C-41 at home

[Ari]

Hi,
I'll soon be processing C-41 at home, having just ordered a Tetenal kit from B&H.
I have no idea what to expect, but it sounds like it'll be straightforward as long as I follow the instructions.
After a search of the forum, I found that there shouldn't be any problem using the same Jobo tank for B&W and C-41.
I didn't find out how much film I can process with the Tetenal kit; it makes 1 liter.
Can I re-use the same chemicals once, twice, or more often?
It says that one batch will process 12-16 rolls of 35mm film; is that equivalent to 48-64 sheets of 4x5 (I forgot the film conversions)?
Thanks in advance, and any other information you can supply beforehand is greatly appreciated.

[tgtaylor]

Kodak makes a 5 gallon kit for ~$30. You can download all the details on C-41 processing on the Kodak website.

Thomas

[Ari]

Kodak makes a 5 gallon kit for ~$30. You can download all the details on C-41 processing on the Kodak website.

Thomas

D-oh!

I mean...yes, but does it keep well after opening?
Five gallons is a lot, even for my one-man show.

But I'll bite: can you provide a link? The Kodak website is hell to navigate.
Thanks

[Peter Gomena]

I would think that you might be able to squeeze that much out of a liter of chemicals if you did it all in one session, say 12 rolls in three batches of four rolls each, in a stainless steel tank . Aerating the chemicals in a Jobo and then storing them for a week or two before using them again might be asking for trouble.

Peter Gomena

[tbeaman]

You wouldn't believe how much you can stretch these kits. I develop as much as 24 rolls (or multiplied by 4 = 96 sheets of 4x5) for each liter over a period of as much as a few months. That's rotary in a Patterson too. I make sure that I squeeze out the bottles well and keep them in the fridge between sessions.

24 is the limit I give myself based on reports from others and because I haven't been brave enough to push it further. You don't need to extend the time very much (I add on between 15-30secs in total), but be sure to blix extra long right from the start (10min at first then go to 13-15min). Blix isn't the best thing to use, but doing it longer makes sure you're clearing as much of the silver as it can.

All of this said, I scan exclusively and I don't have the experience or the equipment to be all that discriminating. So all I can say is that everything seems to work out well for me. YMMV.

By the way, since you're local, you'll find the 947ml (or around there) bottles of Mott's Clamato or Garden Cocktail are oddly the perfect size to store 1 liter of chemistry. They have nice wide mouths too, and the different varieties have different coloured caps.


Good luck, it's fun!

[vinny]

Kodak makes a 5 gallon kit for ~$30. You can download all the details on C-41 processing on the Kodak website.

Thomas

Really? Never heard of a kodak c41 kit. $30
Who sells it? Product code?

[Ari]

Thanks; I've never been a Mott's fan, but I might be one now.
And I would really like to know the source for this Kodak $30 5-gallon C-41 kit.
Thanks

[Greg Lockrey]

Thanks; I've never been a Mott's fan, but I might be one now.
And I would really like to know the source for this Kodak $30 5-gallon C-41 kit.
Thanks

Methinks he's has it confused with the replenishment kit.

[Ari]

Methinks he's has it confused with the replenishment kit.

Aye, or stuck in 1981.

[al olson]

Seeing that the last purchase of 2.7 liters of Kodak C-41 Bleach cost me $47, thirty dollars for the whole 5 liter kit sounds very cheap.

I have been researching other alternatives for my C-41 and RA-4 chemicals and have been trying the ones recommended by Denver Pro Photo that are produced under the label of CPAC. They use these chemicals in their processing lab and I have been pleased with the results I am getting. See my earlier post:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=71226&highlight=cpac

[Greg Lockrey]

Back in the day when I was using this stuff a gallon per week, I would store it in a "hot" cabinet at 100 F and fill the air space with marbles in the bottles to use up the air space. Later I was using it with replenisher and keep them topped off that way. Once they discontinued Vericolor film I never liked any of the "unnatural" color films so I got out of it. I even had this paper processor that had 3 @ 2 1/2 gal tanks of Flexicolor for the chemicals with floating lids and temperature control. It used baskets that held 100 8x10" sheet of paper. You dipped and dunked them and dried them off in a RC print dryer. That was $900.00 well spent for the volume I was doing. I had four sets of baskets, I think they cost $100 each in the early 80's, and while the first two were being fan dried I used the second.... was always ready to print more. One print I used a 8x10 film hanger. Just had to top off the tanks with replenisher. Fortunately for me digital printing was getting better. Been there ever since and don't long for a smelly wet lab and worry about expensive chemistry going to waste.

If you can hold the temperatures in a lot of ways color processing is easier than black and white. There is only so much you can do with color before you blow it. With B&W there is lot you have do to make it look better.

[Ari]

Seeing that the last purchase of 2.7 liters of Kodak C-41 Bleach cost me $47, thirty dollars for the whole 5 liter kit sounds very cheap.

