Hi guys, I've had a few problems lately with my local lab's processing of my 8x10 transparencies (big streaks across the skies, very difficult to fix in Photoshop), and I'm wondering about getting a Jobo and doing my own E-6. Is it worth it? How laborious is it, how expensive, and how reliable are the results?
~cj
www.chrisjordan.com
Never tried it myself, but I worked at a commercial lab for a while, and sometimes helped the E6 guru while he was troubleshooting. I would NOT want to have to deal with that process on my own. The number of variables is outrageous. My old lab eventually became a kodak Q-Lab, which meant that they'd send their test wedge data to a kodak consultant several times a day, and he'd send back instructions for how to adjust all the chemistry to keep things calibrated. My frontal lobe just isn't big enough to take that on.
I am using a Jobo processor with tetenal or Kodak 6 bath E6 kits. The process requires precise control over temperature, agitation and time which the Jobo provides, but I have had had no problems. As long as your water is OK, using the one-shot kits avoids most problems that labs have with chemicals.
Sure, you can learn to run E-6 to critical standards. But how much effort do you want to devote to it? It's a craft like any other- it will take time and practice (not to mention money) to learn. Time that could be spent photographing, doing photo business, or any number of other things. It would be easier to find a better lab, IMHO.
I'm not a pro, only a serious amateur, and there are VERY few E-6 labs in my area - none that are convenient to get to.
I have been doin E-6 at home for about 20 years and don't have any problem with it. It is the kind of thing where you have to be organized, pay attention to what your doing, and be ready for the next step, but I find that the times and terperatures aren't as critical as you might think. Sure, the chemical manufacturers set VERY tight time and temperature limits, but they are aiming for a VERY precise and repeatable result all day long. As a "home hobbyist", I can get away with a little more time and temperature latitude without any noticable shift in the results.
I actually enjoy doing E-6 - it keeps you busy enough that you don't get bored!
But then again I do tend to do things the hard way :-)
My general position about doing E-6 is that it's only economical if you're doing it in some volume, and it's not a particularly creative process, so as long as good labs are around, I'd rather let someone else do it. That said, I've occasionally been doing it myself when the film processing backlog gets big enough to justify it economically. I use the Tetenal 3-bath kit.
In the early 1990s I ran hundreds of rolls of 120 and 35mm through the Kodak six-bath kit using a semi-automated "King Concept" rotary processor machine without a problem. I can't promise that your experience will be as smooth, but I see absolutely no reason why it shouldn't. Just make sure to use everything one-shot, and make sure all chemicals are up to temperature.
It is however fairly labor-intensive, and you have to figure out if it is worth your time. It took me, all-in-all, a little under two hours for one cycle. Is this worth it for five sheets of film? As for money, it will eventually be cheaper to go the Jobo route, but the initial costs will be large, and it will probably take quite a while to recoup your investment. It might be an easier idea to simply find a new lab.
I have done my own E-6 processing in a JOBO now for 15 years .
Weather it pays is only a question of volume; how many sheet do you need process to pay for the processor if you do not
calculate your own labor and you can invest about 90% of what you usually pay for processing ? E-6 sheet film processing is easy in a JOBO but C-41 is very difficult. I do all sizes E-6 but no sheets bigger than 4x5" in the C-41. The first developer in E-6 is 6 min 30 seconds but in C-41 the time is 3 min 15 seconds so big sheets are difficult to process evenly. The cost of chemicals and the disposal of used
is about 10% of what they charge for the process at a commercial lab. I have always used the biggest automatic JOBO there was
available first ATL-3 and then the ATL 2500. The first JOBO ATL-3 was used 5 day a week for 9 years and then JOBO
took it s a down payment on the new. Before I began to use a digital back the processor was on every day and it payed for itself
every 18 months. Tetenal chemicals and Fuji come ready to use in the JOBO but you need to adjust the pH of the color developer in
the Kodak process and you might need to adjust the dilution of the reversal bath. Neutral emulsions like EPY, EPR and E100G are the
most critical for color balance if the chemicals are not quit fresh but Astia and especially Velvia are forgiving. Always use a six bath process, the three bath process is not the same quality. I hope this gives you confidence.
It depends on how much time you want to spend on a task that is basically not creative. As for the results, I guess that if you processed as many sheets as your lab, your own error rate might be similar.
Yes, it is worth it for the total satifaction and perfection of results alone. Cost is not a factor.
As for equipment, I use the Jobo CPP2 with lift and have the expert drums to 20X24"
With this equipment I can process all paper, film sizes and types.
As stated above, the more you put through the system he cheaper it gets, but IMHO, there is no real alternative for perfection.
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