C-41 Final Rinse

2F/2F · Jul 1, 2010

Hello,

It is time for some C-41 processing at home. I literally have hundreds of rolls of 135, 120, and 220 to process. I just picked up a tempered water bath from a local A.P.U.G. member, and I have plenty of chemicals, so now I can easily do this at home instead of having to go to a community lab.

However, all of my Stabilizer is just that: Stabilizer. The old version, which was replaced by Final Rinse. I have eight bottles of it left, each to make a gallon of chemistry.

While I am aware that I can use Stabilizer for the current line of films (but cannot use Final Rinse for older films like Vericolor), and have done so for nearly all of the color film I have processed, I also know that there are those out there who do still shoot Vericolor, and cannot process these films without the old Stabilizer. Since I do not use Vericolor, I feel that it would be only right to offer these old bottles to someone who does, and to get some Final Rinse for my own use.

However, I see that the Final Rinse bottle to which I am used has gone away. This is what I can find: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...25254_Flexicolor_SM_C_41SM_Tank.html#features.

It is "tank" Final Rinse, and is also "SM." I have no idea what these differences in terminology mean for me. The description on the B&H Website sez that SM chemicals are for use in SM minilabs only.

Can I use this for hand inversion tank C-41 processing, and if so, how do I go about it?

Question number two is: Is the old Stabilizer really that precious? Are there any users of older C-41 films who really need my old Stabilizer, or should I just go ahead and use it, and not worry about "wasting" it?

2F/2F · Jul 1, 2010

P.S. I also found this: Dead Link Removed, which seems more like the proper chemical. However, I don't use a replenished process, as I just have about a dozen one gallon kits stockpiled. Is the Final Rinse replenisher like some other chemicals in that it is mixed from the same exact concentrate as the working solution, but in a different ratio?

It seems to be getting extremely confusing to do ones own C-41 (and RA) processing.

Photo Engineer · Jul 1, 2010

The SM final rinse will work with recent films just fine. It is a little different due to the faster process and lower wash rate of the SM equipment. Just use it normally for your C41 sink line or tank process.

Old stabilizer will work with all films of any age.

PE

srs5694 · Jul 1, 2010

FWIW, Adorama Dead Link Removed Unique Photo Dead Link Removed, in a larger bottle. The last time I bought from Adorama, though, they shipped final rinse, not stabilizer. As I've got plenty of newer films, I decided to just use the stuff rather than return it for what I'd ordered. (I prefer stabilizer because I've got a stash of Agfa Vista and Agfa Optima films, and I have no idea if they're archival with final rinse.)

Photo Engineer · Jul 1, 2010

They are not archival without genuine stabilizer AFAIK.

I have posted the formula for stabilizer elsewhere.

PE

brucemuir · Jul 1, 2010

srs5694 said:
FWIW, The last time I bought from Adorama, though, they shipped final rinse, not stabilizer.

They did this to me also.
I wanted stabilizer and it was listed as such.
Received final rinse.

Their website isn't always completely accurate but I'm thankful they will ship chemicals PERIOD so I didn't b*tch.

I need to find PE's stabilizer formula and pick up some formalin from...The Formulary? ? ?

I think PF stocks formalin. I need to go look.

2F/2F · Jul 1, 2010

brucemuir said:
They did this to me also.
I wanted stabilizer and it was listed as such.
Received final rinse.

Their website isn't always completely accurate but I'm thankful they will ship chemicals PERIOD so I didn't b*tch.

I need to find PE's stabilizer formula and pick up some formalin from...The Formulary? ? ?

I think PF stocks formalin. I need to go look.

As I said, I have seven or eight bottles of Stabilizer, each for making a gallon of working solution. If they are of any use to you, I will gladly trade them straight across for Final Rinse.

bdilgard · Jul 2, 2010

srs5694 said:
FWIW, Adorama Dead Link Removed Unique Photo Dead Link Removed, in a larger bottle. The last time I bought from Adorama, though, they shipped final rinse, not stabilizer.

Same thing with Calumet, listed stabilizer, shipped final rinse.

EdSawyer · Jul 2, 2010

quantity?

What's the quantity of stab to make a gal of working solution? I have bottles of final rinse that are 45ml and I think they make 5 gallons. I will have to check...

thanks
-Ed

anikin · Jul 2, 2010

I wonder, would this work to make stabilizer?

http://www.amazon.com/Fish-Vet-Formalin-MS-FORMALIN-MS-OZ/dp/B000O39SBK

2F/2F · Jul 2, 2010

EdSawyer said:
What's the quantity of stab to make a gal of working solution? I have bottles of final rinse that are 45ml and I think they make 5 gallons. I will have to check...

thanks
-Ed

The bottles of Stabilizer III that make one gallon of working solution contain 1.9 U.S. fluid ounces (56 mL) of concentrate.

