E-6 Unmixed Longevity

Hi All,

I'm relatively new to home E-6 processing have a question regarding the E-6 5 litre starter kit from Kodak. How long does the unmixed chemicals last in terms of storage? I understand that the mixed chemicals have a limited life span but I don't plan to use all 5 litres at once. My anticipated volume is 3 to 6 rolls per month.

Thanks in advance for your responses!

Anthony

Kodak's current recommendation is 18 months from date of manufacture. Production date is on each bottle as a 4-digit number consisting of year and week of the year. For example, '0648' would be the 48th week of 2006. General consensus is the developers have the shortest life span. When nearing the end of the kit, you might lengthen the bleach time a bit to insure complete bleaching. Do a thread search - there is more discussion on the subject.

Good luck.

Bob

Interesting, I wondered that very thing a couple of days ago so I called Kodak's tech support line for their chemistry. The gentleman assured me that the chems in the 5 liter kit would last for 2 years from the manufacture date, even once opened. If I were going to store them for that long I'd still give them a squirt of nitrogen though, just to be sure.

Here is a page full of Kodak phone numbers. Call them and bother them at every opportunity - maybe they'll see it as a swelling interest in traditional photo products and adjust their business plan accordingly.

US numbers - http://www.kodak.com/global/en/service/contactKodak/kodakPhoneNumbers.jhtml#0004

Worldwide numbers - http://www.kodak.com/include/international.shtml

Hope that helps.
Bruce

Interesting, indeed!

EK materials had always given 2 years as shelf life for this kit. Kits had expiration dates printed on the box 2 years from manufacture date. The last 2 kits I bought had expiration dates marked on the box that were 18 months from manufacture date. I wonder why that is?

Bob

Thanks for your responses! I'll know I can keep the chemicals for a while without having to use them.