About to try developing color. Do I have the right chemicals?

[Michael Lloyd]

I have a Jobo CPE-2 and I normally shoot / develop black and white film. In fact I've got six 4x5 negs from Death Valley that I developed in Rollo Pyro drying as I type this.

I have four Portra 160 4x5 negs that have been in the holders for over a year because I have never developed color film and I didn't want to screw them up (oxymoron?). Now that there's a good chance that they are already screwed up I may as well tackle color film developing and get over my phobia.

I don't know if the chemicals that I have are correct for Portra. Unlike black and white film there is no MaxDev or Darkroom app to go by.

I have:

I think all are branded Mydoneg. The following are for sure
Bleach
Developer Part A
Developer Part B
Developer Part C
Fixer

Trelux E.L.F. Stabilizer / Rejuvinator

Is this what I need to develop Portra 160?

[Bob Salomon]

Have you tried looking at a site like this?

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/category/13-Chemicals/Color-Chemicals

[Michael Lloyd]

Nope... I literally just decided to develop the negs. I tried a Google search and got a lot of hits but nothing helpful. I'll see what Freestyle has. I got the color kit from the gentleman that reps the Jobo (he's on this site but I can't remember his name)

I know that my kit will process C-41 but... I have no idea what C-41 is or what the other options are. I guess I could read the film box :)

[Michael Lloyd]

The film that I processed had been in the holder for a while. About 14 months to be exact.

The film is Portra 160 shot at ISO 160. Is the magenta colored "border" from waiting so long to develop or some other issue?

http://wildlightimagingstudio.com/img/s9/v91/p1285834075-4.jpg

[Wayne]

How did you develop them? Tank, tray?

[rakkir]

it looks like edge effects from using a small tray to me.
was the path/road that color?

[koraks]

I get that cast on film that has expired eons ago and I suppose you'll probably get the same if you leave the film exposed in a holder and store it in less than optimal conditions. I'd try exposing some fresh sheets. And color balance can be very tricky to get right even in fresh exposures; it's the downside of color negatives. They can be gorgeous if you get it right, but it may take a lot of work in post processing.

[ndrs]

This can be caused by chemical fumes. Do you happen to use the smelly Toyo holders?

[Michael Lloyd]

Developed on a Jobo CPE2

The road wasn't that color. :)

The film is probably expired AND it was in the holder too long


This can be caused by chemical fumes. Do you happen to use the smelly Toyo holders?

They were in Toyo holders

[Michael Lloyd]

This can be caused by chemical fumes. Do you happen to use the smelly Toyo holders?

I did an experiment today. I put a fresh sheet of film in a holder and grabbed one of the holders that was already loaded and went looking for a subject to photograph. The fresh film looks great and the holder with old film that has been in the holder far too long had the magenta band around it. That's the first time I've heard of Toyo holders being "smelly".

I've got 5-1/2 holders loaded with film that is apparently going to be worthless. Expensive lesson...