# Color enlargements



## nealjpage (Nov 29, 2005)

Well, as my past posts have mentioned, I have a bunch of negatives that I received from my grandparents that family members would like to have enlarged.  In this mess is a bunch of color negs from the '50s and '60s.  I'd like to enlarge some.  Here's the deal:  I've only done B&W, but we do have a Bessler 23C with a color head on it.  Is it worth trying to do a few?  I can't find an operating manual anywhere in the darkroom, but there is a box of color paper that I can steal.  There even might be some color chemicals, but I don't know how to identify what to look for.  Any ideas?:hail:


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## Hertz van Rental (Nov 29, 2005)

Colour printing has a very steep learning curve. You tend to waste a lot of paper and time because every time you change the filter pack to compensate for a colour cast you have to change the exposure.
You'd do better (and it would probably be cheaper) to take them to a lab. You might even consider getting them scanned and put on to a CD.


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## PlasticSpanner (Nov 29, 2005)

Have to agree with Hertz.

Unless you really "want" to do some colour printing you're best going to a lab or even investing in a negative scanner.  It is good fun and as said has a very steep learning curve with the paper and chemicals being more expensive than B&W and you'll do lots of "bad" prints!  

Also consider that colour printing is done in complete darkness with no safe light so you can either do it in the dark in trays   or use a print processing drum.

It is good fun and quite a challenge though!   Just not cost effective!


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## PlasticSpanner (Nov 29, 2005)

Do you know what the paper is and how old it is?


If the chemicals are a few years old & especially opened they're probably oxidised by now so you may have to buy some more.

I know very little about this stuff as yet but I used RA-4 process chemicals with compatible paper (I think most popular paper is RA-4 isn't it?)


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