Where to process 8x10 color negative film in the USA?

[formanproject]

Hello everyone!

I will be getting my first 8x10 camera soon and was thinking about getting a box of Portra 400 for a series of portraits.

The only thing is, I have no idea where to process it. I've processed my own color negative film in the past, but at over 15 dollars a shot I don't really want to take that risk. The lab I use for my professional work (The Find Lab) caps out at 4x5 sheet film.


Anyone out there have any reccomendations?

-Tom

[formanproject]

Ok so I just did a bit more research and I see many people using Jobo or Cibachrome 8x10 drums for processing black and white. Would this be a viable option for color film as well if I were to self develop it using a Tetanal kit?

[rorye]

While I like Oscar's in SF apparently they only do E6 and b&w in 8"x10", however I have a lot of friends who swear by Dickerman's and they do 8"x10" in C41
https://www.dickermanprints.com/processing

[Mark Sampson]

Edgar Praus, of Praus Productions in Rochester. No one better.

[ic-racer]

but at over 15 dollars a shot I don't really want to take that risk.

At $15 a sheet I'd not take the risk of anyone else handling the negatives...including postal workers...:)

[Dhuiting]

Ok so I just did a bit more research and I see many people using Jobo or Cibachrome 8x10 drums for processing black and white. Would this be a viable option for color film as well if I were to self develop it using a Tetanal kit?

I do my own 8x10 c41 and E6 In a Jobo. I highly recommend it. Very easy and rewarding.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Drew Wiley]

How recently has anyone used Dickerman's? Those prices sound insane. My East Bay C41 lab lost space, and now can handle on E6 8X10, and C41 just up to 4X5. If I have to mail something, it might as well be to LA. That bridge has gotten to be hell, just like downtown parking. Add another twenty bucks just for that!

[Jim Becia]

Edgar Praus, of Praus Productions in Rochester. No one better.

Highly recommended.

[formanproject]

I do my own 8x10 c41 and E6 In a Jobo. I highly recommend it. Very easy and rewarding.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Thanks for the reply! Do you use tetanal kits for your C41? Also, which Jobo tank would you reccomend?

[Doug Herta]

I use the Tetenal C-41 kit in the JOBO. I use the 2830 print drum for 8X10 negatives, and like many others, have not had a problem developing film in this print tank.
Others may advise the JOBO Expert drum (3005) which is a dedicated film drum.

[formanproject]

I use the Tetenal C-41 kit in the JOBO. I use the 2830 print drum for 8X10 negatives, and like many others, have not had a problem developing film in this print tank.
Others may advise the JOBO Expert drum (3005) which is a dedicated film drum.


Great thanks so much! I will probably go this route then. One other question if you don't mind—what do you use to rotate the drum? Do you do it manually?

[Drew Wiley]

Any roller base of appropriate size should work. Or you just gently roll a drum back and forth in a darkroom sink.

[cp_photo]

May I ask which East Bay C41 lab you are speaking of? I have used Photolab, Berkeley in the past.



How recently has anyone used Dickerman's? Those prices sound insane. My East Bay C41 lab lost space, and now can handle on E6 8X10, and C41 just up to 4X5. If I have to mail something, it might as well be to LA. That bridge has gotten to be hell, just like downtown parking. Add another twenty bucks just for that!

[Drew Wiley]

Photolab only does 35mm and 120 in house. They sent the rest to SF. But now their provider had to relocate and only has space for one dip n dunk machine big enough for 8X10, and decided on E6. The other machine is in storage. This happened just a couple months ago. I used Photolab because it was only 5min from my office, and with their dollar surchage, it still came out to only $7 per sheet for 8x10 processing. I turned down a ton (literally, several tons) of free processing gear from a retired big local lab - no place to put it; and high-volume machines need to be steadily fed. But I don't know if there are even any 8X10 color shooters on this side of the Bay anymore. And I'm increasingly resorting to 4X5 for color because the cost of replacing my 8x10 stash would be triple now.

[Drew Wiley]

Let me underline that Photolab still handles 4x5 C41, but sent out with about a week turnaround.

[BrianShaw]

https://thedarkroom.com/product/sheet-film-processing/

[Drew Wiley]

Yeah, I'm considering the option in San Clemente. Just don't want to thaw any 8x10 color film right now. Have plenty of black and white work to do first.

[stawastawa]

Citizens Photo in Portland OR. Dedicated Dip and dunk line for C41 and E6 up to 8x10

http://www.citizensphoto.com/processing/

[Dhuiting]

Thanks for the reply! Do you use tetanal kits for your C41? Also, which Jobo tank would you reccomend?

I use the Arista c41 kit from freestyle. It’s one gallon for $70. Pretty good deal.

For E6 I use the Fuji hunt 5L kit for $199. (There are definitely cheaper kits, but I’ve had weird things happen with the 3-bath E6 kit. )

For drums I use the Jobo expert drums (3010 for 4x5 And 3005 for 8x10)

For c41, Once in a while I get some spots on the film where it has stuck to the drum on the backside, and all that means is I need to re-fix for a minute or two in a tray, so I just collect the fixer from the drum in a tray and re-fix the ones that have some blue blotches of silver halide that was not removed from the places where it stuck to the back of the drum. It’s never ruined a negative.

Same goes for E6, but it happens less often with the Fuji hunt kits. But if you get yellow spots on the E6 film you just need to re-bleach for a little while and then re-fix.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[profvandegraf]

Dodge-Chrome in DC area does C41,E-6 and BW up 8x10. https://www.dodgechrome.com/

full disclosure: I work there but not in film processing lab.

[Doug Herta]

Great thanks so much! I will probably go this route then. One other question if you don't mind—what do you use to rotate the drum? Do you do it manually?

I use the JOBO CPP2 unit and follow the time and temperature recommendations to the letter to maintain consistency. There are members who may be rotating the drum manually - the problem is keeping the temperature constant and the water bath on the JOBO units help in this respect. Color film temperature tolerances are +/- 0.5 degrees for the developer stage at least.

Make no mistake - the JOBO units are a significant investment. Used ones in good condition are expensive and the new CPP3 is US$3300. I have been using a CPP2 I bought used 15 years ago so the savings on sending the films out have been realized at this point.

I think you should start out following the lab recommendations of the fine folks on this forum.

If you REALLY get hooked on large format C-41 you will have to do your own accounting as to the volume of the work you do, the time spent with the postal system and turnaround time, and the money you spend on labs. You also have to consider your living situation - these units are not small. If your personal time value of money and personal space can accommodate a semi-automated processor like a CPP or CPE then it will probably become clear to you at some point. In some ways color developing is easier than black and white. You have to be a stickler for measuring chemicals and maintaining strict temperature and time, but it is a straightforward process and will be consistent if you are careful.