C-41 control strip success with Photo Therm Sidekick using Flexicolor LU LORR

[justin parker]

I want to thank all of the people who responded to my earlier posts and private messages for helping me out by sharing what they do and their thoughts I want to especially thank Greg Davis for the specific tip that he was never able to get Kodak Flexicolor SM within the process control limits in his rotary processor. Today I mixed up a 2L bottle of tank solution using Kodak Flexicolor LORR LU developer based on the numbers in Kodak Tech Pub CIS 49 "Preparing Smaller-Than-Package-Size
Amounts of KODAK Processing Chemicals". This morning I processed two Kodak C-41 control strips and 135 roll of Portra 160 for 3:15 in the Photo Therm Sidekick. (One strip on the end reels in the 4 reel drum of the sidekick.) I stuck with the ready made SM tank bleach and tank fixer which are mighty convenient. I measured the two control strips (and remeasured the reference strip for good measure) on an X-Rite 810 I had previously calibrated last month using a fresh X-rite transmission standard.

The results with the LORR LU developer are DRAMATICALLY better than "off the charts" results I was getting with the Flexicolor SM developer. (Despite trying changing the process temperature, extending the process time, and not doing the pre-wash in previous trials with the Flexicolor SM developer.) If I had to guess I would guess that the process of heating the chemicals in the broad hot-plate, pumping up into the drum, and the agitation all cause too much aerial-oxidation of SM developer, and that somehow the LORR LU developer is more robust. Not sure why the SM developer is so different.

Both strips are within the control limits AND the action limits. Averaging the two strips I get:

Values-Aims:
Dmax-Yb = 0.01
HD-LD (R,G, B) = -0.01, 0.05, 0.02
Color Balance = 0.06
LD (R, G, B) = -0.04, -0.07, -0.06
Dmin (R, G, B) = -0.02, -0.03, -0.04

Thanks again particularly to Greg Davis, Photo Engineer, and EdSawyer and others for your helpful correspondence.

-Justin

 

[EdSawyer]

Great, thanks for the update! Good to hear it's within limits. Strange about the SM version, though.

I see 2 more Sidekicks just sold on EBay via BIN for $1800 and $1400. Good that there is still demand for them. They are great units, I enjoy mine a lot. Going to start using it for color 4x5 soon.

-Ed

 

[justin parker]

Yeah at $500 my SK-8G was a steal! I did have to buy a replacement 4 reel drum but the old 8 reel drum is working fine. I may buy more drums in the future. I also picked up one 4x5 holder to use in the 4 reel drum.

 

[EdSawyer]

$500 was a steal for that! I have a SSK4 that I got on ebay I think for $600-700 or so. It had never been used! I was happy about that score. I wish I could do 8 reels at a time. I asked Phototherm about what it would take to convert from ssk4 to 8 but never heard back. I bet it's just the drum and new programming.

I bought the 4x5 holder too (ouch that is pricey!). I wish it could do 8 sheets at a time instead of 4 but ah well.

-Ed