C41 temperatures for ECN-2 film (and remjet removal)

[RamiCh|]

Hi! I'm new to the forum. Here is my inquiries:
I bought a bunch of Fuji Eterna 500t to shoot and recently i purchased a kit for C-41 processing (Kodak Flexicolor). I'd never developed film before so this would be my first time.
So, for what i've read, the first thing to do would be to use a remjet removal. I saw a couple of videos of people preparing that with water and baking soda, would you recomend that?
Then, to completely remove the remjet i should manually wipe the film with some kind of cloth without touching the emulsion. So my other question is: should i do this after the fixer and before the stabilizer? (The kit i bought has developer, bleach, fixer and stabilizer)

And my last question is regarding temperatures: should i use the C-41 temperatures or the ECN-2 temperatures?

That's it, thank you!

 

[cmacd123]

REM jet is always a bit of a problem, normal processing will losen it, (and then you will need to filter all your chemicals if you need to use them again.)
it has been 20 years or more since I last processed ECN2 film. I recall I put the film on a clip and used a Photographic sponge to remove the coating, with another sponge to prevent the gunk from going onto the emulsion side through the sprocket holes. seem to remember being able to wipe abut two frames at a time before I had to rinse the sponges.

at the time I did this around the final wash time, and did another wash afterwards to try and get rid of any straggling REM JET

(movie processors use a water spray stage after the rem jet removal bath and before developing to remove the gunk and also keep it away from the emulsion side.) this is done in the dark of course and it would take some equipment design to be sure it would work without inspection.


for starting, you are probably best to try the Normal temps recommended for your chemicals.

 

[koraks]

For remjet removal, I use a solution of 2% borax and 10% sodium sulfite. Baking soda may work just as well. I haven't done any Fuji ECN-2 film, but I understand its remjet may clear a little easier than Kodak's. I always do the following:
* Soak film in the clearing solution for 2 minutes
* Drain out the solution
* Fill with water and shake the tank violently; drain
* Repeat the fill-shake-drain a few times until the water comes out clear
Then process (develop, bleach, fix, wash, final rinse/conditioner) and when hanging the film up to dry, wipe the non-emulsion side down with a cloth, sponge etc. (just make sure it's a material that doesn't scratch the film) to get the last remjet remnants off.

As to processing temperatures: ECN-2 film in C41 developer tends to give a bit of a contrast boost, so don't develop at ECN-2 temperature as that will make the contrast turn out too high. Start with C41 temperatures.
In my experience I never got good results with ECN-2 film in C41 developer (at least not for RA4 printing) so I would recommend ECN-2 developer instead. But many others report decent results with C41 developer, so perhaps it'll work for you as well.

 

[Donald Qualls]

The information I've seen on remjet removal reference washing soda (aka laundry soda or soda ash) -- sodium carbonate, which is higher pH than sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). The order of increasing alkalinity, as I recall, is baking soda <= borax <= washing soda. If you can get them readily, both borax and laundry soda will work better than bicarb.

 

[RamiCh|]

Thank you all very much!!
I will try to get borax or washing soda and follow koraks instructions.

Greetings.