Everything you want to know about FUJIFILM color RA4 papers

[DREW WILEY]

Thanks. Dealing with big corporations sometimes take awhile to reach the right set of ears.

 

[halfaman]

Hello.

I´m from Spain. I talked to Fuji Spain and they said to me to talk with their distributors. At the end I couln´t find what I was looking for.
I´m interested to buy some Maxima Paper but not the rolls. I´ve seen that you tried it. Do you know where o to who can i buy it from (Europe)?

Thank you.

You can buy sheets of Maxima in matte finish in several sizes here:

Tomcat Film

tomcat.ro

It is romainan site and I think the owner is a photrio user. You need to write him an email to the address the in Contact section. I bought him 20x30 cm sheets and I am satisfied so far with the experience.

 

[arturo_rs]

You can buy sheets of Maxima in matte finish in several sizes here:

Tomcat Film

tomcat.ro

It is romainan site and I think the owner is a photrio user. You need to write him an email to the address the in Contact section. I bought him 20x30 cm sheets and I am satisfied so far with the experience.

He answered me that he only has matt finish. So....

 

[koraks]

Maybe he's willing to put you on a mailing list or something so that you get a notification when he gets a roll of glossy?

 

[arturo_rs]

Maybe he's willing to put you on a mailing list or something so that you get a notification when he gets a roll of glossy?

I don´t think so. Apparently, for he, matt is glossy enough. Maybe he´s right and matt on Maxima is similar to glossy on DP II.

@halfaman, if you tried maxima matt and dp ii glossy, is the "gloss" similar on both papers?

 

[brbo]

I've printed on Maxima lustre and glossy and DPII glossy. Maxima glossy finish is the same finish as DPII glossy*. Maxima lustre is obviously quite different than Maxima glossy, so I can't see a way that Maxima matte is similar to DPII glossy. Maybe in the perceived contrast and saturation, but finish will be something completely different.


* I'm a guy who doesn't care much about the surface finish so take this "same" with a gain of salt. Personally, I just use a lustre/matte finish if I want a little "softer" print. Maxima glossy is pretty "loud".

 

[halfaman]

He answered me that he only has matt finish. So....

Matte is a nice surface, give it a try. I go back and forth glossy and matte with DPII. I would not say any of them is better than the other, just different. Color are a bit more vivid and shadows a bit more dense with glossy, but matte is more uniform for presentation with far less flares. I haven't done a print with matte that I regret.

Today I am going to print matte. Probably next session I will go back to a "glossy phase"... or not.

 

[koraks]

Maybe he´s right and matt on Maxima is similar to glossy on DP II.

No, it certainly isn't. While matte on both DPII and Maxima is not as matte as e.g. the Velvet paper, it's the same surface finish as @brbo also points out.

These papers are coated on the same base and the matte vs. gloss finish is actually impressed onto the paper base before coating. That is to say, I think nothing is impressed on the glossy finish, but the matte, pearl etc. finishes are made by running the uncoated (but already PE-laminated) paper base through a set of calendaring rolls with the desired pattern.

Whether you like or dislike a certain surface is of course entirely personal. I'm going through a glossy phase right now...previously I preferred printing on matte. As @halfaman says, neither is better than the other - they're just different. His other characterizations are also spot on.

 

[halfaman]

@halfaman, if you tried maxima matt and dp ii glossy, is the "gloss" similar on both papers?

Maxina matte is equally to DPII matte to me regarding gloss.

But Maxima glossy seems a bit more bright than DPII glossy. The prints I compared here were done by a lab with digital RA4 printer (Whitewall).

 

[arturo_rs]

Maxina matte is equally to DPII matte to me regarding gloss.

But Maxima glossy seems a bit more bright than DPII glossy. The prints I compared here were done by a lab with digital RA4 printer (Whitewall).

ok

 

[koraks]

But Maxima glossy seems a bit more bright than DPII glossy. The prints I compared here were done by a lab with digital RA4 printer (Whitewall).

Consider that there are many factors at play here that may explain such differences. Equipment variations, chemical variations, ICC profiling issues, paper age...
This is one of the reasons I'd also like to print DPII and Maxima side by side to see what happens if you process them absolutely identically. Ironically, it's easier to eliminate variables in an old-fashioned darkroom than in a typical pro lab of today!

