Ken;
My name is George and I'm a Cibachrome-aholic. Maybe I can help. Doing
Ciba at home is quite possible. You need 5 things:
1) Some slides you want to print. Caveat: Ciba is very sharp and
contrasty, so slides better be sharp (if that's your vision) and well
exposed and not TOO contrasty (unless that's your vision.) You can
control contrast with masking - but that's reserved for much later.
I've made excellent 16x20 cibas from 35mm (Zuiko) slides.
2) Lots of $$$. Ciba is the one of the most expensive processes for
making prints from slides. But the old adage does hold true - you get
what you pay for. There are processes from Kodak and Fuji that are
quite good, but most folks still agree Ciba is the best.
3) An enlarger with a color head and a dark room (not necessarily a
darkroom.) A supply of Cibachrome (now called, as you point out
"Ilfochrome classic") paper and chemistry. You will want the P30
chemistry for home use. Also, most folks are using the
"medium-contrast" paper. It's certainly a good place to start. (But the
"regular" contrast is better with local contrast effects, but it usually
requires masking techniques to obtain good results.) Glossy polyester
paper costs about two-three times what RC paper does.
4) Some way to process the chemistry onto the paper. This can be as
simple as a motor base (Beseler's is best I think) and a light tight
drum (Ilford and others sell these). The exposed paper is put in the
drum, the developer is poured in and the drum is placed on the motor
base for 3 min. Then wash 1 min, then bleach 3 min, wash 1 min, fixer
3mon, wash 3 min in tray and dry. You must keep the temperature of the
room at 75 degrees for this process. A better ($$$'ier) way would be to
get a Jobo processor. (CPA or CPP can get you to 20x24 prints at home!)
The process is essentially the same as above, but the Jobo controls the
temp (with a water bath) and makes the chemical steps easier (especially
with the Jobo Lift). Finally, a CAP-40 roller transport processor is a
good way to go too. It'll do up to 16x20 - automajically! Put the
exposed paper in one end, walk away and 6 min later it comes out the
other end ready to be washed. Used CAPs are a bit more than used
Jobos. They are WONDERFUL to work with BUT since the chemical baths can
not be 'replenished', the color balance and contrast will slowly change
as the chemicals become exhausted. This can be troublesome.
5) PATIENCE.
Hope this helps. You could probably get started for just a few hundred
bucks with a used enlarger and lens and a new or used Beseler motor base
and an 8x10 and/or 11x14 drum. Good luck.
George
KenK1ZYW@xxxxxxx wrote:
>
> Does anyone know what is needed to process 'cibrochrome' I think it is now
> called Ilfochrome. Is it hard to do at home?
>
> Thanks
> Ken M
>
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