newbie questions about color negative film C-41 process

[rappersdelight]

i have some newbie questions about color negative film and the C-41 process that maybe some of you guys might be able to answer..

1. i am interested in using very old color negative film–possibly decades old. other than the film losing sensitivity, what else can I expect?

2. which is more archival? c-prints, digital c-prints, or inkjet pigment prints? or something else?

3. the last time i asked the lab to push/pull c-41, they gave me a funny look. is this not possible?

4. as long as the chemicals are available, is it possible to develop C-41 with a Jobo CPA-2 with success? how long do the chemicals usually last?

5. what are the archival properties of developed c-41 negatives? how long will they last?

6. where is c-41/c-printing heading today? will i still be able to process/print in 20 years? what is your prediction?

thanks in advance...

[Jiri Vasina]

Some answers:

re 1. From what I have read, you can expect: unpredictable color shifts. Fog (possibly non-uniform). Without previous testing, unknown film sensitivity (again pertains partly to fog).

re 3. Very well possible with C-41 and also E-6 positives. It should be written on the instruction sheet with your chemistry (I have pushed Provia 400X to EI 800, and it's wonderful).

re 4. yes. But I develop in a Jobo tank without a processor. Again, the longevity should be written in the instruction sheet. It could be around a year for non-opened chemistry, half a year for opened, but not-mixed chemistry (original concentrates) in bottles without air. And around 4 weeks (or less) for mixed working solutions.

re 6. possibly you will still be able to print it the wet way. If that fails, you would still be able to scan the negatives and print them digitally (with technology several generations more advanced than today).

IMO

[Gene McCluney]

None of the methods for printing color negatives (darkroom or digital prints) are really archival. The negatives (stored properly) are the most archival, as fresh prints can be made as needed.

[Gene McCluney]

2. which is more archival? c-prints, digital c-prints,
6. where is c-41/c-printing heading today? will i still be able to process/print in 20 years? what is your prediction?

thanks in advance...

C-prints and Digital C-prints are really the same thing. Color RA-4 style paper developed in RA-4 style chemistry. The archival qualities of the print are not changed just because a laser exposed the paper, rather than an enlarger lens.

All mini-labs make what you call "C-prints" on RA-4 paper for their output from either digital files or color negatives. It is still the most economical, speedy method to get color prints from consumer photography, either digital or film based, therefore I don't see it going away anytime soon.