Best way to home process 14 rolls of c-41?

Josh Harmon · Aug 3, 2010

Hello!

I have about 14 rolls of c-41 in my freezer from when I first took up photography. That was before I switched to digital than switched back to film.

Anyway, I was wondering what was the best kit for me to develop them myself. I was thinking the Tetanol kit but then I heard of the new Rollei C41 chemical kits that last forever. I will probably do all of the rolls in one batch anyway.

I do not care if I mess up a roll or two either. They range from Kodak HD(?) and some Fuji, with speeds ranging from 100 to 800 speed. It is all consumer film as well. Will the first developer time differ?

I was thinking of "borrowing" my Mom's crockpot and figuring out where 100˚f is or whatever temp is needed to have as a warming bath to keep my tank in.

I do have quite a bit of experience processing B/W as well. So I am not too intimidated.

Thanks in advance!

-Josh

Ian Grant · Aug 3, 2010

I used to use a Paterson Multi reel tank for C41 & E6, no larger than a 3 rell as you need to pour the dev etc in and out quickly. I'd get the Tetenal kit as the quality is much higher.

Ian

mrred · Aug 3, 2010

I don't know about Tetanol, But my Unicolor kit works just fine. I do it at room temp as I find it easier to be consistent with longer processes than trying to control a high temp bath. I now use a motor base and appreciate not being involved for 18 mins. Other than that, small tank is fine. No difference in quality.

What shortens the life is the air that get's into the developer, over time and adjuration. I have a motor base which will speed up the oxidation. Still, mine lasts about 3 months in a sealed container. You have a fairly large batch to go through thus I don't think any kit would die before you use it up.

fotch · Aug 3, 2010

What ever kit or group of chemicals you choose, for negatives, make sure is has separate Bleach and Fix, not Blix. I would also think processing at a lower temperature would be easier than trying to maintain 100F. I use a Jobo for this very reason but since you can only buy used and it still may be to costly, opt for a lower temperature.

Also, smaller batches, especaily till you have all the finer points worked out, would be better than doing all of your films in one giant gamble at one time.

JMHO

Ian Grant · Aug 3, 2010

Some Blixes are fine, I used the Paterson kits for years with no problems at all, it's the cheaper kits that have issues. Also processing at 38° C is very easy as times are short anyway a simple bowl of water & a kettle will keep the chemistry/tank at that temperature.

Ian

Tim Gray · Aug 3, 2010

I'd be careful about sharing your mom's crockpot with chemicals and food.

fotch · Aug 3, 2010

Not to disagree with you, however, my understanding with Blix is that it you get color shifts as well as the issue about not being stable in long term storage. While you not worry about long term, the color shift would be a PITA when printing, would it not?

Sirius Glass · Aug 3, 2010

The critical parts are time and temperture. Control the temperture and the hardest part is covered.

Steve

hrst · Aug 3, 2010

If you have many rolls to develop in the future, and want to do one-shot processing for best quality and consistency, you should consider rotary processing (Jobo) to save on chemical expenses. Jobo tanks use about 800 ml to rotary process 7 rolls of 35 mm film. If your tank is sitting on the table, it's twice that or a bit more to cover all the films. However, your normal tank is perfectly ok and provides the same results, but then you run at about $2-3 per roll if you do one-shot processing.

Of course, there's really nothing wrong in reusing chemicals with time correction as described in the instructions of your processing kit. Then you can reach the same economity as with rotary processor.

2F/2F · Aug 3, 2010

I'd do eight rolls per tank, back to back on stainless steel reels, using the second development time (3'23") in Kodak Flexicolor chemicals. You'll have it all done in two runs through, with the proper C-41 process (separate bleach and fixer).

srs5694 · Aug 4, 2010

Tim Gray said:
I'd be careful about sharing your mom's crockpot with chemicals and food.

+1. Although not as toxic as some things, I wouldn't want to ingest C-41 chemistry with my food.

As to blix vs. separate bleach and fixer, count me as one who favors the latter. I've used both, and I've noticed distinct quality differences. This applies even to the (long-gone) Patterson blix that Ian Grant recommended; when I used it, it produced more grain and less color saturation than separate bleach and fixer. Most kits today come with blixes; AFAIK, the only exception is the new Rollei C-41 kit (which I've never used).

EdSawyer · Aug 4, 2010

I've used the tetenal kit and the blix seemed to give fine results. That said, I switched to Flexicolor from Kodak using separate bleach and fix and the results do seem a little better, though it's subtle, and I could live with the blix results no problem.

But honestly, if it was just 14 rolls and you don't plan to do more, I'd just send that out for dev-only developing, which is probably $1-2/roll at most labs.

fotch · Aug 4, 2010

Don't forget the Photographers Formulary who is repackaging Kodak chemicals into their own kit. I have not tried it yet although it should work real good. Unfortunately, their web site is still down.

i40west · Aug 4, 2010

fotch said:
Don't forget the Photographers Formulary who is repackaging Kodak chemicals into their own kit. I have not tried it yet although it should work real good. Unfortunately, their web site is still down.

The site is actually back, but the C-41 kit is nowhere to be found.

ZorkiKat · Aug 6, 2010

I process almost all my colour negative film in-house. Keep the developer exactly at 38C (100F). The two other chemicals- bleach and fix- can be off by as much as 4-5 degrees C. Timing is also critical for developer. The process will actually allow times of up to 3 min 22 secs (official 3'15") for the developer. And with the bleach and fixer, let's just say it's quite hard to really over bleach or over fix if you go beyond the official times by as much as a minute or two, or more.

Don't use the crockpot anymore. A plastic basin filled with water, and an electric immersion heater will do better.

fotch · Aug 6, 2010

How do you regulate the temperature? Just watch the thermometer and shut if off and turn it on?

srs5694 · Aug 7, 2010

fotch said:
How do you regulate the temperature? Just watch the thermometer and shut if off and turn it on?

I fill an ordinary dishpan with water at just above the target temperature (normally about 40C for C-41) and use it to bring the developer to temperature. I also pre-wet the film in the tank and bring it to temperature in the same way (I fill the tank with water at close to 38C/100F). The dishpan and developer in the film tank stay at 100F for long enough to get the job done with this method, without any special heating elements -- it's only a 3:15 development time, after all. That said, using something with heating elements and a thermostat to keep a water bath at the target temperature might improve consistency. I've never done careful sensitometric tests of my negatives. I do know that my filtration values when printing from one brand and type of negative to one brand and type of paper with one RA-4 developer don't change much (maybe 5-10 cc on one or two channels), although of course the filtration does change if I change items in that list.

ZorkiKat · Aug 9, 2010

fotch said:
How do you regulate the temperature? Just watch the thermometer and shut if off and turn it on?

Sort of. The heater is pulled out of the water bath when the temps reach 38-40C. The heater we have here is designed to be used that way, turning itself off when it's out of the water. A thermometer is placed in the water bath to monitor its temperature. Water in considerable amounts (8 litres or so?) will usually keep the needed temps long enough for the developing step; the succeeding steps, bleach and fix, don't really need strident temp levels or controls.

Best way to home process 14 rolls of c-41?

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