Photo Engineer · Jul 2, 2010

Here is the formula again!!!!!!

Make up 1 L of Photo Flo 200 as per instructions.

To this add 10 ml of 37% formalin.

That is the original C41 Stabilizer (and C-22 as well)!

Other ingredients can interfere with dye stabilization and bacteriocidal / fungicidal activity.

The current Final Rinse contains a proprietary ingredient that replaces the Formalin. The newer films need no dye stabilization, as that feature is built into the films themselves now.

PE

Anon Ymous · Jul 2, 2010

Wouldn't it be a good idea to make a sticky about final rinse - stabiliser, how to brew your own, it's importance, etc, etc... ? Now that I think of it, maybe general C41/E6/RA4 FAQs would be a good idea.

PS I'm not a big fan of sticky threads, but IMHO few useful stickies could help.

2F/2F · Jul 2, 2010

Or just put it in the chemicals section.

Anon Ymous · Jul 2, 2010

2F/2F said:
Or just put it in the chemicals section.

Theoretically, that's where it should be put. In reality, I think many members, perhaps the majority, don't even know that there's an article section.

Photo Engineer · Jul 2, 2010

Go ahead then!

You would be surprised how few read those sections. IDK how many times people have asked me about Super Fix which is posted there and on PN. There is no perfect answer. There are several complete explanations of this here and on PN in a special section there on Myths in Color Photography.

PE

MattKing · Jul 2, 2010

Photo Engineer said:
Go ahead then!

You would be surprised how few read those sections. IDK how many times people have asked me about Super Fix which is posted there and on PN. There is no perfect answer. There are several complete explanations of this here and on PN in a special section there on Myths in Color Photography.

PE

PE:

I understand how frustrated you must get with these questions. It occurs to me that it might help if someone in the know could put together a post in a thread that includes mainly links to other, useful threads or, even better, a single summarizing post in a new thread, which could be in the articles section.

Sort of like the post that gr82bart did listing the threads about airport Xrays.

Then we could take turns referring to that post (I'll volunteer for active duty ).

If you'd like a good first topic, a summary about how to test for sufficient fixing and and sufficient washing would be a good one .

Photo Engineer · Jul 2, 2010

Matt;

I agree. Go for it. I don't have the time.

PE

brucemuir · Jul 3, 2010

Does anyone remember the cut off year when formalin is no longer needed?
And would that be the year of manufacture or the year the film expired.

Photo Engineer · Jul 3, 2010

Bruce;

I have no idea, and cannot find the date anywhere. It was posted for a while by EK, but is now gone.

Also remember that E6 films still require formalin somewhere in the process.

PE

2F/2F · Jul 3, 2010

brucemuir said:
Does anyone remember the cut off year when formalin is no longer needed?
And would that be the year of manufacture or the year the film expired.

I have asked this myself, but I cannot find the answer. I would ask Kodak proper. I am thinking that it probably has more to do with specific emulsions than a year.

HelenOster · Jul 4, 2010

brucemuir said:
They did this to me also.
I wanted stabilizer and it was listed as such.
Received final rinse.

Their website isn't always completely accurate but I'm thankful they will ship chemicals PERIOD so I didn't b*tch.

I need to find PE's stabilizer formula and pick up some formalin from...The Formulary? ? ?

I think PF stocks formalin. I need to go look.

My apologies for the mess-up; If anything like this happens again, please email me directly, with your order number, and I will sort it out for you.

brucemuir · Jul 4, 2010

Helen,
thank you as always.

See if you can get the webmaster to change the website.
They have stabilizer listed now, but the product # is for Final Rinse.
Dead Link Removed

HelenOster · Jul 4, 2010

brucemuir said:
Helen,
thank you as always.

See if you can get the webmaster to change the website.
They have stabilizer listed now, but the product # is for Final Rinse.
Dead Link Removed

Thank you so much for letting me know - I will certainly get it addressed.

2F/2F · Jul 5, 2010

Thanks for the information about the SM product.

If nobody wants my Stabilizer III, I am just going to use it on the newer films that I have. I want to get rolling on this pile of color film that I have to process.

C-41 Final Rinse

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