E-6: Your Favorite Developer Kit?

[mjordan]

What's your favorite E-6 developer kit? I've been using the Tetenal 3-bath and liking it a lot, but I've also been hearing bad things about blix. Do you guys prefer the separate bleach and fix processes? Any brands you like?

(Just for the record, I primarily shoot 120 film around 400 ASA. I like Provia a lot.)

 

[AmandaTom]

I have developed E-6 all of once. I could have sold tickets to the experience and called it "performance art" .... I feel many would have been amused to see the mad cleanup, catching of falling chemicals, furtive microwaving, and multiple reading of directions. However, the film (4x5) was worth it. I use the Arista Rapid, a three bath kit, and it was very straightforward. Maybe my next go-round will be more sane.

 

[wildbill]

kodak 5L kit. Or fuji's kit if you don't live in the u.s.

 

[alien]

Tetenal kit, I have used it for years and never let me down. Easy to set up, easy to use, supreme results.

 

[gordrob]

I use the Kodak 5L kit was well - even though it has more steps I think it is worth the extra effort.

Gord

 

[Ian Grant]

The photocolor Chrome 6 kit unfortunately no longer madem now the Tetenal 3 bath, the blix has never vbeen a problem.

Ian

 

[DanielStone]

some claim that the BLIX isn't as archival.

I've only used the Kodak 5L kit so far, and I never had any problems with it. If you're doubting the blix kit, use the Kodak.

works great. are you in the US? if you're not, Fuji chems are pretty easily available to most countries.

-Dan

 

[nickandre]

The kodak kit makes awesome results but it takes several class periods to run the whole process if you're not ahead of yourself heating chemistry. If you are I've weedled it down to an hour and 15 minutes. A microwave would increase my efficiency however. I see no real reason why a three bath kit should be frowned upon. The bottom line is if it looks good, it's good. Good =Good. etc.

 

[Some_Gearhead]

I mix mine from scratch.
I was really happy to find CD-4 has an excellent self life.
Now I'm trying to figure out what to do with about four 30 gm containers of the stuff.

edit- I also do a light reversal. I think it gives me better color saturation.
Anybody else try this?

 

[kompressor]

I only use Kodak E6-kits. With the Kodak kit there is included a verey detailed leaflet on use/storage/dillutioning for half, 1, 2, 3,4 and 5 litre. How much film you can process. The quality of the slides processed is just fantastic! Never seen any pro lab do it better than what i gain self in my own small lab. And it ir REALLY chep to buy here in Norway.

 

[2F/2F]

Kodak 5 L kit. You can usually get it right off of the shelf at Freestyle. I usually get two kits at a time, and mix 2 L at a time and use straight away or within a few days. I mostly use it for 4x5 transparencies in a hand-rotated Jobo Expert Drum. I wait until I have 40 sheets of film to process so that I make full use of the 2 L at 500 mL per batch. I use old crystallized chemicals for cross processing. IME, the developer tends to crystallize with age.

Doing 35mm one shot in Nikkor tanks, with four rolls per liter, it is about $2.50 per roll. Not cheap, even at home. For 120, I usually double roll back to back on 120 reels, or end to end on 220 reels, because if you do not, the cost is $5.00 per roll. To tell you the truth, however, I generally take E-6 roll fim to a lab, as I don't view the cost savings as being that significant for the volume of E-6 roll film I shoot now.

However, with sheet film, it saves a ton of money. Instead of $3 a sheet for 4x5, plus extra money for pushes and pulls (which I almost always do when using E-6), you pay $0.50 per sheet, with free pushes and pulls.

 

[Zathras]

The photocolor Chrome 6 kit unfortunately no longer made.....(snip)

Ian

That was a great kit. I used Photocolor kits (neg, print and slide) when they were available in the US. They always worked beautifully. I have also had very nice results with the Kodak kits as well. I haven't done any color processing in a few years, but I'd love to try the new Kodak 5 liter kit when my new darkroom is finished.

 

[Photo Engineer]

some claim that the BLIX isn't as archival.

I've only used the Kodak 5L kit so far, and I never had any problems with it. If you're doubting the blix kit, use the Kodak.

works great. are you in the US? if you're not, Fuji chems are pretty easily available to most countries.

-Dan

The BLIX affects image structure and color reproduction, the stabilizer (or lack thereof in some kits - or the prebleach in some other kits) affects dye stability after about 5 - 10 years at room temp in the dark.

PE

 

[Lopaka]

I use the Kodak 5L kit and process in a JOBO. I mix what I need for the film I have to process.

Bob

 

[mts]

Scratch mix has not failed me in over twenty years, for both Fuji and Kodak. With a good stock of raw chemicals I haven't had any problems locating kits. I mix in 1-liter size and develop in SS tanks with water-bath temperature control. Nowadays I use mostly C41 also scratch mixed and increasingly, black & white.

 

[LorenzoS]

I use ornano E-6 ( KI-90 )or DIa-3 kit's

 

[Athiril]

Kodak E6 Colour Developer Replenisher (40 litre) + Starter, home mixed E6 first dev recipe

 

[Philippe-Georges]

The Kodak Professional Single-Use Chemistry Kit, Process E-6 Catalogue Number 525 6763, 5 L. It is still the best, I was not that lucky with the FUJI kit.
No problem in Europe, it’s made by Kodak-Pathé in Marne-La-Vallé France and costs € 53,00 shipping included, one box weights 8 Kg.
I can process 20 rolls 120 format, two batches of 10, in it. That’s € 2,65 21% VAT incl. per roll film, not bad at all, why should I bother to brew it my self?

Philippe

 

[Trond]

I use the Kodak 5l kit in a Jobo ATL-1000. Inexpensive and good.

 

[gupa]

Ok, here's a deal, or maybe not. Im new here and this is my first post, so I don't even know if it will work. I used to do b&w and did ok, but layed off for a few years. Recently I wanted to get back in to it so I bought an Omega D2, and with it I got a bunch of other stuff I dont want. So I have a (I think) complete Kodak Color Slide Kit (500 ml) for EKTACHROME, plus an extra pac of no. 1, and a box of 100 Kodak ready mounts.
I can't find a date on any of this, but if anyone can use it you can have it for postage.

 

[Athiril]

What country are you in Gupa?

 

[gupa]

U.S.A. Spokane WA.

 

[maximus]

This is my first post here, so I want to say hello for all. I,m developing color reversal films for over ten years. From my experience i know that best results with Kodak films I can reach only with Kodak chemistry, and with Fuji films only with chemistry from Fuji. I mean 6-bath chemistry, not 3-bath, because it guarantees the best durability of developed films.

 

[hrst]

maximus,

Could you elaborate a bit; what is the actual difference you see in your slides when developing Fuji film in Fuji chemistry vs. Kodak chemistry?

 

[Philippe-Georges]

This is my first post here, so I want to say hello for all. I,m developing color reversal films for over ten years. From my experience i know that best results with Kodak films I can reach only with Kodak chemistry, and with Fuji films only with chemistry from Fuji. I mean 6-bath chemistry, not 3-bath, because it guarantees the best durability of developed films.

That's interesting, I have the best results with FUJI Provia in KodaK E-6 chemicals.
The Fuji chemicals gave me a magentatomie impossible to correct. I think that the system of developing, a machine of what ever make or pure handwork, has a lot to do with the results.
But this, of course, is a personal observation…

Philippe