I am investigating easier and faster ways of doing RA4 color printing. Currently, I am using the JOBO CPP-2 tube processor and find it to be too much work. It would be nice to purchase a fully automatic paper processor such as a Fujimoto cp51 or the JOBO ATL 2500, but I am not willing to spend that much at this time. I am looking at purchasing a Jobo Nova system for processing up to 16x20 prints, and then doing the 20x24 prints on my CPP-2 using the 3063 tube. I sell about three times as many 16x20s as I do 20x24s. Has anybody had any experience with the Novas? Here are some of my concerns:

1. The temperature at the top of the vertical slots will be different then at the bottom. This will result in uneven development of the paper.

2. My darkroom actually resides in an outside closet that is heated by a space heater so ambient temperatures will vary widely.

3. With the JOBO tube processor I use fresh chemistry with each shoot. This has resulted in repeatable predictable printing. How do you manage replenishing with a slot processor? Is processing repeatable?

I am also open to any other possibilities except for labs because I can never get the quality I need.

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-- Stephen Willard (willard@lvld.hp.com), April 27, 2000

Answers

Jobo makes a room temperature color negative printing chemistry kit. Ctein in the book Post Exposure said it works good. I've never tried it. The best think to do is look for a lab rental. Another think to do is look for the best color printing lab around. It doesn't have to be a lab. It maybe a school. I plan to use my school's color lab after I graduated school by taking one their continuing education courses. If a local school has nice printing facilities take one of their courses. Color printing is a little toxic and processing control of chemistry as well as the machine is a full time job. After printing color negative paper and having it come in 5 minutes, dry to dry, has made me impatient to actually buy a color processor for home use. A nice print processor is a huge device that are really meant to be used in a lab. However I know this advice might not be directing answer your question. Directly, I think a tabletop processor dry to dry process is the best route. Replenishment is usually done by just add new chemicals into the various solutions in your machines. I think some of the older chemicals are remove to keep the same volume.

-- David Payumo (dpayumo@home.com), April 28, 2000.