I have been researching other alternatives for my C-41 and RA-4 chemicals and have been trying the ones recommended by Denver Pro Photo that are produced under the label of CPAC. They use these chemicals in their processing lab and I have been pleased with the results I am getting. See my earlier post:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=71226&highlight=cpac

I saw your other thread, Al, and thanks, very good cost comparison.

[tgtaylor]

Perhaps I should have clarified that the 5 gallon Kodak kit I mentioned in my post above was the developer only. Once opened it's the developer that starts to decay the quickest and has a limited time before you have to toss. However, I am currently working out of a kit that I first opened in May and the color is still good (I mix the chemistry as I need) and will last for several more months before I will have to toss. Of course I will have used it up by then:)

The rest of the C-41 chemicals - developer starter, fixer, bleach & bleach starter, and stablizer all have much longer shelf life once opened which you can, within reason, regard as essentially unlimited.

Yes, the cost of Flexicolor III ready to use bleach shot up astronomically but I managed to acquire a 12.5 gallon bladder kit from Chang's (now Buffalo Imaging) in the LA area. This purchase, which cost me ~ $250 with the shipping, brought my bleach cost down to about $18 a gallon from the $25 that I was paying for the ready to use product.

Pasted below is a 2010 reply from the forum setting out products and codes:

Here are the Kodak cat# of the C-41 chemistry that i order for my jobo.
I cant find the cat# for the 1 gallon developer kit that kodak sells (if they still do) but the 5 gallon requires the starter.
The bleach is a ready to go 1 gallon bottle that is not diluted and does not require a starter.
Hope this helps.

1953 009 Kodak Flexicolor Developer / Starter
191 9042 Kodak Flexicolor Developer / Replenisher 5-gallons.
894 0801 Kodak Flexicolor (C-41) Bleach III for Color Negative Film 1 Gallon
169 3837 Kodak Flexicolor Fixer Replenisher 5-Gallons
813 6368 Kodak Flexicolor Final Rinse and Replenisher to make 10-Liter

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/archive/index.php/t-62896.html

Thomas

[Ramiro Elena]

I am getting my Tetenal kit this week too.
Can you mix little amounts? (say I want to develop just one roll of 120 or 4 sheets of 4x5 at a time with the Paterson Orbital)

or do I need to make 1 liter of each chemical and store it?

[tgtaylor]

With the Kodak chemistry you can. In fact there is a Kodak tech Pub you can download from their website on how to mix smaller than packaged amounts of chemistry: they do the math for you. However their chart always ends with 1 liter of replisher mixed. Sometimes I only need 750mL of replinshier so I spend about 5 minutes doing the math for each and make sure that the measurements are exact. Works perfect for me.

Thomas

[Ari]

I am getting my Tetenal kit this week too.
Can you mix little amounts? (say I want to develop just one roll of 120 or 4 sheets of 4x5 at a time with the Paterson Orbital)

or do I need to make 1 liter of each chemical and store it?

If you look here (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=NavBar&A=getItemDetail&Q=&sku=109267&is=REG&si=rev#costumerReview), you will find about 50 comments.
Many of them give some practical information regarding mixing and storage of the Tetenal kit, and one large review is simply a very good how-to for beginners.

[photobymike]

I have been using Tetenal c41 for 2 years now...

So here are a few of my thoughts. This c41 kit is really great stuff... 5 liters is just over a gallon..The 5 liter kit all liquid very easy to mix, i use distilled water to mix..i use it over 3 months...unless you have a jobo processor or equivalent processor; process at 87 degrees or 20 cel..... temp easier to control ... i use a Beseler roller so i over heat chems by a couple of degrees, seems to work great......Tetenal c41 dev process is panthermic with some restrictions on time and temp. The negs have more contrast than Kodak process. The negs really scan well with my v750 Epson. Fuji 160 not so good...Kodak Ektar is the best film to use with Tetenal... you will really like Ektar for scanning.. very good dynamic range with really great shadows... With some fuji films the shadows are a different color balance.... Chemicals toxic so handle with caution...use rubber gloves if your skin is exposed rinse well.... dev make my skin itch.....

[Ari]

Thanks, Mike, but where do you get the 5-gallon figure?
I thought a packet of Tetenal made one-liter solution.
Is there a 5-gallon version of this stuff?
Thanks

[photobymike]

The one liter kit is called the press kit..harder to mix.. it was not 5 gallons it was 5 liters ...LOL LOL You should know; you buy gas by the liter..... 5 liters is just a little more than one gallon. i have never used 5 gallons for home use.....if you roll a jobo tank it uses less chemistry than a tank....2500 or 1500 series tanks use substantially less chemistry if used right.... i use a Beseler roller base to turn my jobo tanks.... works quite well. I know there are few others here that do the same thing.... BH sells the 5 liter kit for around 70 tunies plus shipping or are you guys using francs these days... LOL LOL love canada in the summer

http://www.mikepic.com most of my pictures on my website is film

[al olson]

. . .
Yes, the cost of Flexicolor III ready to use bleach shot up astronomically but I managed to acquire a 12.5 gallon bladder kit from Chang's (now Buffalo Imaging) in the LA area. This purchase, which cost me ~ $250 with the shipping, brought my bleach cost down to about $18 a gallon from the $25 that I was paying for the ready to use product.

