C41 Processor

[Chan Tran]

I am thinking and wondering if there are enough APUGERS around my area and those that are willing to send film for a fee so that I can purchase a C41 processor to process film. The reason is that if I buy a processor and only process film for myself the chemical will go bad unused and the process can be in good control without running enough film through it. Besides, without running enough film thru it I can't justify the cost of running a control strip often enough to ensure good quality.
I have no interest in making a profit, just make it feasible to use a processor.

 

[F80p]

Sorry i dont live near your place but if this is possible do this.......Can the C-41 chems be diluted and times extended to save on chemicals cost?

 

[DanielStone]

Hey guys,

I think he's looking to start a 'mini' mini-lab, not just process his own film. Hence, a small 'fee'.

Chan, are you wondering dip-n-dunk, or roller transport(mini-lab film processor, hated by some for scratching issues?)

cheers!

-Dan

 

[F80p]

good idea if it works out for everybody equally!

 

[pentaxuser]

Chan, I don't know what laws governs small businesses in your State but you if you can't find enough APUGers then you might want to spread the message around camera clubs, friends of friends etc to get enough business. If you are prepared to do it for "cost" then given the cost of buying the processor etc it may be possible to actually make a small profit without the taxman being interested.

Jobo CPE processors aren't that expensive and using Fuji-Hunt C41 kits means that the chems will probably last long enough to do the number of films that the kit is designed for. In very slack periods of business you could always use Ilford XP2+ chromogenic B&W film to use the chems

pentaxuser

 

[nickandre]

Sorry i dont live near your place but if this is possible do this.......Can the C-41 chems be diluted and times extended to save on chemicals cost?

No. Stop.

Chemistry is cheap. If you want to save money don't take bad pictures.

 

[F80p]

Very well said tiberiustibz!

 

[Chan Tran]

I am thinking about a roller transport machine. I know they scratched many of your films but I was a manager of a 1 hour lab back in the early 80's and if you take care of your machine it won't scratch your films. Even with the smallest machine of this type I would need to run about 20 rolls daily to keep the process in good control. NO you don't need to dilute your chemistry to save money. What you need is to run the process often enough and the auto replenishment would take care of that. The cost of chemistry is high only if I have to dump the chemistry because they simply go bad unused.
There are a few reasons why I thought about this. First it's hard to find a good lab nowaday. The reason mainly because they don't have enough business. Many minilabs stop processing film and only do the scan/print step and print from digital files. They are dumping their C41 processor so it's possible to buy good used processor for not too much money. Sometimes you can get one of these processor for may be $1000 in very good condition and that's even cheaper than say a Jobo ATL.
My main interest is not to make profit. My interest is to keep us APUGERS continue shooting film because I am afraid that as much as I love film the film days may be over soon.

 

[epatsellis]

Chan, if you don't have a line on a machine yet, I know of a roller transport Refrema in Decatur that can be had inexpensively, processes up to 10-12" wide if I remember correctly. (I went the W-L route myself for my own processor)

Personally, I use dev and fixer one shot and recapture and rejuvenate bleach, cost is reasonable and quality is spot on everytime. I just don't do the volume to justify (or keep in control) a replenished system.

 

[bob100684]

I am thinking about a roller transport machine. I know they scratched many of your films but I was a manager of a 1 hour lab back in the early 80's and if you take care of your machine it won't scratch your films. Even with the smallest machine of this type I would need to run about 20 rolls daily to keep the process in good control. NO you don't need to dilute your chemistry to save money. What you need is to run the process often enough and the auto replenishment would take care of that. The cost of chemistry is high only if I have to dump the chemistry because they simply go bad unused.
There are a few reasons why I thought about this. First it's hard to find a good lab nowaday. The reason mainly because they don't have enough business. Many minilabs stop processing film and only do the scan/print step and print from digital files. They are dumping their C41 processor so it's possible to buy good used processor for not too much money. Sometimes you can get one of these processor for may be $1000 in very good condition and that's even cheaper than say a Jobo ATL.
My main interest is not to make profit. My interest is to keep us APUGERS continue shooting film because I am afraid that as much as I love film the film days may be over soon.

look for a noritsu qsf t-15 "Minimum Number Of Rolls: 11 rolls/day (135-24 exp.)" Though it only does 135 and aps. http://www.fujifilm.ro/poze/categ/FP 363sc.pdf will do 120 too, but you have to rely on fujifilm cartridges for chemistry...on the bright side, no mix errors, on the bad, spiking chems isn't as easy an option as the cartridges are designed to drain each replenisher so they wind up empty at the same time.

 

[RellikJM]

Take a look at this one on the great auction site with an item number of 140264157360. The listing seems to indicate that process control can be met with 4 35mm 24 exposure rolls a day.