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Cinestill CS41 & Jobo

Alan9940

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Is anybody using this kit to process color neg film on a Jobo processor? Are you pleased with the results?

Thanks!
 
@Alan9940 I was not pleased with my results. The orange mask had a slight greenish/brownish tint compared to Flexicolor chemistry and they were harder to color-balance during scanning. But there are caveats:
  1. I only used it once, i.e. bought a 1L kit and discarded after the first and only run.
  2. This was 4 years ago and I was relatively new to developing C-41 at home, so I wouldn't rule out a user error.
Personally, I suspect that my results were typical for a blix-based kit. Since then I stumbled upon several online discussions where people were posting side by side images of their negatives with the same (slightly darker) orange mask, wondering why their results don't match the labs'.

To reiterate: I got the results I wanted, but the scans required more effort when color balancing.
 
Steven Lee said:
@Alan9940 I was not pleased with my results. The orange mask had a slight greenish/brownish tint compared to Flexicolor chemistry and they were harder to color-balance during scanning.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input, Steven. It sounds like I should look for other solutions for C-41 processing. It has been many, many years since I shot and printed color (last color material I worked with was Cibachrome!) so I'm basically a "babe in the woods" when it comes to color chemistry nowadays. Maybe I'll just send the film out to a lab...
 
Adox is making C-41 in simple Developer, Blix, Final rinse liquids. These would work nicely. Made to Tetenal recipe.
 
Cinestill is most likely coming from Photosys which is making Kodak-branded chemistry so???
 
mshchem said:
Cinestill is most likely coming from Photosys which is making Kodak-branded chemistry so...
Click to expand...

... why are Cinestill kits powder based and Photosys' liquid?
 
Last edited:
It is quite possible that Cinestill is having their Cinestill branded photo-chemicals manufactured by PhotoSys, however:
As I understand it PhotoSys contracts with Cinestill to distribute the Kodak branded photo-chemicals because Cinestill has a distribution business that one can contract with.
 
brbo said:
... why are Cinestill kits powder based and Photosys' liquid?
Click to expand...

Not sure, however when Jobo USA was based in Ann Arbor Michigan you could buy Jobo "Press Kits" which were powders that traveled well and could be mixed up in a hurry.
I refuse to use these kits, terrible stuff. MHOFWIW
I still have Flexicolor chemistry, I will be buying more when I'm out.
 

Oh Boy I fail to make my point again Photosys is located in Dexter Michigan, which is a few miles from Ann Arbor.
 
mshchem said:
Adox is making C-41 in simple Developer, Blix, Final rinse liquids. These would work nicely. Made to Tetenal recipe.
Click to expand...

I didn't know Adox is making C-41 chemistry. I'll definitely check that out. Thanks!
 
mshchem said:
Cinestill is most likely coming from Photosys which is making Kodak-branded chemistry so???
Click to expand...

MattKing said:
It is quite possible that Cinestill is having their Cinestill branded photo-chemicals manufactured by PhotoSys
Click to expand...

Check the underside of the Cs41 or Cs6 bags. You'll be surprised where it comes from.
Hint: it's not Photosys.

brbo said:
... why are Cinestill kits powder based and Photosys' liquid?
Click to expand...

AFAIK it's because the powder is easier to ship, or can be shipped at all in instances when liquid can't (in terms of regulations). Don't ask me why, though. It's an American thing as I understand. Maybe cost also plays a role; powder is in the end cheaper to ship.

Alan9940 said:
I didn't know Adox is making C-41 chemistry.
Click to expand...

Tetenal revival project

But without Tetenal there is also no T-Max Developer... Incorrect: https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/kodak-branded-chemicals-official-news-they-are-returning.202976/
www.photrio.com
 

OK I don't have any powder kits anymore, haven't for years. Where do they come from.

Cinestill is offering liquid kits now as well.
 
I just now placed an order for a shelf package of 4 x 10L of Kodak Flexicolor Developer Replenisher C-41. From Cinestill. That's enough to make more than 40 liters of working strength Developer. I have the required starter for the developer and the bleach, fixer and final rinse in stock.

Interested in giving this a try. Looks like it should be a direct replacement for the Alaris product.
 
@MattKing knows how EK got out of the chemistry business, I believe it was Champion that made the stuff pre- bankruptcy. Could be Cinestill has a warehouse somewhere, I don't know if it's in Rochester or a secret location (Bat Cave)
 
mshchem said:
@MattKing knows how EK got out of the chemistry business, I believe it was Champion that made the stuff pre- bankruptcy. Could be Cinestill has a warehouse somewhere, I don't know if it's in Rochester or a secret location (Bat Cave)
Click to expand...

I doubt there is much warehousing happening - that isn't the modern way
Order collection, and then drop shipping from manufacturer to local distributor and/or local sub-distributor and/or retailer and/or final end user (in commercial environments) is more likely.
 
In answer to the OP’s original question, i use the Cinestill C41 kit with a Jobo and Unicolor drums and get excellent results.

I one-shot the chemicals as I develop 4x5. I get 18 sheets from a 1l kit. (270 ml for six sheets in the Jobo which means I waste 190 ml of chemical).

The Unicolor drum can do four sheets and get away with 125ml of chemical which is ok according to the capacity chart, but this risks uneven development. I found it better consistency with 200ml per cycle yields 20 sheets per litre.
 

Thank you for the feedback.
 
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