Arista vs. Tetenal vs. Unicolor

[rockphotographer]

Ok guys...I know this has probably been discussed but I'm not finding the exact answers I'm looking for. Perhaps the guy named "Photo Engineer" can give me the real answer hah!

There are three major E6 and C41 chemicals available from Freestyle and the FPP etc....ARISTA.....TETENAL....and UNICOLOR.

• I am using a Jobo CPP2 for all my developing.
• I have tried all three. The Arista and Tetenal are both liquid concentrates and the Unicolor seems to be powder on C41 and liquid on E6.
• I mix one liter at a time and store in brown glass bottles using either "Bloxygen" or Tetenal's own "Protectan" spray to avoid oxidation in both the remaining concentrate as well as the mixed stock solutions.

What are the differences (if any) between using these different chemicals. I hear that the Tetenal has a longer shelf life, larger capacity, and seems to give most people better results. I realize that the powder chemicals have an "indefinite" shelf life unmixed which is nice (or shall we say it will certainly last a year in powder form with no issue). I just thought I'd start knowing a bit more about why I should pay 99.99 for the Tetenal E6, when the Arista E6 is 75.00..... Thoughts?

Thanks in advance everyone!

Charles R. Lawson, CPP, AFP
The Highlander Studios

 

[Joel_L]

I have used the Arista and Tetenal for E6. Can't say I notice one being better than the other. The only thing I like better about the Tetenal is it does supply a stabilizer. If you go through it fast enough, I think they are both similar price wise, Arista is 1 gallon, Tetenal is 5L. I have had both brands go bad before their time. My processing has slowed down, so I usually end up tossing unused chem because they went bad.

Joel

 

[Sirius Glass]

I have only used Unicolor C-41 processing and it worked so well that I have not bothered with the others.

 

[Wayne]

I've only used Unicolor because it's cheap and easy and I'm not that good at RA4 yet so cheap and easy are priorities.