RA-4 Color Reversals

Color Reversals…..Super fun, partly experimental, and filter dependent. I started dabbling in RA-4 reversals a year ago after some curiosity in the photo lab I worked in, which uses Fuji Crystal Archive print paper. I found little info online but felt I had enough to give it a go. After some digging and purchasing, I soon started experimenting with the process. First, making sure I could even get an image, next, getting a relative film speed, and finally, filtration.

Filtration is your biggest hurdle here. RA-4 papers are tungsten balanced, meaning you need to filter in camera. This is where I spent most of my time and most of my frustration. It’s best to start with a combo of Cibachrome filters or orange filters (85’s). Every lens and lighting situation will handle color balance differently. More importantly, chemistry exhaustion will also effect color. What I find, fresher chemistry equals a more natural and consistent color. That being said, you’ll have to try different combos and lighting situations, but will be up to personal taste as well. You’ll never get truly life like colors. I’ve experimented for roughly six months to get where I felt somewhat happy for working under strobes…daylight is still a work in progress.

Processing is pretty straight forward.
- Develop: In your normal BW multigrade developer in complete darkness
- Stop: Normal stop bath as BW process
Second exposure: Now bring under tungsten light to re-expose the BW negative. 30 sec. is usually enough
RA-4 Developer: The fun part: Now toss in RA-4 color developer for the given time and watch your BW negative image transform into a color positive!
RA-4 Blix: Lastly, blix for given time and rinse for 5 minutes!

Super straight forward and pretty easy
The difficulty lies in exposure times and filtration

Like mentioned above, this process takes some time and effort. RA-4 paper is relatively cheap (especially compared to BW)
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to shoot me an e-mail.
Thanks for joining me
and I’ve dropped some 16x20 reversal examples below

The Laverne Paris 12” f/4 Petzval lens

CatLabs X Film 80