C-41 Recommendations?

[Christopher Barrett]

Hey gang. I have a commission for a project that will be shot on 8x10 color neg. It's been a few years since I've developed C-41. The chemistry I used then seemed to be hit and miss. Can you guys recommend a brand of chemicals that are consistently good, or a top notch lab that can do 8x10 C-41?

Thanks!
CB

[Ari]

Christopher, I've had consistent results processing in Jobo 3005 tank mounted on a rolling base.
The C-41 chemicals I use are the Tetenal press kit: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/109267-REG/Tetenal_T109306_C_41_Press_Kit_for.html
Easy to mix, and you really only need to make sure your developer is at 104F, Blix can be a little cooler, stabilizer at room temperature.

[Christopher Barrett]

Thanks, Ari. I do have a CPP3 and master drums. I think I'll test that kit out in the studio with some 4x5.

[Ari]

Let us know how it goes, Christopher.
As long as you mix the powders as instructed, you'll be good.

[Eric Leppanen]

Can you guys recommend...a top notch lab that can do 8x10 C-41?I ultimately settled on Edgar Praus (https://www.4photolab.com/) for processing 8x10 C-41, after experiencing mottling problems with my local labs. The trick apparently is to be sure there is enough agitation in the dip and dunk tank to avoid uneven development.

[koraks]

As far as I can tell all C41 chemistry options should work well. Personally I use Fuji Hunt minilab chemistry, but in the US Kodak is easier to get and it's the benchmark. There's a big thread (actually several) on Photrio about which Kodak product numbers you need for at home RT processing.
Tetenal is likely good too; can't vouch for Champion but I'd be surprised if it wasn't decent to say the least.

C41 chemistry is pretty well established technology really;I'm not aware of serious problems with any of it. Are you sure the problems you heard about were unequivocally due to defective chemistry? Some people do report issues but most of them can be traced to operator error.

Obviously for your project it makes sense to get some of your preferred chemistry and run some rolls of 120 or 135 through it to verify you got it all right before trusting expensive sheets of 8x10 portra with it.

[agregov]

Freestyle sells a Fuji branded 5L C41 kit. It's more expensive but I like that it comes with separate bleach and fix steps (as opposed to Blix). Read some long threads on Photrio at some point and @photoengineer there was not a fan of the long term stability of Blix processed negatives. Blix was designed for paper not film. That said, prior to using Fuji chemistry, I had used the Rollie kit (also available on Freestyle) which has a Blix step and have not yet noticed differences between the two. Given the expense of 8x10 sheet film, the safest route would be to go with separate bleach and fix steps.

[Tom Kershaw]

Thanks, Ari. I do have a CPP3 and master drums. I think I'll test that kit out in the studio with some 4x5.

I have used Kodak Flexicolor with the Jobo drums and would recommend this option; just don't over use the developer - 4 sheets of 8x10 in 1000ml working solution of developer should be safe one-shot.