Pasted below is a 2010 reply from the forum setting out products and codes:
. . .

Wow, Thomas, this is very good to know, but I don't do enough processing to use the five gallon quantities. And two hundred fifty dollars for 12.5 gallons of bleach would be outside of my entire color budget for the year. For me that is a lifetime supply. In fact buying chemicals by the five gallon lot would be extreme as I only use 5 to 10 liters each of C-41 and RA-4 during the year.

The cost of ordering RA-4 papers by the roll instead of being able to buy the cut sheet boxes is also causing me to look at non-Kodak sources. The pricing of color supplies in what is available, now from Kodak, in larger quantities is reason I am looking for alternate sources as well as shooting more monochrome. If I can still afford the silver.

[tgtaylor]

Wow, Thomas, this is very good to know, but I don't do enough processing to use the five gallon quantities. And two hundred fifty dollars for 12.5 gallons of bleach would be outside of my entire color budget for the year. For me that is a lifetime supply. In fact buying chemicals by the five gallon lot would be extreme as I only use 5 to 10 liters each of C-41 and RA-4 during the year.


Yes, 5 gallons of Flexicolor developer replenisher does go a long way but the good news is that the cost is low, $33.99 is what I paid the local Calumet for the kit I am currently working out of, and it lasts for quite a while after opening without having to fill the containers with marbles or gas. For example I first opened the kit I am still using on 1/1/2011 (I write the date on the box and erred when I said May in the earlier post) and as of today there has been no change in the color of any of the components. I think that it's Part C that will oxide first and change to a dark color telling you that it needs to be tossed. But I generally use the kit long before that happens.

As for the bleach, $250 was also out of my bleach budget at the time. But the thought of paying $40 for less than a gallon motivated me to scrape up enough funds for the purchase. But that is now out of the way and I now have enough bleach to last a lifetime. I mix one gallon of working tank solution with starter at a time and use it in the same manner as I did using the ready mixed product. Kodak says that a given quantity will process twice the number of rolls/sheet as the developer so if my run requires 1L of developer, I'll just pour out 500mL of bleach and toss after processing.

Thomas

[Ramiro Elena]

I have been using Tetenal c41 for 2 years now...

So here are a few of my thoughts. This c41 kit is really great stuff... 5 liters is just over a gallon..The 5 liter kit all liquid very easy to mix, i use distilled water to mix..i use it over 3 months...unless you have a jobo processor or equivalent processor; process at 87 degrees or 20 cel..... temp easier to control ... i use a Beseler roller so i over heat chems by a couple of degrees, seems to work great......Tetenal c41 dev process is panthermic with some restrictions on time and temp. The negs have more contrast than Kodak process. The negs really scan well with my v750 Epson. Fuji 160 not so good...Kodak Ektar is the best film to use with Tetenal... you will really like Ektar for scanning.. very good dynamic range with really great shadows... With some fuji films the shadows are a different color balance.... Chemicals toxic so handle with caution...use rubber gloves if your skin is exposed rinse well.... dev make my skin itch.....

That's the kit I got, the liquid one.
Let's see if I got this right. I can make a 1 liter out of the 5 liter kit, that meaning I am not mixing the whole 5 liter kit (I don't have that much film to process anyway.)

This 1 liter solution (developer, blix, stab) is used and returned to the bottle up to 12/16 rolls of (say) 120 film for a period of three-four months?

What happens to what's left of the 5 liter kit? How long does that keep fresh once I've opened the bottles?

[Ari]

That's the kit I got, the liquid one.
Let's see if I got this right. I can make a 1 liter out of the 5 liter kit, that meaning I am not mixing the whole 5 liter kit (I don't have that much film to process anyway.)

This 1 liter solution (developer, blix, stab) is used and returned to the bottle up to 12/16 rolls of (say) 120 film for a period of three-four months?

What happens to what's left of the 5 liter kit? How long does that keep fresh once I've opened the bottles?

That's why I got the one-liter kit; I shoot about 15-20 sheets of colour per week, and the 1-litre will be enough for my use.
Based on what I've read on the Tetenal, you can exceed its stated capacity by 30%-50%, and if stored in the fridge, the shelf life is extended as well.
I just got mine, so I'll let you know how it goes.
Good luck to you.

[Allen in Montreal]

Hi Ari,

I have not read the entire thread, but C-41 at home is a breeze.
If your Jobo set up is not tempered, I would go the old fashion way, stainless tanks.
Big rubber maid type tub, fish tank pump and heater, the pump does make a big difference, have it move the water around thru the entire cycle.
Search FeeBay for an old photo heater made by DevTec out of Florida, they were the best.

