Best E6 chemicals for 5x4" in Jobo

[David Nash]

Having moved away from a professional lab, I have purchased a Jobo CPE2+ process or, and have attempted to process 5x4" Velvia.

I've had a couple of goes using PhotoColour chemicals, and although the colour s eems fine, they are not as "clean" as ones processed by a pro lab. When drying, they appear to have some "runs" of a glooey substance. They also seem to pick up a lot of dust.

I don't have anywhere to dry them properly.

The first time, I processed two sheets, the second time I processed six sheets. I also used the final stabiliser.

Has anyone else come across this? Could it be sue to the chemicals, or am I doi ng something wrong.

Any advice on the best chemicals (I am considering Kodak 6 bath) instead of 3-ba th) would be greatly appreciated.

[Peter Hughes]

I would certainly try the Kodak chemistry. I used to run E-6 in Colenta paddle-w heel processors, and I had to modify the chemistry with sulfuric acid to compens ate for the continuous agitation; the Jobo might require something similar. Ask Kodak. As for drying, a shower stall is usually the most dust-free place in the house. Also, mix all chemistry, including the stabilizer, in distilled water. Te mp control is very important in the 1st Developer, less so in the Color Develope r; the rest of the solutions are not critical at all. There's no reason why your results shouldn't be as good than a "pro lab", whose quality control is often i ndifferent, sometimes downright slipshod. I know: I used to work in many such la bs in NYC. (I could tell you horror stories.) Of course, without running a contr ol strip and analyzing it on a professional densitometer, like a Macbeth, you ca n't really tell for sure what's going on. Good luck!

[Michael Wellman]

I haven't done color in many years, but I would call or write Jobo for their adv ice. As for the drying, Jobo makes a nice drying cabinet for 4x5/8x10s to help avoid all of that dust problem.