Rising price of chemicals

[al olson]

A little over a year and a half ago I purchased a gallon of Flexicolor Bleach for just over $28. I just ordered Kodak's repackaged bleach (gallon size has been discontinued) in a 2.7 liter jug from my regular supplier. It is now priced at $46.40. :eek:

I also ordered two 10-sheet boxes of Ektar at $27 plus change each. I can refrigerate the films to stretch them out, but once the developer is mixed the shelf life is not as forgiving. This may well be the end of color photography for me, ... both MF and LF.

[JRFrench]

I've had pretty good shelf life from my c-41 chems so far.

I use Tetenal c-41 chems and mix up 500mls of chemistry at a time. One 5L kit has lasted me about a year now and has developed around 15 135 rolls and 50 sheets of 4x5. Has been stored cool all of the time and refrigerated about half of it, still going strong. I too recently ordered some Ektar so I will have a go with that soon!

[erie patsellis]

Sadly, Flexicolor chemistry has gotten expensive, and the shipping surcharges can kill you. Do you have a lab near you that would combine orders with you?

[al olson]

The prices I quoted are for Denver Pro Photo. So far my experience is that they are quite reasonable and I usually shop for supplies whenever I am up there. This avoids the shipping and surcharges (or sometimes outright refusal to ship) when I order out of the east coast discount houses.

I don't have any shipping costs on this occasion because I have a friend who will pick it up and bring it back with him.

[D. Bryant]

The prices I quoted are for Denver Pro Photo. So far my experience is that they are quite reasonable and I usually shop for supplies whenever I am up there. This avoids the shipping and surcharges (or sometimes outright refusal to ship) when I order out of the east coast discount houses.

I don't have any shipping costs on this occasion because I have a friend who will pick it up and bring it back with him.

I no longer use Kodak C-41 processing chemicals. I purchase the 1 gal. Unicolor 3 part C-41 kit and mix the developer to suit the immediate volume I need to process film. This stretches the developer out nicely eliminating wasted chemicals.

Don Bryant

[al olson]

I no longer use Kodak C-41 processing chemicals. I purchase the 1 gal. Unicolor 3 part C-41 kit and mix the developer to suit the immediate volume I need to process film. This stretches the developer out nicely eliminating wasted chemicals.

Don Bryant

When you say 3 part I presume you mean developer, bleach and fix (not parts A, B, and C for mixing the developer). When you stretch the developer do you also stretch the bleach and fix?

I know that there are kits available (Tetenol is another along with Freestyle's Arista kit) that provide developer, bleach and fix, but I like to mix fresh developer sooner than I mix fresh bleach and fix, so I never come out even. Mix and match has worked better for me in the past.

At least until recently it has been more economical when Kodak chemicals were more reasonable. I process with one-time use in my Jobo.

I have no idea how much the prices on other Kodak chemicals have increased, but I am sure that they are higher as well.

Freestyle lists their Arista 1-gal. C-41 kit at $69.99. That means that it is a lot cheaper than Kodak's chemicals where 2.7 liters of bleach is $46.40. The Arista kit cites total time at 13 minutes (temps 75-100) whereas I spend over a half hour processing with Kodak Chemicals at 100.

Freestyle also states that there are no haz-mat surcharges for ground shipping. But I would guess that with three 1-gal. jugs the shipping weight would be 24 lbs. or more so shipping might not be very cheap.

I am thinking that next time around I will try ordering from Freestyle. I will also look into Freestyle for the RA-4 chemicals. I have used their B&W chemicals and found them satisfactory.