the process is then completed. I have not tried a chemical
blackener.
During processing I maintain the Colour drum temperature by mechanically
rotating it in a controlled water bath using a 750 watt immersion
heater ex discarded “Teasmade”. This is switched on and off as
required by a device invented by Pete Roberts of which full details are
held by the C.R.C. Librarian, Eddie Pearce.
It operates to an extremely fine tolerance and works well. The bath is
large enough to hold my 10” x 8” drum or my larger 20” x
16” size.
MAKING
DEVELOPER.
In making up one’s own developers etc from raw chemicals there is the
initial drawback of having to expend quite a sizeable sum of money because
many of the constituents are supplied in minimum 500g packs. Fortunately
this does not apply to CD3, CD4, and Phenidone where 25g can be
obtained. However the saving subsequently is considerable, apart for the
time involved in weighing—out and compounding the formulae, this does
not bear heavily on me as I am retired and ‘time is my own. One can
always be sure of fresh solutions as they can be made up just prior to a
orocessing session. A litre of first developer, colour developer and Blix
will process 22 sheets of 10” x 8”, in fact the Blix will do
considerably more a although ~ do not stretch it unduly. If the litre is
stored in a number of small bottles (I use 5
x 200m1) it will keep for weeks. The colour developer is generally the
first to deteriate, going dark in colour. At the end of a session partly
used bottles of the developers are topped up to the neck with glass
marbles kept for the purpose. (Available from. Hoggs, Birmingham).
At
the time of writing the Agfachrome
FE Colour Reversal paper, (direct from. colour slides), is still available
from Phototec, with a slight price increase, but still a good buy.
Like
wise Photoworld has Agfa printing papers at very competitive prices.
Inquire on these if using the two adverts enclosed with this issue.