Thought I'd try colour...

[pentaxuser]

If price reflects demand as in the more demand the lower the price because of economies of scale then colour looks particularly healthy. Kodak RA4from MORCO cannot be matched by anything I have seen in B&W and Fuji CA in most cases will match say Kentmere or Ilford B&W in price.

As other have said minilabs are still doing reasonable business which keeps demand for paper and chems going. I don't think there is any danger of of colour printing material disappearing any time soon.

Give it a go. I don't want to sound morbid but you "pass this way" only once. Seize the moment.

pentaxuser

[Mike Wilde]

The paper is cheaper; the chems are what costs, and can be harder to find stocked, and do oxidize before being used. The bleach, which is the xpensive part can be partially re-used in my experience.

I have printed colour a long time; I go back some 22 years with my dabbling.

The key to colour is controlling the variables.

Buy fresh paper to get you started; old stuff from Kodak looses red sensitivity as it ages; keeping it in the freezer slows down the deterioration very much; I have a freezer that is presently full of film and paper.

Consider dedicating a bulb to colour. They shift colour as they age. Stablize the chemistry temperature, or compute the drift through temperature with daylight tubes. Processing in open trays in the absolute darkness is feasible if you have a tray warmer, or float them in a water bath. I find it a drag though, but rinsing and drying tubes is equally a chore.

Print viewing filters, and a daylight balanced print viewing source where you can look at dry (ie hair dryer) prints will go a long way to help you to SEE colour.

Minor time changes are much more finicky in RA-4 than B&W. Consider a digital timer if your present timer is not consitently repeatable for under 10 second exposures.

Kodak put out lots os good guide books to the craft up until the late 80's , and on into the 90s . Read up, and be prepared to spend a few nights before you feel you have a clue , and crank out a good looking print. Keep copious notes on the back of even scrapped prints, and review them at a later date. Even you failures will help you to learn.