Before Digicams came along, I was processing C-41 in hotels, bathrooms, press centers, shower rooms at sports complexes etc etc for years this way, never lost a film.

[J_Tardiff]

You're giving me hope, Allen -- I have to spend the first 6 months of the year living in an RV and figured no more C-41 developing for me.

[tbeaman]

The powder kit also seems to be the only thing we can get shipped to Canada without going through a middle man.

You really can exceed the stated capacity by up to 100-200%. I keep meaning to put up a test I did. I just happened to have twelve sheets taken of the same subject from the same shoot with the same set-up once, so I divided the processing up between a fresh kit and an old one. Never did scan those to compare. I also kept one sheet undeveloped to send to a lab for further comparison.

By the way, Ari, one thing I didn't mention before is that you should add a little Photo-Flo to your stabilizer. There either isn't any or isn't very much of a wetting agent in there.

Ramiro, I've heard those liquid concentrates can last quite a long time if you completely evacuate the air from them and keep them sealed. I think as much as a year in some cases. I'm not sure if cold storage is advisable. Do a search, it's been discussed quite a bit before, especially on APUG and even Flickr. I like those two sources of information because, generally, APUG will give you the more conservative safe viewpoint and Flickr is full of younger amateurs who don't mind really pushing things and experimenting.

[Ari]

Hi Ari,

I have not read the entire thread, but C-41 at home is a breeze.
If your Jobo set up is not tempered, I would go the old fashion way, stainless tanks.
Big rubber maid type tub, fish tank pump and heater, the pump does make a big difference, have it move the water around thru the entire cycle.
Search FeeBay for an old photo heater made by DevTec out of Florida, they were the best.

Before Digicams came along, I was processing C-41 in hotels, bathrooms, press centers, shower rooms at sports complexes etc etc for years this way, never lost a film.

Thanks, Allen; I'll be using the Jobo 2553 with 12 sheets and atub filled with 38˚C water. I'm kind of tired of spending money lately. :rolleyes:


You're giving me hope, Allen -- I have to spend the first 6 months of the year living in an RV and figured no more C-41 developing for me.

You have to spend 6 months in an RV?
Man, I'm trying desperately to spend the winter in one of those; you wouldn't need to force me. :)


The powder kit also seems to be the only thing we can get shipped to Canada without going through a middle man.

You really can exceed the stated capacity by up to 100-200%. I keep meaning to put up a test I did. I just happened to have twelve sheets taken of the same subject from the same shoot with the same set-up once, so I divided the processing up between a fresh kit and an old one. Never did scan those to compare. I also kept one sheet undeveloped to send to a lab for further comparison.

By the way, Ari, one thing I didn't mention before is that you should add a little Photo-Flo to your stabilizer. There either isn't any or isn't very much of a wetting agent in there.

Ramiro, I've heard those liquid concentrates can last quite a long time if you completely evacuate the air from them and keep them sealed. I think as much as a year in some cases. I'm not sure if cold storage is advisable. Do a search, it's been discussed quite a bit before, especially on APUG and even Flickr. I like those two sources of information because, generally, APUG will give you the more conservative safe viewpoint and Flickr is full of younger amateurs who don't mind really pushing things and experimenting.

Thanks tbeaman; I had that fact written down already.
If you do get results from your tests, do let us know; I'll be seeing how many 4x5s one liter of Tetenal will process satisfactorily.

[Ari]

I just wanted to add a page from B&H's website; one reviewer was kind enough to provide detailed instructions.

Rather than repeat the previous reviewers' comments about how easy this kit is to use and the great results it produces (it is, and it does), I'm going to give a few tips about using it.

1. Your kit may come branded "Tetenal," "Jobo," or "Unicolor." They're all exactly the same kit, so don't worry about the name on the box.

2. Get a good thermometer. The Weston dial thermometer elsewhere on this site is excellent.

3. To mix up the solutions, I microwave a jug of distilled water until it reaches the recommended temperature, then mix each solution in a 1L graduate and pour it into an opaque plastic bottle. Wash and rinse the graduate and any other glassware thoroughly before mixing the next chemical - a drop of blix in the developer, for example, will kill the developer.

4. Unlike the Kodak and Fuji C-41 chemistry, the Tetenal stabilizer does not seem to include a wetting agent. To fix that, I add a few drops of PhotoFlo to the stabilizer after mixing it up. Without this addition, I get water spots all over the negatives.

5. To start processing, put the developer, blix, and a 1L bottle of water in the microwave on "high" for 3 minutes, check the developer temperature, then microwave some more if necessary, until the developer is up to about 40-41 degrees C. The other solutions will be around the same temperature at that point, and only the developer is really critical. Once they're warmed up, leave them sitting out with the thermometer in the developer bottle, so you can monitor its temperature.

6. While microwaving the solutions, get your film loaded onto your reels and into the tank. I use the Samigon plastic tank and reel system, which is also available from B&H.

7. Fill a plain plastic dishpan with very hot tap water. If your developer cools down too quickly, you can set the solutions in there to warm them back up.

