Best C-41 Kit to start with??

John Galt · Nov 23, 2019

Having acquired a huge lot of 120 and 220 Kodak C-41 color films ( aprox 15 yrs old and frozen since purchase ) from a Portrait Studio estate sale I am excited to begin shooting color with my Hasselblad.

What would those here experienced with the C-41 process recommend for a C-41 kit that is easy to prepare and produces quality negatives?

Thanks in advance.

Tom Kershaw · Nov 23, 2019

This is a good kit but apparently rather expensive in the USA: https://www.freestylephoto.biz/660163-Fuji-C-41-X-Press-Kit-5-L-Processing-Kit

Otherwise you may be better off buying the individual components depending on how much film you plan to process. Those would be:

- developer replenisher

- developer starter

- bleach

- fix

- not stabilizer - I should have said 'final rinse' -

Tom

barzune · Nov 23, 2019

What country do you live in?

John Galt · Nov 23, 2019

barzune said:
What country do you live in?

USA

mshchem · Nov 23, 2019

John Galt said:
USA

Go to Freestyle and buy the individual Kodak Flexicolor chemistry. Get the Flexicolor RA Bleach and Fixer. The Final rinse not stabilizer Developer and I use 1 shot. The bleach can be replenished, 1 5L will last almost forever. The developer and bleach starters are cheap and last forever. The developer has a shorter shelf life but it is so cheap, 12 bucks to make 6 liters of working solution, I just make new when it get old. Unique is well, unique, in they split cases so you don't need to buy large quantities.

dmr · Nov 24, 2019

I've had great luck with the Arista kits, both C41 and E6. I like they because they are all liquid and more convenient. I will keep them refrigerated, usually mix them for two-shot, and carefully blow Bloxygen into the bottles on each use.

destroya · Nov 24, 2019

mshchem said:
Go to Freestyle and buy the individual Kodak Flexicolor chemistry. Get the Flexicolor RA Bleach and Fixer. The Final rinse not stabilizer Developer and I use 1 shot. The bleach can be replenished, 1 5L will last almost forever. The developer and bleach starters are cheap and last forever. The developer has a shorter shelf life but it is so cheap, 12 bucks to make 6 liters of working solution, I just make new when it get old. Unique is well, unique, in they split cases so you don't need to buy large quantities.

I use the same chems as well. why nnot use the best you can with your chems, like you do with your film and hardware? I got hit and miss results when i first started my own c41 development at home, because i was using cheap c41 kits. it changed for the better when i spent a little more money per roll using, what i will call the real c41 chems.

mshchem · Nov 25, 2019

mshchem said:
Go to Freestyle and buy the individual Kodak Flexicolor chemistry. Get the Flexicolor RA Bleach and Fixer. The Final rinse not stabilizer Developer and I use 1 shot. The bleach can be replenished, 1 5L will last almost forever. The developer and bleach starters are cheap and last forever. The developer has a shorter shelf life but it is so cheap, 12 bucks to make 6 liters of working solution, I just make new when it get old. Unique is well, unique, in they split cases so you don't need to buy large quantities.

I should have said Unique photo in NJ.

NortheastPhotographic · Nov 25, 2019

Unless you have a Jobo, use a lab. There is very little cost saving, no creative control, and pretty much only downsides to the consumer C41 kits. Replenished C41 in a computer controlled machine that is subject to regular testing however yields great results cheaply. Even if you have a Jobo...do the cost calculations and you still might find it worthwhile to just have a lab run it.

mshchem · Nov 25, 2019

I feel whatever gets you to try processing is a good thing. Not a thing wrong with using small "hobby " kits. For someone who doesn't want to mess with storing and disposing of chemicals the 1 L kits work fine.
My biggest problem is scanning color negatives, I can print in the darkroom easier than I can "tolerate" trying to calibrate a scanner. Slide film is easy to scan.

NortheastPhotographic · Nov 25, 2019

mshchem said:
I feel whatever gets you to try processing is a good thing. Not a thing wrong with using small "hobby " kits. For someone who doesn't want to mess with storing and disposing of chemicals the 1 L kits work fine.
My biggest problem is scanning color negatives, I can print in the darkroom easier than I can "tolerate" trying to calibrate a scanner. Slide film is easy to scan.

Try the demo of Negative Lab Pro. Makes converting color negatives a breeze even when using a scanner. You simply tell your scanner to bring it in as a positive. Then in LR you do the rest with NLP. It's the best method of converting film I've tried short of using my Fuji Frontiers.

Adrian Bacon · Nov 25, 2019

mshchem said:
Go to Freestyle and buy the individual Kodak Flexicolor chemistry. Get the Flexicolor RA Bleach and Fixer. The Final rinse not stabilizer Developer and I use 1 shot. The bleach can be replenished, 1 5L will last almost forever. The developer and bleach starters are cheap and last forever. The developer has a shorter shelf life but it is so cheap, 12 bucks to make 6 liters of working solution, I just make new when it get old. Unique is well, unique, in they split cases so you don't need to buy large quantities.

+1

This is the way to go. The RA NR bleach replenished lasts forever, the standard C-41 fixer can also be replenished and lasts a very long time. I usually get the 20L standard C-41 developer and use it one shot. The bleach and dev starters are not expensive and last a long time.

mshchem · Nov 25, 2019

NortheastPhotographic said:
Try the demo of Negative Lab Pro. Makes converting color negatives a breeze even when using a scanner. You simply tell your scanner to bring it in as a positive. Then in LR you do the rest with NLP. It's the best method of converting film I've tried short of using my Fuji Frontiers.

Thanks for the info.

dmr · Nov 25, 2019

I just saw this, intended for those who want to test the water, so to speak. Looks spendy and with current limited availability ...

Surf here: https://www.dpreview.com/news/81243...l-film-developing-kits-for-testing-the-waters

Jim Blodgett · Nov 26, 2019

I don't know how to give you a link but I am pleased with the 1 liter c-41 kits available from The Film Photography Project store. Comes in powered form so they can send it through the mail. I think it was around 24.00/kit including shipping last time I ordered and I have processed as many as 15 rolls of 120 film with a single batch.

I really like having the control of processing my own film as much as the savings. If there were a lab close by where I could get film processed I would consider it, but I'm glad I got frustrated with closing labs and postage fees enough to try home processing. I now process my own far cheaper, when I want, and have no one to blame but myself if there is a problem.

It's easy. Takes time, but is easy.

Best C-41 Kit to start with??

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