Could someone develop a roll of Kodacolor X in C41

brenjacques · Nov 25, 2015

Hi, I really want to try shooting a roll of Kodacolor X that I have had for a while. The film is a C-22 process but I wondered whether anyone could process this for me in C-41 as I am struggling to find a lab that will agree to do it. I have spoken to a few people who say that they have managed to get some good colour photos from the film after using photoshop to balance the colour as the negatives often come out very blue. If anyone in the UK could help me out then that would be great or if you know of anywhere that will do such a process then that would be of great help too!
Cheers

Gerald C Koch · Nov 25, 2015

NO The C-22 process required the solvent benzyl alcohol in the developer in order for the developing agent to penetrate the resin beads that contain the color couplers. The C-41 developer works on another principle. Just adding the benzyl alcohol to a C-41 developer would not really work. The two developers are very different. For example the developing agents are different and produce different color balances.

You could mix your own C-22 developer but it requires several chemicals that in reality would be used only once for a single roll. Unless the roll contains important images then it really would not be worth the expense. You could search the net for companies that will still develop C-22 films.

You could also develop the film in a B&W developer in order to get images but they would not be color.

railwayman3 · Nov 25, 2015

Agree with Gerald.

I enjoy experimenting with old and outdated film (but quite seperately from my serious shooting which is always with fresh film, or film which I have bought fresh and kept in the freezer). B&W, E6 and C41 films are worth the time and effort, but obsolete processes are unlikely to give a usable result particularly if you don't have the original chemicals. Certainly C-41 would have to be used at a reduced temperature to avoid ruining the film (and probably not doing the developer any good).

If I just has one C-22 film to use, I probably wouldn't bother. (And, dare I say it, if your idea was to get the 1960's pastel shades from the film, you could always use Photoshop on a modern film.)

Ian Grant · Nov 25, 2015

I seem to remember a few people did process C22 film in C41 chemistry it has to be by hand at a low temperature though, the results weren't perfect but they weren't too bad either.

Ian

Photo Engineer · Nov 25, 2015

The 100F used for C41 would destroy both the film and the process chemicals. Bits of film would end up in the process solutions, mainly the developer.

Do not try it unless the chemicals are at a low temperature. Even then the results will be less than spectacular.

PE

Sirius Glass · Nov 25, 2015

Welcome to APUG

Listen to the man [PE, he knows what he talks about]

Photo Engineer · Nov 25, 2015

Thanks, but I'm not always right!

PE

Sirius Glass · Nov 25, 2015

Yes, once you thought that you were wrong, but it turned out that you were right all the time.

Photo Engineer · Nov 25, 2015

Welllllllll, that was the occasion that I was thinking about. You didn't have to tell everyone!

PE

adelorenzo · Nov 25, 2015

Seems like these guys will do C-22 process:

http://www.fotostation.co.uk/page/Other_Old_Film_Processing

Sirius Glass · Nov 25, 2015

It looks like the OP's problem has been solved!

Photo Engineer · Nov 25, 2015

Note the disclaimer at the bottom that some of the films are processed as B&W, not color!

PE

Sirius Glass · Nov 25, 2015

Photo Engineer said:
Note the disclaimer at the bottom that some of the films are processed as B&W, not color!

PE

Send them an email and ask your questions.

brenjacques · Nov 27, 2015

!

Hi, thanks for all of the advice so far! I have heard that processing it in C-41 is difficult and you have to cold process it and use photoshop to balance the colours, the image often seems to be very thin on the film when ran through C-41. I will try looking for some labs. I came across Film Rescue International and it looks like they process C-22 and it seems they won't overcharge you to process it as some other places do. Has anyone ever had success with C-22 in other colour developers?

Cheers!

Could someone develop a roll of Kodacolor X in C41

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency