Pakolor Reversal paper was a colour print material for making colour prints directly from colour transparencies without the need for an internegative.

It was sold in “postcard” size paper only, 3½ inches x 5½ inches in packets of 20 sheets. It was intended for printing from any make of colour transparency film and processing kits were available in a 1 litre size.
The 20 postcard sheets cost 14/6d (72.5p) and a processing kit cost 18/- (90p). A trial outfit including filters cost 48/8d (£2 43p).

Transparencies could be printed by tri-colour (additive) or white light (subtractive) methods, and a guide for tri-colour exposures was enclosed in every packet of paper. It was recommended to use a 150 watt “high intensity” lamp in the enlarger. A “Pakolor Basic Special Correction” filter was supplied to be placed in the filter draw or with the transparency in the negative carrier.

The review on the paper and process in the British Journal of Photography Almanac (BJPA) for 1958 stated that the “basic cyan correction filter” was to correct for “excessive differences” in the three tri-colour exposures. The review goes on to say that because of the very accurate exposure times given for the batch of paper in use, six final prints were easily made in an evening.

As far as is known, Pakolor Reversal paper Type DRP was first marketed in 1957. In the UK at that time, there were no other reversal colour print processes where the amateur or professional could make their own colour prints directly from transparencies onto a tri-pack printing paper without first making an internegative, either on Kodak Ektacolor Type L film, or onto Agfacolor ZN film.
In the mid-1950s, the professional photographer was much more likely to obtain any colour prints from his transparencies by the Dye Transfer process.

The Pakolor Reversal Print process was aimed at, and was more suited to, amateur colour printers as a quick method of obtaining acceptable prints from colour transparencies using the minimum of equipment.

Processing Pakolor Reversal Paper Type DRP
This process was for dish processing or using the "Goodman" (early colour processing) tank.

The first three steps had to be carried out in total darkness or under the light of a safelight filter suitable for panchromatic black and white films, e.g Kodak Wratten Series 3, or Ilford 908, dark green, or the olive-green Pakolor safelight for Pakolor Type FC paper.

Step	Solution	Time (mins)	Temp (°F)
1.	First Developer	7 - 8	65 (=18.3°C)
2.	Water Rinse	?	Room
3.	Stop Bath	3	Room
Remaining steps can be carried out in normal room lighting.
4.	Wash	15 - 20	Room
5.	Reversal Exposure	Expose each side of paper for 90 seconds at 1 foot from a 100 watt lamp or 2 to 3 feet from a No.1 photoflood.
6.	Colour Developer	8 - 10	65
7.	Water Rinse	?	Room
8.	Stop Hardener	5	Room
9.	Wash	2	Room
10.	Bleach	3 – 5	Room
11.	Wash	2	Room
12.	Fix	5	Room
13.	Wash	18	Room
14.	Dry naturally, without heat

Total time: 90 to 96 minutes.

Notes:

1. The temperatures of the two Developers, steps 1 and 6, especially the First Developer, had to be kept within the limits of 64 – 66°F to achieve consistent results.
2. There was no “Anti Fade” or “Stabilizer” bath.
3. The First Colour Development time varied with each batch of paper, and times of development were given with each batch.
4. It is likely that the “Rinse” steps, 2 and 7, were no longer than a few seconds.
5. It was recommended to “Agitate well” in the Stop Bath, but there are no agitation instructions for the rest of the solutions and washes.
6. The long wash times are necessary because the paper was not “resin coated” and had a “Byrata” paper base.
7. The Colour Development time could be varied slightly to change the contrast of the print.

Pakolor Reversal Paper Type DRP was last mentioned in the British Journal Photographic Annual of 1963 and it is possible the paper and processing kits were withdrawn from sale by 1963.

In the UK in 1963, there was no equivalent colour reversal paper or processing kit available to the amateur colour printer for direct reversal colour printing.

By the mid 1960s Kodak Ektachrome paper and process Ektaprint R chemicals were listed in the Kodak UK catalogues, but the minimum size and quantity of the paper was 8 x 10 inches in 25 sheet packets and the Ektaprint R chemicals were packaged in 3½ US gallon and 25 US gallon quantities (near 3 and 21 UK gallons). The paper and chemicals were imported from Eastman Kodak in the USA. The process was designed for tank lines, using a colour print basket, or in continuous colour print processing machines, with carefully replenished solutions. It was definitely not a process for the amateur “home darkroom” worker.

In 1975, Eastman Kodak introduced kits of Ektaprint R 500 chemicals to make 1 quart (about 1.1 litre) of each of the five solutions. Larger size kits were available to make 1 US gallon. Ektaprint R 500 chemicals were principally designed for processing Ektachrome RC paper, Type 1993, using the Kodak Rapid processors Models 11, 16K and 30A, and small tube-type processors for amateur printers.

Ilford's Cibachrome reversal paper and chemicals became available in 1969, but amateur sized packs, sold as Cibachrome-A, did not appear until April 1976.

Note. The process for Pakolor Reversal Type DRP paper may have originally been based on the Eastman Kodak Process P 111 for “Kodak Color Print Material, Type R”. The solutions are named the same and are used in the same order, as are the wash steps. The similarity ends there, as the Kodak “Type R” material was a Kodak protected coupler product, while it is almost certain that Pakolor DRP paper incorporated a type of Agfa substantive coupler. However, the Agfa process for their Agfacolor CU 111 reversal colour print paper was completely different to the Pakolor reversal paper process.