8. When the developer is at 39C, pour the heated water into the tank for the pre-soak, and follow the instructions the rest of the way through the process. I find a three-way digital kitchen timer very handy, but you could use any timing device if you're careful. Start pouring out the previous solution about 15 seconds before its time is up, so you can add the next solution exactly on time.

9. As others have noted, the kit is pretty forgiving about times and temperatures, so don't pitch a fit if the developer cools a half-degree too low or you take a few seconds longer to fill the tank with blix. I haven't tried doing this with developer at room temperature, but others say that works with a slight adjustment to the time.

10. The stabilizer is supposed to be at room temperature. I think that's to keep it from evaporating too quickly.

11. DO NOT rinse the film after the stabilizer. The stabilizer's main function is to coat the film with an antimicrobial compound (hexamine, I think). Color negatives without this coating will rot, so don't rinse it off. That's why I add the PhotoFlo directly to the stabilizer, rather than put it in a separate rinse as I would for black-and-white film.

[tbeaman]

I think I remember reading that exact review when I was first getting into this.


If you do get results from your tests, do let us know; I'll be seeing how many 4x5s one liter of Tetenal will process satisfactorily.

I'll see if I have enough time tonight to do something preliminary on the Epson. One of the reasons I've put off doing it is that I've wanted to use a good enough scanner to be able to see into the grain.

And it won't be the most rigorous test. The sheets done in the fresh batch sat for awhile longer unprocessed in the fridge than the others, and it's expired film, but I suppose anything will be better than the anecdotal hearsay we've had to go on so far.

[Ari]

I think I remember reading that exact review when I was first getting into this.



I'll see if I have enough time tonight to do something preliminary on the Epson. One of the reasons I've put off doing it is that I've wanted to use a good enough scanner to be able to see into the grain.

And it won't be the most rigorous test. The sheets done in the fresh batch sat for awhile longer unprocessed in the fridge than the others, and it's expired film, but I suppose anything will be better than the anecdotal hearsay we've had to go on so far.

None of the fridge storage stuff should matter, and any decent flatbed scanner will do, since that's what many of us use.
Keep us posted.
Thanks

[Ari]

Having just completed my first C-41 processing at home, I've hung up my film to dry.
While I'm a poor judge of colour negs, they do look good.
They are also the first shots taken with a brand-new (to me) Technikardan, so the anticipation is doubled.
Mixing was no problem, though the Blix is quite foul-smelling and gave me a bad headache; it also dripped from the bottle as I poured it into the tank and made a mess.
Other than that, things went smoothly, and I'll post some scans later.

[Ari]

OP here, I just wanted to follow up on some results.
Processing was easy, just follow the steps.
It was my first time, so naturally I screwed up a couple of things.
I didn't fill the whole drum with water for the pre-soak, and this left some streaking.
My time was inaccurate: I wanted to set 3:30 for the developer, and instead set the timer to 0:0:33.0. I managed to compensate, but it wasn't ideal.
And I spent too many extra seconds between steps pouring out and pouring in solutions; I'll have to devise a better way of doing that.
It's easier in B&W, since the fixer is the only solution that gets put back in its bottle.
Colours are good, I might have screwed up the adjustment of the second photo, it looks too green to me, although the colour of the stucco was a light green.
These were taken on the same day, about one hour apart.
Film is Portra 400, lens is a 90mm, and this was my first time using my new-to-me Technikardan.

Overall, I'm pleased with the results, and will process more today or tomorrow.

PS- Anybody know how to remove and clean the scanner glass on an Epson 4990?

Thanks

Some photos:

http://i55.tinypic.com/2rggwbb.jpg

http://i53.tinypic.com/25ztk4w.jpg

[al olson]

Ari, those are nice sharp photos. I am unable to discern the streaking that you mentioned.

As I look at the second photo, I am unable to see a greenish tinge throughout the photo. Looking at the sky, the color looks natural. Observing the purer whites in the clouds, the car, the trim on the building, I do not see any hint of green. I think that the dominance of the building has biased the impression that there is a green tint to the photo. In fact on my monitor, the building is more gray than green.

Nice work.

[Ari]

Thank you, Al.
The streaks have been cropped out, they were especially visible in the second photo.
And thank you for a thorough review of the colours I was so bad at reading.
As for sharp, well, I found that these were my two sharpest; other set-ups were noticeably unsharp.
I can only hope that this was due to my inexperience with a new camera, and not some mechanical problem with the unit.

[Ramiro Elena]

I can see that green cast you mention Ari. We're talking computer screens and all so what I am showing here doesn't mean much (or nothing). The light could very well had been like it shows on your image.

[Ari]

Gracias, Ramiro; I thought perhaps that different monitors would not show the green cast, although mine does.
At least I know that I'm responsible for the green; I introduced it pre-scan in the levels page.
Ramiro, how is your C-41 developing coming along?
Have you tried it yet?
Keep us posted.

