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I learned in the dark but getting the paper in the easel takes some doing.
wonder what they mean by
"will effect your results"
they dont go as far as saying the word fog
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Gentlemen;
You are speaking one of the guys who used to sensitize and coat color paper. I selected the Magenta (green sensitive) layer dye and AFAIK, it is still used. I have used Endura, Supra, Plus and 30/37 under WR-13 safelights since the 60s and earlier before I went to Kodak. The current dyes are even more "safe".
I used to teach color printing at Kodak Park and we used safelights there as well.
I assure you that those guidelines above are safe and even quite conservative. Just test first.
PE
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I have an old Osram Duka 50 sodium safelight I used to use all the time with RA4 and even Ilfochrome and Kodak Type R paper (which always insisted on no safelight) and never had a problem or detectable fog. I used the lowest setting and bounced it off my white ceiling, but it was bright enough to make out the outlines of everything in the darkroom and that was a big help. I still have it but once it burns out I'll have to get something else. I have a Jobo Maxilux LED that was supposed to be safe for color but haven't tried it, and it doesn't seem it will be nearly as bright as the (already dim, used that way) Duka 50.
But with an appropriate safelight it's definitely possible - or was, and I'm pleased to learn that today's very fast papers aren't any less safe with a proper safelight.
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I find that safelight is most useful when I need to move the paper from developer to stop. Naturally, at this point, I can use high enough level of illumination to comfortably fish the paper from the developer tray. The level I use at this point causes some minor fogging after 30 seconds if used before developer, but when used when the developer time is up, the paper receives only less than 15 seconds of development after the exposure.
"General" illumination has to be very low level, still better than nothing; but if used only "when you need it" and "where you need it", the level can be substantial; test it first.
I use general yellow LEDs as is. Proper Wratten 13 filter added would probably allow me to double the illumination level.
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I also use two safelights for RA-4 with #13 Kodak filters. One is near the ceiling and pointing at it, more than 7 ft away and the other can be mounted to point at the ceiling as well as away from it, at the paper, at about 5-6 ft. This is to facilitate making color photograms. Not a single cause of fog with either Supra III, Supra Endura or Ultra Endura when enlarging negatives, with the paper being exposed to safelights no more than 2 minutes total, as it's processed in drums. Photograms so far all seem to have pretty good whites that don't seem fogged, but, of course, YMMV.
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What about while cutting down long rolls?
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I have been using APUG for a few years now and this business of RA4 and the need for total darkness seem to be one of the hardest myths to kill.
My experience like Roger Cole's is that if you want a reasonable non fogging light level then the DUKA sodium light is the way to go. Yes it will give enough light to allow you to cut sheets - at least in my experience.
pentaxuser
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OK, I ordered a Kodak #13 safelight 5x7 insert and 7.5 watt bulb for my lamp. In the meantime should I continue to work in the dark or should I even try my Ilford 902 with 15 watt bulb? I guess at most I fog a page trying...
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Use Kodak's K-4 publication to test your safelight. It will show you how long you can have both exposed, and unexposed paper out before fogging occurs.
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Typical B&W yellow light won't probably work, or you have to keep the level so low you cannot practically use it. They will contain red wavelenghts. Color safelight has a very narrow band just between the red and green, hitting the sensitivity minimum valley. B&W yellow light MIGHT be good for green layer (cannot be guaranteed) but still not good for red layers, creating either blue or cyan fog.
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