C-41 Process Times

[Bruce Pollock]

So, I dropped off 10 sheets of Fuji Pro NS 160 C-41 film at my local camera shop today. They will ship it out to an out of town lab for processing - but that's another story. The film was not in the original box and the young guy who took the order asked me what speed the film was. I told him it was ASA 160 and asked him why he wanted to know. He said that the process time will vary depending on film speed and so the lab needs to know.

Now, I'll admit that I haven't shot colour neg film for a while, but this was news to me. I didn't want to argue with someone who wasn't even born when I got my first camera and sound like a grumpy old fart, so I figured I'd bring my antiquity to a place where it might be appreciated.

Any C-41 process I've ever been familiar with had a standard processing time for all films. Am I wrong? Is ASA 100 film souped differently from ASA 400 film?

[vinny]

Nope. All the same time unless doing push/pull.

[Bruce Pollock]

That's what I figured - thanks. The universe is unfolding as it should.

[WayneStevenson]

Just make sure to give him any information you can. It's obvious he isn't farmiliar with film processing so he can pass everything on to the lab he's getting it sent out to. He shouldn't really even be handling it. But what are you going to do?

[Bruce Pollock]

Yeah - my big fear is that it's in an E-6 box and I took pains to point out that the film was C-41. I put a big label on the outside just to warn everybody. It wouldn't be the first time I got back cross-processed film. So I'm crossing my fingers.

[Daniel Stone]

sounds like you NEED a new place to get your film processed. Or ship it yourself, so that takes another variable(the youngins' hands being the other factor) out of the picture

2nd, you'd be surprised who gets hired, even at "pro" labs here in LA. I've had a few near-arguments with counter staff when they almost told me that I didn't "want" a push on a film order. IDK why, I was going to pay more for it, even though its ideally a service a lab can do for free, IMO...

-Dan

[Ari]

Or process your own film: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...s_Kit_for.html

[Roger Scott]

The process time shouldn't change with film speed but the replenishment rate of the chemistry might.

[tnabbott]

Or process your own film: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...s_Kit_for.html

I second that! Home processing of C41 is quite straightforward...

[Ramiro Elena]

And you don't have to walk out the door! Just did 4 sheets.