[Ramiro Elena]

Getting correct color balance with the scanner can be tricky, that's why I liked my old Agfa Duoscan.

I am waiting for the right moment. Meaning I don't have a 9 months baby messing around or a wife asking to fix something.
I also wanted to make sure I can open the 5L kit with the small amount of film I have to process right now. I think I should have gone for the 1L kit.

[Ari]

I am waiting for the right moment. Meaning I don't have a 9 months baby messing around or a wife asking to fix something.

Trust me; in that situation, there is no right moment. :)
You'll have to make the right moment, or be prepared to tiptoe in the dark late at night.

[Allen in Montreal]

OP here..........
And I spent too many extra seconds between steps pouring out and pouring in solutions; I'll have to devise a better way of doing that.
It's easier in B&W, since the fixer is the only solution that gets put back in its bottle.......



Ari,

Great first run.
If I may offer some advice, get some cheap very wide mouth containers and just pour the soup straight from the Jobo drum into that.
Do the re-bottling at the end of the run.
Some extra "stuff" to store, but it really makes it easier.

[ImSoNegative]

i bought a kit from freestyle last year, very easy to do, make sure your temps are pretty much dead on, about 102f i think thats what it is.

[Ari]

Ari,

Great first run.
If I may offer some advice, get some cheap very wide mouth containers and just pour the soup straight from the Jobo drum into that.
Do the re-bottling at the end of the run.
Some extra "stuff" to store, but it really makes it easier.

Hey Allen,
That's exactly what I'm going to do.
I found the accordion-type bottle, in 1-litre size, for $9 each at the local Henry's, which still carries some darkroom equipment.
Thanks

And the second run came out just as good as the first.
I've heard these chems don't last too long when they're just sitting around, so I have to go and shoot some more film to feed them.

[false_Aesthetic]

I don't mean to hijack this thread. If you want me to take this question elsewhere, I will.

Any suggestions for processing 5x7 in c-41. I've been pretty dissatisfied with previous labs (uneven developing) and at $11/sheet (film + processing) I'd rather not waste time/money/film.

[Allen in Montreal]

I don't mean to hijack this thread. If you want me to take this question elsewhere, I will.

Any suggestions for processing 5x7 in c-41. I've been pretty dissatisfied with previous labs (uneven developing) and at $11/sheet (film + processing) I'd rather not waste time/money/film.

If you want to use hangers,
get 3 of these:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/13146-REG/Cescolite_CL10FT_1_Gallon_5_x.html

They are thin walled and will ease the temp control issues. For this purpose, they are far better than traditional hard rubber tanks.
Put them in a large Rubbermaid type tub and follow the same process steps (fish tank heater and circulation pump)

Or Get a Jobo 3006 drum.

[Ramiro Elena]

I did my first roll this morning. Like it has been said, it's pretty simple. The trouble comes with scanning and trying to color correct.
I haven't shot large format yet (a have a large stack of expired Portra 400VC 120 film).

I used the 5L Tetenal kit. The only thing that's gotten me a little confused is the STAB bath.
It is a bit strange with the 5L kit. You need 50mL to make 5 litre BUT 100mL to make 1 litre. The kit comes with only 50mL so you are forced to mix 5 litres which take up a lot of space.

and how do you handle it once you've finished the processing? Can you touch the wet film with your bare hands?

Here are some takes (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rabato/6231356299/in/photostream/).

[Ari]

Very strange about the stabilizer quantities, Ramiro. maybe you have a link to online instructions?
After bleach (BLIX in my kit), you wash the film in water.
After the wash, you add the stabilizer, to which I add a few drops of wetting agent (to prevent spots).
The film is safe to handle after the stabilizer bath.

[Ari]

Just an update.
I've processed 36 sheets so far, using the same batch of chemicals, and to my inexperienced eye, the film still looks pretty good.
The last batch of film came out looking very orange; from what I can gather on the information sheet, this is probably due to insufficient Blix time.
So next batch, I will increase both development time (by 15s or 30s) and add a minute to Blix time.

I'd like to know what anybody else thinks, someone who has more experience in this area than I do.
Thanks

[Ari]

Another update.
Up to 48 sheets processed so far, and the last batch looked good.
I increased development time from 3:30 to 3:45.
I increased Blix time from 6:30 to 7:00.
The scans will show me what really happened, but it's encouraging.

I've kept the chems in accordion-type plastic bottles, sealed properly, at room temperature.
This was my first processing in more than a week, so I was worried about letting the chems sit around that long.
But it went fine.

Just the cost alone has been worth it.
So far, I've processed 48 sheets of film, and it's cost me one $20 package of chems, which are still working well.
At my lab, they charge $3.50 per sheet plus tax; would have been about $190 including tax.
A savings of about $170.

:)

[Ari]

I did my first roll this morning. Like it has been said, it's pretty simple. The trouble comes with scanning and trying to color correct.
I haven't shot large format yet (a have a large stack of expired Portra 400VC 120 film).

