Since the demise of Kodak Ektacolor RA4 developer there have been few viable options to replace it. However I was pointed in the direction of 'Champion' RA4 which is used by AG Photographic in their photo lab. It is really simple to prepare with only one premixed bottle which will dilute down to 10 litres of working solution, plus for the initial mix if you are using a deep tank processor like a NOVA you need to add 80cc's of the Champion starter which also comes in 1 litre bottles. The starter MUST be the same make as others are not compatible. The price of their Bleach Fix is a about the same price as the prime developer .
AG have it on their website at just under £30 per bottle for each.
After a bit of experimenting I made my 1st 10x8 two nights ago and the filtration was exactly the same and exposure identical to the Fuji CPRA I was using previously. The quality was without any exageration very, very good.
Compared to the Kodak Ektacolor pricewise, it is about 1/3 to 1/4 of the price that was when it was available and about 1/3rd of the price of Fuji CPRA today which is quite fiddly to mix and easy to get wrong.
There are two other outlets that stock it. Process supplies in London, and Morco in Nottingham, but they will only sell a pack of 6 bottles and will not split them for smaller users. Of the 3, Morco is the cheapest with the 6 bottles at £118.00, but that makes 60 litres of working solution. So if a few of us who use the forum were to order a pack of 6 and then split the pack, then that makes it a viable option for supplies
Champion claim it reduces the tar deposits which inevitably attach itself to the print and the equipment remains cleaner which is no bad thing.
On the colour film supply (Kodak and Fuji) situation the problem seems to have been reduced and most are now available but at a greater price than a few years ago.
AG now have the full range of Kodak B&W chemicals, developers for both paper and film are in stock and the prices don't seem to have changed significantly.. The only one I took notice of was the D76 which is about £10 for a one litre packet. It always was more expensive than Ilford.
There is still no definite date for the resupply of the Ilford chemicals and the best guess AG could give was June/July.
AG have it on their website at just under £30 per bottle for each.
After a bit of experimenting I made my 1st 10x8 two nights ago and the filtration was exactly the same and exposure identical to the Fuji CPRA I was using previously. The quality was without any exageration very, very good.
Compared to the Kodak Ektacolor pricewise, it is about 1/3 to 1/4 of the price that was when it was available and about 1/3rd of the price of Fuji CPRA today which is quite fiddly to mix and easy to get wrong.
There are two other outlets that stock it. Process supplies in London, and Morco in Nottingham, but they will only sell a pack of 6 bottles and will not split them for smaller users. Of the 3, Morco is the cheapest with the 6 bottles at £118.00, but that makes 60 litres of working solution. So if a few of us who use the forum were to order a pack of 6 and then split the pack, then that makes it a viable option for supplies
Champion claim it reduces the tar deposits which inevitably attach itself to the print and the equipment remains cleaner which is no bad thing.
On the colour film supply (Kodak and Fuji) situation the problem seems to have been reduced and most are now available but at a greater price than a few years ago.
AG now have the full range of Kodak B&W chemicals, developers for both paper and film are in stock and the prices don't seem to have changed significantly.. The only one I took notice of was the D76 which is about £10 for a one litre packet. It always was more expensive than Ilford.
There is still no definite date for the resupply of the Ilford chemicals and the best guess AG could give was June/July.