E6 Temp v Time.

[Fordmondeo]

Hello.

Just about to process a film in E6. Haven't done it for many years and am surprised to see the temp as high as 38C (100f).
Does anyone know if the temp can be reduced and the subsequent process time be extended?

Thanks in advance.

 

[dE fENDER]

The color balance will be incorrect and the slide will be spoiled. Color curves will have different angles at the different temperature. But it will be possible to correct scan in Photoshop.

 

[Fordmondeo]

Thanks for that albeit a shame from my perspective.
I guess I'll have to spend money on thermal controls now. {[sadface emoticon]}

 

[Kevin Caulfield]

Thanks for that albeit a shame from my perspective.
I guess I'll have to spend money on thermal controls now. {[sadface emoticon]}

You can do it without thermal controls but it takes a bit of work.

 

[BMbikerider]

As the previous answers stick to the correct temp/time. E6 process has been tried and tested for perhaps close on 40 years so they will have got it right by now. Ideally the temp should not waver more than +/- .5 of a degree so it is not the easiest to deal with. Actually the 1st developer is the critical one, the rinses between each bath and indeed the 2nd developer and beach/fix stages is not as critical temperature wise, as the 1st developer. +/- 1-2 degrees will not make a great deal of difference. As well as this extra lattitude with temperature, you can develop and bleach fix for longer than the stated time by a minute or so especially if the temp drops below the ideal 100F/38c.

Whenever I use slide film which is very rare now, I would use my trusty JOBO rotary processor, but when I started out, I used a water bath in which I was able to maintain the temp by floating the tank in a water bath perhaps 1.5 degrees above the developing temp with the different chemicals alongside. If the waterbath temp dropped, I added a small amount of hot water at a time to bring it back up.

Probably the essential part before starting to process is to ensure the tank itself with the film inside is also brought up to the recommended temp. Pour developer into a cold tank can see the 100F drop to 98 or even loer and it will never catch up and the slides will be too dense.

It takes a lot of practise to get get it right every time, but you could always do training runs using an empty film tank and plain water at the recommended temp for the times suggested to see if you can get it close enough so it makes little or no difference. Take encouragement that even professional labs get it wrong, even the hallowed Kodachrome made a mess of it occasionally

 

[Fordmondeo]

Is it possible to over fix film?
I assumed after the minimum time the emulsion was effectively inert.

 

[BMbikerider]

Yes, but a minute or two extra makes no difference. Leave it for 10 mins and you may see a difference and any longer it may start to bleach the image and it will take extended washing to remove all the fixer out of the film emulsion. It is not an exact science and modern emulsions are to be truthful quite resilient.

 

[Fordmondeo]

Time to calibrate the shower then.

 

[Gerald C Koch]

If you look at Kodak's processing directions you will find that tight temperature control is only necessary for the first developer. All the other baths allow for more latitude. This means that use can use a simple water bath. I have developed may rolls of color film without problem using this method.

 

[avortex]

I the past I used to process E100D super-8 film at 26ºC to tame the contrast and excessive saturation, extending the time of the solutions.
So it can be done, at least with the Tetenal kit. The Fuji 6-bath kit is much more delicate.

 

[Photo Engineer]

It is not possible to overfix E6, or for that matter, overbleach.

Have fun.

PE

 

[mshchem]

For a Jobo Processor, at 100 F how long is 1st Developer time with the standard 6 bath process?
Mike

 

[Agulliver]

I've processed E6 super 8 and 135 in spiral tanks without any complex temperature control. What I did was fill the kitchen sink 3/4 full of water, use a good thermometer to get 38C, float my tank and chemicals in the sink to get them up to temperature and during the process, as necessary, add a little more hot water and stirr around. Seemed to work fine, I got results as good as a pro lab to be honest. It's not that difficult if you're just running one or two films/loads.

Some people have reported a similar method but using a large insulated cool box, the type used in camping or picnics. Fill this with water at the correct temperature and it should keep it's temperature for a good hour or more.

+/- 0.5C won't make any noticeable difference, indeed one could possibly go 1C out and not cause any truly significant colour cast. But I always strived to keep it to within 0.5C...starting at 38.2 or 38.3 and adding hot water if it got down to 37.5

 

[chassis]

Agree with Agullliver. I use the insulated box ("picnic cooler" as we say in the US) method, and I have measured my chemical temps in the developing tank to be 100 deg F through the entire process.

 

[Photo Engineer]

For a Jobo Processor, at 100 F how long is 1st Developer time with the standard 6 bath process?
Mike

What the manufacturer recommends! This differs between Kodak and Fuji films.

PE

 

[mshchem]

What the manufacturer recommends! This differs between Kodak and Fuji films.

PE

Fuji doesn't give an exact time and temp . Tells me to establish my own time and temperature . Jobo says for Kodak 5 liter 6 min 30 sec. (except for Fuji films 7:30 ) $215 for chemicals and $11 a roll for film you would think they could give something that doesn't require control strips and a densitometer . Oh well I need to have a project . Fuji can kiss my

 

[Photo Engineer]

Another point against E6 films then.

PE

 

[mshchem]

Another point against E6 films then.

PE

But they're so cute when projected