I used the 5L Tetenal kit. The only thing that's gotten me a little confused is the STAB bath.
It is a bit strange with the 5L kit. You need 50mL to make 5 litre BUT 100mL to make 1 litre. The kit comes with only 50mL so you are forced to mix 5 litres which take up a lot of space.

and how do you handle it once you've finished the processing? Can you touch the wet film with your bare hands?

Here are some takes (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rabato/6231356299/in/photostream/).

I saw your processed photos, Ramiro; very good.
I hope it's going well with the 5L kit.
Your son looks about the same age as my daughter, 15 months?

[Ramiro Elena]

Ari, I need to process one more roll of 120 today. I did experienced a light stain in one single frame, only visible in the scan. My main problem so far is the water stains I get with the Stab (very tiny white spots only visible in the scans too).
I think that part of the kit is different from the 1L. The 5L comes with wetting agent or at least it would seem that way from how foamy it is. I noticed it starts to change color too. I might try toss that mix and use a fresh one.

I really want to try some 4x5 but I only have an expired box of Ektachrome 64T. I'll use it next week on some portraits of a musician friend. No way to tell how results will be... Tungnsten in daylight, cross process... it'll be funky.
I need to get my hands on some expired 4x5 boxes on eBay or here.

Yeah! Pretty much, he'll turn 12 months in december. He's quite tall :)

[gth]

Off topic a bit but since there are a few Montrealers here:

1. What Lab do you use in Montreal for developing sheet film (E6, E41, B/W)?
(And 35 mm for that matter! Scanning?)

2. Where do you purchase development chemicals in Montreal?

Thanks!

/gth

[tgtaylor]

I used the 5L Tetenal kit. The only thing that's gotten me a little confused is the STAB bath.
It is a bit strange with the 5L kit. You need 50mL to make 5 litre BUT 100mL to make 1 litre. The kit comes with only 50mL so you are forced to mix 5 litres which take up a lot of space.

and how do you handle it once you've finished the processing? Can you touch the wet film with your bare hands?

Here are some takes (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rabato/6231356299/in/photostream/).

If I were you I'd use the Kodak product which is available from Calumet:
http://www.calumetphoto.com/eng/product/kodak_c41_stabilizer_replenisher_iii/kp02858

I mix it 1 liter at a time (9mL/Liter). According to Kodak its capacity is 20 sheets of 4x5 per liter.

Thomas

[Ari]

Ari, I need to process one more roll of 120 today. I did experienced a light stain in one single frame, only visible in the scan. My main problem so far is the water stains I get with the Stab (very tiny white spots only visible in the scans too).
I think that part of the kit is different from the 1L. The 5L comes with wetting agent or at least it would seem that way from how foamy it is. I noticed it starts to change color too. I might try toss that mix and use a fresh one.

I really want to try some 4x5 but I only have an expired box of Ektachrome 64T. I'll use it next week on some portraits of a musician friend. No way to tell how results will be... Tungnsten in daylight, cross process... it'll be funky.
I need to get my hands on some expired 4x5 boxes on eBay or here.

Yeah! Pretty much, he'll turn 12 months in december. He's quite tall :)

Ramiro,
Perhaps adding a few drops of wetting agent to your Stab will solve the white spots.
It's hard to tell without a photo.
Or maybe it needs to be tossed, like you said.
Your 4x5 should be interesting, though; I forget what the adjustment is for cross-processing, maybe 50% more time, but I can't remember.
Your boy is tall, he looks older than his age. Congratulations!


Off topic a bit but since there are a few Montrealers here:

1. What Lab do you use in Montreal for developing sheet film (E6, E41, B/W)?
(And 35 mm for that matter! Scanning?)

2. Where do you purchase development chemicals in Montreal?

Thanks!

/gth

Gerth,
I use a lab in Ottawa; the only great lab in Montreal closed a few years ago (Dafo-Eclair). I think Champion still processes film, as does Borealis on Hotel-de-Ville.
Contact might still do it, but I don't recommend them; maybe others might.
As for colour chems, I bought from B&H in NY.
See the first page of this thread, there should be a link to the product; or search B&H's website for the Tetenal kit.
In Montreal, I can only find B&W chems, LL Lozeau still stocks them, I believe.
Good luck!

[Ramiro Elena]

I forget what the adjustment is for cross-processing, maybe 50% more time, but I can't remember.


Well, good thing you mentioned it. I had no idea adjustment was needed. I'll look it up.

[Ari]

I just wanted to mention that I got to develop 60 sheets with the same chemicals.
They were properly stored in the accordion-type bottles for almost a month.
My last 12 sheets were ruined because the film somehow got exposed whilst in the Grafmatics, but the processing was still good, just need a little boost in developing and blix time.

[SeanEsopenko]

I find that when the stabilizer gets old leaves white spots and crystalline like striations that show up in enlargements and scans. I use c41 one shot now. I enlarge in the darkroom and consistency in the negatives really speeds up the darkroom work.

