color film in BTZS tubes???

[RichardH]

Has anyone used the BTZS system to develop color negative film? If so, please give a little advise on using this system. If not, does anyone know if it would work with a heated bath for the tubes.

Thanks
Richard

 

[markbarendt]

The C41 bleach step requires venting, it will pop the tank lid right off without it.

 

[RichardH]

The C41 bleach step requires venting, it will pop the tank lid right off without it.

Well, good idea I thought I had. I thought maybe someone had tried it. I don't see how it could be vented without messing the cap up.

Thanks
Richard

 

[Paul Howell]

You can use an old unicolor or Besstler 5X7 color drum for 4X5 and roll on the counter, a motor base is nice buy not required.

 

[LJH]

You can use an old unicolor or Besstler 5X7 color drum for 4X5 and roll on the counter, a motor base is nice buy not required.

How do you maintain (the critical for colour) temperature?

 

[markbarendt]

How do you maintain (the critical for colour) temperature?

When I first started color I used "float", started high and floated through the target. The idea was to get the average temp to equal the target temp.

 

[LJH]

When I first started color I used "float", started high and floated through the target. The idea was to get the average temp to equal the target temp.

What made you (apparently) change methods? The crude nature of "float" temperature control, lack of consistent results and/or catastrophic failure(s)?

FWIW, I would never risk images to such a loose system as this. YMMV.

 

[markbarendt]

What made you (apparently) change methods? The crude nature of "float" temperature control, lack of consistent results and/or catastrophic failure(s)?

FWIW, I would never risk images to such a loose system as this. YMMV.

Actually it worked quite nicely.

Practical experimentation is highly valuable in understanding/learning.

 

[brofkand]

Practical experimentation is highly valuable in understanding/learning.

Exactly. If I hadn't ruined a dozen rolls when I started, I wouldn't be where I am today, able to consistently produce well-exposed and well-processed negatives.

 

[Paul Howell]

Although I have not processed color in many years, just seem to be less grief and costley to have color process by pro lab at least for me, I would rinse the drum in hot water to bring the temp drum up the temp of the developer. Living in Arizona I would also let the room temp get up to around 80, it seemed to me that the drums are thick enough to keep the chem up to temp. Or in a large tub you might be able to float the drum and rotate without getting water in it. All of the reasons I send my color to a pro lab. In other times when I processed a lot of C41 and E 6 I used hard rubber tanks in a temp controlled bath with hangers.

 

[markbarendt]

For paying assignment work I do send it off to RPL.

For my personal work I normally develop it myself.

 

[LJH]

Exactly. If I hadn't ruined a dozen rolls when I started, I wouldn't be where I am today, able to consistently produce well-exposed and well-processed negatives.

What if you'd started by consistently producing well-exposed and well-processed negatives? Wouldn't you still be where you are today?

Why do you feel that this self-flagilation is necessary?

 

[markbarendt]

What if you'd started by consistently producing well-exposed and well-processed negatives? Wouldn't you still be where you are today?

Why do you feel that this self-flagilation is necessary?

It's not self-flagellation. It's figuring out how and why things work the wy they do.

There is also the thought that with the first few rolls I did myself I simply wanted to prove I could before throwing lots of money at it.

Patience provided a good schooling and in time a nice JOBO for next to nothing.

Had I rushed to get all the perfect tools I would have spent much more and not really understood the ins and outs.

 

[LJH]

It's not self-flagellation. It's figuring out how and why things work the wy [sic] they do.

There is also the thought that with the first few rolls I did myself I simply wanted to prove I could before throwing lots of money at it.

Patience provided a good schooling and in time a nice JOBO for next to nothing.

Had I rushed to get all the perfect tools I would have spent much more and not really understood the ins and outs.

The point that was categorically stated was that the stuff-ups were a necessary component of getting "...well-exposed and well-processed negatives". I don't believe that they are ("If I hadn't ruined a dozen rolls when I started, I wouldn't be where I am today, able to consistently produce well-exposed and well-processed negatives). Nothing you have written explains this premiss.

Why do you feel that rushing "to get all the perfect tools" would have left you with less of an understanding? Having a Jobo doesn't render you an idiot. Logic seems to suggest that you can understand a process equally as well by knowing how it works as you would by knowing how you buggered it up.

In fact, there is nothing that I know of in the world of physics that says that for something to work, you need to how and why it does.

 

[markbarendt]

If I had had a JOBO to start I would:

1-not have seen as many problems so my experience in adapting C41 creatively, for print, would be nowhere as strong.

2-never have understood how forgiving C41 is

3-be a lot lighter in my pockets.

This is one of those "is it the journey or the arrival that is most important?" questions.

The other thing is that not every roll is important in terms of getting "the shot of a lifetime". This morning I shot a roll of 120 Ektachrome 64T as the sun was coming up, put real effort into composition and exposure with an interesting subject after a rare rain. Probably won't be able to duplicate the shot for a long time if it doesn't work. That roll will be cross processed and printed both on RA and B&W papers, just to see if and where this might really work.

Not everybody wants "normal" all the time.

When I do want normal I incident meter and process by the book and the JOBO makes that easy but even before the JOBO, with float or bath, I could get workable negs reliably right from the beginning.

Sure, if you have the photo of the century on a given roll, send it to a prolab. If you are just out to have fun, treat photography like a hobby, who cares if you screw up a roll.

 

[RichardH]

I talked to Fred Newman, who I assume is the maker of these BTZS tubes, and he told me that it could be possible with color but I would have to experiment with it. So, if I decide to go that route, I'll have to play with the system.

Ya'll carry on with this discussion.

Richard

 

[markbarendt]

Just need to find a way to vent.