 

[arturo_rs]

Consider that there are many factors at play here that may explain such differences. Equipment variations, chemical variations, ICC profiling issues, paper age...
This is one of the reasons I'd also like to print DPII and Maxima side by side to see what happens if you process them absolutely identically. Ironically, it's easier to eliminate variables in an old-fashioned darkroom than in a typical pro lab of today!

When @brbo send me the sheets i will print the same negative on Maxima and DP II. I will publish and upload the impressions and photos, keeping in mind that is not the same holding the prints in your hands that viewing them through a screen.

 

[koraks]

Thanks @arturo_rs. Yes, indeed, I'd also love to repeat the experiment just because of the tangible aspect and being able to judge the actual results in real life with in-depth knowledge of the exact processing conditions. But the kind of comparison you'll be sharing is a magnificent step, in addition to the equally useful work already present here on Photrio.

 

[arturo_rs]

Yesterday I talk by phone with the sales representative of Fujifilm Spain.

Those were the answers:

The rolls of photopaper aren´t and won´t be cut near future on sheets. The industrial changes on factory are pretty high. And the demands of cutted paper is not enough. So, they only sell rolls.

Maxima is a special product, so the fabrication and demand is very low, but they still manufacturing it. We only have to talk with the official distributors and they ask them (Fuji) to send the paper. Even if on the distributors web does not appears, is available. At least, servifot.com (Spain) can place an order. Aprox. the waiting time is 1 to 2 weeks.

They are researching new papers but, if the demand is not enough the will stop the production.

Also, using the paper with enlarger will never reach the maximun quality, only with machines will do it.

 

[koraks]

Yeah, that sounds accurate.

They are researching new papers but, is the demand is not enough the will stop the production.

Hm, I think I know what they mean, but it's not something that will create lots of enthusiasm among darkroom printers. It's a highly relevant development for the mass printing market, though.

 

[brbo]

@arturo_rs I sent you and email. Maybe you've missed it (spam?). I'm hitting the "darkroom" now, so I should have your sheets ready today...

 

[arturo_rs]

@arturo_rs I sent you and email. Maybe you've missed it (spam?). I'm hitting the "darkroom" now, so I should have your sheets ready today...

I already sent you the address details. Thank you.

 

[arturo_rs]

I´m still working on it. I´ve just developed the negatives and printed them on DP II. Waiting for Maxima to arrive and finish the printing step.

 

[arturo_rs]

So, after several weeks I have the results. I have to say that they are not my best photos. The differences are noticeables. I recommend to see them at fullscreen.

Bellini RA4.
Scanner used: HP F2200

Flickr (higher resolution and quality, see the comments): https://www.flickr.com/photos/arturo_rs/albums/with/72177720313506784


Kodak 250D - ECN2 4 minutes.

The contrast, at 4 minutes with MAXIMA, for me is too much.

Crystal Archive:

DP II:

MAXIMA:

 

[arturo_rs]

Kodak 50D - ECN2 3 minutes

DP II:

MAXIMA:

 

[arturo_rs]

Other examples, both with MAXIMA paper. C41 at 3:15 minutes.

The first one, Portra 400, the second one, Ektar 100.

 

[arturo_rs]

Differences between DP II and Maxima:

• MAXIMA is a cooler paper. I had to reduce the yellow filtration around 10 points. I use Arista RA4 filter set.
• The exhaustion of chemistry is noticable.
• Less exposure time, around 1/2 stop.

 

[arturo_rs]

I run out of RA4 chemistry so I can´t do more prints. Next moth surely I will upload more prints.

 

[koraks]

Very interesting comparison, thanks for posting!

 

[halfaman]

Differences between DP II and Maxima:

• MAXIMA is a cooler paper. I had to reduce the yellow filtration around 10 points. I use Arista RA4 filter set.
• The exhaustion of chemistry is noticable.
• Less exposure time, around 1/2 stop.

Those were also my findings with matte. But in my case the differences are more subtle. A bit cooler (3 points in Durst scale) and a bit less exposure (10% aprox) in exchange of some more density specially in the shadows. I use one-shot chemistry in a Jobo CPP2, so exhaustion is not an issue.

I haven't done a print with matte that I regret.

Today I am going to print matte.

This very same day I regret for the first time doing a print with matte paper. To be fair, the negative was clearly overexpose and with low contrast. Matte was too dull and I need glossy (among other things) to get some pop on the print.

There is nothing like doing big statements to get into contradictions....