Developing E-6

I've been trying to develop my color positive film lately with not too good results. The film seems to come out too dense each time. Can someone please tell me how each development step effects the film? Does the film get denser or less dense the longer the development? I'm thinking more, right? What exactly is the reversal bath doing? and the bleaching? The more familiar I am with each step, the better i can deal with process control. Oh I am using the Kodak single use e-6 kit. Thanks!

There was a really good thread on E-6 Developing, just last week, that discussed the different steps an how they affect the final image, you might try the search, I read through it quite a few times and there was good information there.

Dave

Thanks! I'll go searching...

Sounds like a weak first developer. When I was doing my own E6 I used to let the color developer go longer than the suggested time and I thought it made the colors look richer. Is this something others do and would it have any deletrious effect on the color balance? One of these days I'd like to try my hand at LF E6.

Without knowing much about the process, i actually let it go for a shorter amount of time. My negatives are all quite dark. I'll do another roll and let it go for considerably longer and see how that effects the process.

Color development tends to go to completion, but over development in the color developer tends to yield color contamination and changes in sharpness and grain by overwhelming some of the 'corrective' chemistry in the coating.

The first developer is supposed to yield a rather foggy silver negative image to insure cleanout of the dmin. If transparencies are dark or light then the first developer is usually the culprit. Under developing in the first developer gives darker slides and overdevelopment gives lighter slides.

Development times in the first developer (we call it the MQ) are not the same for Fuji and Kodak films. Also, mixing the films may cause problems from what I have heard.

PE

Photo Engineer said:

Development times in the first developer (we call it the MQ) are not the same for Fuji and Kodak films. Also, mixing the films may cause problems from what I have heard.

PE

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PE,

I find this hard to believe, when I worked in the lab, we ran the E-6 films in the same machine, Day in and day out, with a strong mix of both brands and never showed any problems at all, we used the Kodak E-6 chemistry, with no problems at all, it seems the most important thing at least on the first steps is the temp control, over the types of films that are being run.

Dave

Dave, there are two instructions for E6 in the Jobo manuals and several sites quote different times for the first developer for Fuji and Kodak E6 products. There have been numerous posts on problems with MQ times posted on PN and I have and numerous personal inquiries about this.

Among other things, mixing the two film products (lines) can give stain and other undesired effects. I do understand what you are saying, but Fujichrome almost lost out totally back in the 90s due to this very problem and made the cover of Darkroom Techiques magazine due to a serious problem along these lines. It has persisted in a smaller measure since then.

Fuji and Kodak E6 products do not all take the same E6 MQ time for the best results in color and ISO speed, nor do they work well in the same process at the same time.

Please search PN for this topic. Dan Schwartz has made several posts there regarding this very problem IIRC.

PE

Ron,

I am just citing what we did in the lab, and the majority of the other E-6 labs around the country do, myself, I use a Sidekick to do my processing now, so have no problems.

See ya in June.

Dave

Dave;

Looking forward to it. I'll be there a few days early to set things up. I guess Aggie also told you when she is arriving. We can talk then.

PE

Hey Ron,

You bringing a camera out with you? If so, perhaps, Aggie, Les, You and I can take a quick day to burn some film in Glacier.

Dave

glbeas said:

Sounds like a weak first developer. When I was doing my own E6 I used to let the color developer go longer than the suggested time and I thought it made the colors look richer. Is this something others do and would it have any deletrious effect on the color balance? One of these days I'd like to try my hand at LF E6.

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Or, more likely, low temperature. Ordinary darkroom thermometers are sometimes off by up to a couple of degrees.

Also, I've noticed that some kits (e.g.Tetnal 3 bath) tend to produce somewhat denser transparencies than others (e.g. Kodak). Since I mostly make prints from them, the differences do not really affect my work.

Satinsnow said:

Hey Ron,

You bringing a camera out with you? If so, perhaps, Aggie, Les, You and I can take a quick day to burn some film in Glacier.

Dave

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I would love to!

Right now in my planning, I would say that I will have a Nikon 2020 with me with LOTS of film, as well as a Nikon D70 with several cards. I plan on making side-by-side comparisons, and will have a few with me to show you where I'm at right now. Digital sux big time, especially if you know how to look at the right things. However, for IR, you can get some interesting results from digital.

I brought my Bronica 2 years ago, and last year I brought 2 Nikormat ELs, but had one of them fail and lost all of those pictures. I need to get it fixed somehow. It's my 'baby'. I might bring a Nikon Pronea, but I'm ashamed to show it in public. Heheheh. I use it at family affairs. Our kids and grandkids don't know the difference.

The problem will be how to find the time to get away. I will have a lot to do at the start and end of the workshop. PM me or send an e-mail and we can try to set things up.

PE

Satinsnow said:

...I use a Sidekick to do my processing now, so have no problems.

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Please let me know that I am a tard in asking this question but what is a Sidekick? From the sounds of it, it sounds like an at home processor of the sort. Is that what this is? Are they expensive? Where did you get yours?

I love shooting E-6 but I hate mail order and the wait so I just stick with prints but for landscapes I hate using anything except Velvia (well for color).

Thx so much for the help.

The obviously new guy,
Justin

jgoeden said:

Please let me know that I am a tard in asking this question but what is a Sidekick?

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Justin,

Googled it: http://www.phototherm.com/

Lee