[Ramiro Elena]

Sean, do you mean you use all the chemistry once or just the Stab?
Your description is exactly what I experienced.

[Ari]

I find that when the stabilizer gets old leaves white spots and crystalline like striations that show up in enlargements and scans. I use c41 one shot now. I enlarge in the darkroom and consistency in the negatives really speeds up the darkroom work.


Sean, do you mean you use all the chemistry once or just the Stab?
Your description is exactly what I experienced.

Sean, what is this one-shot C-41? Tell us more, and where do you get it?

[KnightHawk]

Nov., 2011

Anyone have a line on a local (to the Greater Toronto Area) C-41 film chemistry supplier for small, table-top rotary drum developing systems? I'd like to work with a local/regional supplier (in Canada) if possible--rather than bring chemistry across the border. Cheers and thanks! :)

[Ramiro Elena]

I used new STAB and the stains are gone. I am going to use the 5L STAB mix from now on instead of the 1L. I imagine the later one gets ruined faster.

[Ari]

I processed my first MF rollfilm in Tetenal C-41; results were excellent.
The only problem was using my old stainless steel tanks and reels, they leaked quite a bit. So I'm going to buy some JOBO reels for my 2553.
The leaks will stop, and I could even use 220 film, which would be a little more convenient.

So far, all my work from the last month has been processed at home, and I've had great results, except for one time: http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=82608
Most of it is posted to my website and Facebook page.

[Ari]

Nov., 2011

Anyone have a line on a local (to the Greater Toronto Area) C-41 film chemistry supplier for small, table-top rotary drum developing systems? I'd like to work with a local/regional supplier (in Canada) if possible--rather than bring chemistry across the border. Cheers and thanks! :)

I don't know of anything in Canada, but please let me know.
It's tough to beat the Tetenal kit from B&H at only $20, but if you factor in shipping and customs, the price goes up.
One package costs $33,74 all inclusive to Canada, while two packages cost $57,69.

If you find anything better, I'd love to hear about it.

[Ramiro Elena]

I use the stainless steel tank for 120 :D
I regret giving away the Patterson tanks when I closed my studio but once you rinse the first spill it stops.

[Ari]

I use the stainless steel tank for 120 :D
I regret giving away the Patterson tanks when I closed my studio but once you rinse the first spill it stops.

I have tanks that I bought almost 20 years ago, so the lids don't fit perfectly, and some of the tanks are deformed.
I use gaffer's tape around the lid, but it doesn't stop colour chemicals from getting through, rendering the tape useless.

[Ari]

Just wondering about push development; has anyone tried it?
The data sheet for Tetenal states that for 2-stop underexposure, to increase development time by a factor of 1.5
I'd like to try Ektar 100 pushed to 800 ISO.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

[photobymike]

Ari I have used Tetenal for years .. i would not try 800 with EKTAR ... Fuji 400 with 2.5 extra minutes in developer should get you there. 86 degrees is the temp i use.... Just lately i have found that my local CVS store instant lab does 120 film... yea they use a cart designed for the Noritsu. They put a leader on the film and run with the 35mm. It helps to have a operator that is a photo enthusiast running the processor. they charge me 2 bucks and do a great job.... he will even slow the machine if i want to push to 800.

anyway Tetenal Jobo and a beseler roller base works for me.

http://www.mikepic.com

[Ari]

Ari I have used Tetenal for years .. i would not try 800 with EKTAR ... Fuji 400 with 2.5 extra minutes in developer should get you there. 86 degrees is the temp i use.... Just lately i have found that my local CVS store instant lab does 120 film... yea they use a cart designed for the Noritsu. They put a leader on the film and run with the 35mm. It helps to have a operator that is a photo enthusiast running the processor. they charge me 2 bucks and do a great job.... he will even slow the machine if i want to push to 800.

anyway Tetenal Jobo and a beseler roller base works for me.

http://www.mikepic.com

Thanks, Mike; I did just that, I bought some Fuji 400, and it should arrive next week.

[Ramiro Elena]

Well it's been four months since the first batch of Tetenal C-41. I've ran about 18-24 rolls of 120 and the last 3 120 and 4 4x5 came out completely ruined. I saw the CD was pretty dark but went ahead and gave it a go anyway. The new freshly made batch came out excelent and much easier to scan. The 3 rolls previous to the ruined ones were very clear but I blamed it on a faulty shutter.
I won't wait this long next time. The 4 4x5 were work :(

[Ari]

Sorry to hear that, Ramiro.
I've found the limit with one batch of Tetenal chemicals is about 50 sheets, 60 if done within a reasonable amount of time.
But I used to go two or three weeks without processing, and the chemicals would just sit there and exhaust themselves slowly.
Nowadays, I'm in no hurry to process, so I'm saving my exposed film until I have about 60 sheets; then I'll process everything in the span of a day or so.

[Ramiro Elena]

I probably let the chemicals sit for too long Ari. I better shoot fast because I don't have anything now to process :S