A beginner B&W developer to Color?

[RmFrase]

I'm a beginner 4x5 Black & White film developer for roughly a year now and love it. However, I do want to do Color film at times, but don't like having to mail out the film only to get it back a week later along with the cost involved.

I got into developing B&W Film after hearing how easy it was. One person told me that "It's not rocket science..." So, I tried it and have been doing ever since.

But thinking about developing color has me concerned as I've heard nothing but Exact Temperatures, expensive chemicals, fumes, etc.

Do any of you do color development? in an apartment (like me.)
Any tips and chemicals needed, expected cost/per negative/batch would be great.

-Robert

[Rick A]

Processing color is actually easier than b&w, the process and temp is always the same for all C-41 or all E-6 films, no matter the brand or speed. If you have necessary items for b&w you can develope color. All you really need is a way to maintain a constant temp for the chems. A large plastic bin works, as long as all the bottles and film tank fit in it.

[ki6mf]

I found its easier to send E-9 negative film out for developing to a good lab. If you are going to print color negatives you need a processor. I sent sent out the film as the thing about color printing is using the color correction filters and a 5500K light box to judge color correction and then adjust magenta and cyan controls on the color enlarger. I learned at a local photography school had lab assistants who could talk you through how much to adjust the enlarger settings. As we got close to the desired colors it was changing the enlarger settings by as little as 1/2 set. It takes that kind of work to see the suitabilities in color printing. Adding developing film to the mix took to much time.

[Ari]

Search the forum, there's a lot of information on colour processing at home.
I recently used the Tetenal kit for the first time, and I liked the ease of use, as well as the improved contrast and colours I wasn't getting from my lab.

[EOTS]

Hi Robert,

I develop 4x5 E6 (transparencies) with a Jobo CPE-2 in my kitchen,
and use the Fuji Hunt 3-bath 5L kit.
The costs are between 20 and 30 cents per image (100 Cent = 1 EURO).

That works really well and easy.

You can enter the desired temperature for the Jobo CPE-2 (38° C),
and then simply wait for the chemicals, checking with 3 alcohol-based Thermometers
(I use the Kaiser Thermometer for color processes).

I use all the 6 slots in my Jobo 2500 tank, and then reuse the chemicals for another 6 films,
so 12 films in total with the same chemicals.

Tim Parkin has some great videos online on Youtube demonstrating the process.

Kind regards,

[Robert Hughes]

I do all b&w in my basement. I tried color developing once, it worked OK I guess, but it seemed like more trouble than it was worth. Especially considering I could take it down the street and pay somebody to do it better, for cheaper.

[D. Bryant]

Especially considering I could take it down the street and pay somebody to do it better, for cheaper.

Not everyone has that option. Even in large metro areas, labs available to process color negative sheet film is very limited and expensive or non-existant now.

The biggest downside to home color negative development is the need to reduce chemical waste from oxidation. IOW, a fair amount of film needs to processed regularly before color developer goes off.

Other than that it's very easy if one can already process sheet film at home.

[EOTS]

The biggest downside to home color negative development is the need to reduce chemical waste from oxidation. IOW, a fair amount of film needs to processed regularly before color developer goes off.

Hi, I forgot to say I use a Tetenal Protectan Spray on all the non-full developer bottles,
the gas is heavier than air and so protects the developer from oxidation by separating air and developer from one another.

Regards,

[RmFrase]

I found its easier to send E-9 negative film out for developing to a good lab. If you are going to print color negatives you need a processor. I sent sent out the film as the thing about color printing is using the color correction filters and a 5500K light box to judge color correction and then adjust magenta and cyan controls on the color enlarger. I learned at a local photography school had lab assistants who could talk you through how much to adjust the enlarger settings. As we got close to the desired colors it was changing the enlarger settings by as little as 1/2 set. It takes that kind of work to see the suitabilities in color printing. Adding developing film to the mix took to much time.

Thanks for the response - I won't be printing from the negatives directly. I'll be scanning them with the Epson V700 and then editing them in PhotoShop CS5. The reason I wanted to learn how to develop was to avoid the mailing and cost of shipping/processing and the time involved. Currently, it's a week before I get the images back.
-Robert

[RmFrase]

Processing color is actually easier than b&w, the process and temp is always the same for all C-41 or all E-6 films, no matter the brand or speed. If you have necessary items for b&w you can develope color. All you really need is a way to maintain a constant temp for the chems. A large plastic bin works, as long as all the bottles and film tank fit in it.

Thanks for the response - I can't wait to try with a few photos taken around town.
-Robert