ECN-2 PROCESS 16MM

blind_runner · Oct 12, 2020

Hello, I am trying to develop 16mm Colour film (kodak vison 3): It's been hard to find a recipe that is "good"... And do you know where i can buy (europe) raw chemestry?

Thank you

Donald Qualls · Oct 12, 2020

Lots of folks have developed Visions3 in C-41, for which kits are readily available. The colors look good to my eye, at least in scans on the web. I don't know of a source for ECN-2 color developer, and raw chemicals seem to be hard to get in Europe due to EU environmental restrictions.

blind_runner · Oct 12, 2020

Donald Qualls said:
Lots of folks have developed Visions3 in C-41, for which kits are readily available. The colors look good to my eye, at least in scans on the web. I don't know of a source for ECN-2 color developer, and raw chemicals seem to be hard to get in Europe due to EU environmental restrictions.

Thank you, I had try with C-41, and very happy with the result, but the problem is that I have a lot to develop. How can I know how much times i can use the same developer without afecting the image. Can i reuse C-41 chemestry? thank you

Donald Qualls · Oct 12, 2020

The kit instructions should tell you, but most kits (1L) are good for about 8 rolls (120 or 135-36). One "roll" is equivalent to about 10 feet (3m) of 16mm film. Some kits will offer the option to develop more rolls by extending process time after that 8 rolls -- lots of folks have done 50% more. That would get you around 120 feet (36.5m) of 16mm, with a possibility of slight image quality degradation near the end of that capacity.

If you're doing all of it in a single batch, it should at least all be the same. If you have a camera roll (400 feet, 122m) you'd need to use three or four of the 1L kits.

blind_runner · Oct 12, 2020

I want to do my own Chemestry, so I will not use a kit. And i can't do it in a single batch, only 15m at time. But thank you. The problem is i can´t more test because I don´t have a lot of film...

Donald Qualls · Oct 12, 2020

Kodak has published the developer and bleach formula (at least two bleach variants) for ECN-2. I don't recall the publication number offhand, and I'm not at home (where I have the document stored), but it is out there. Fixer and bleach are (or can be) the same as C-41; the developer differs mainly in using CD-3 (same as E-6 process) instead of the CD-4 in C-41.

Rudeofus · Oct 13, 2020

The formulas for ECN-2 process have indeed been published in Kodak's document H2407 "Processing KODAK Motion Picture Films, Module 7". It can currently been found here, but I know full well, that Kodak will move to document to some other location every few years. There exists a long list of chemical trade names here on photrio, and I tried to reverse engineer the composition of Kodak's AF2000 product here.

As a source for these compounds in Europe I suggest Fototechnik Suvatlar. Some ECN-2 ingredients are not shown in his price list, but he has been very helpful in getting those.

blind_runner · Oct 14, 2020

by re-using c-41 developer, what should I have in mind. Just the ph?

Donald Qualls · Oct 14, 2020

blind_runner said:
by re-using c-41 developer, what should I have in mind. Just the ph?

Over time, you'll need to replaced the used-up developing agent as well as control pH. This is what replenisher does in commercial processing. For home use, unless you're doing enough volume to stay ahead of oxidation, you're probably best to do what the kits recommend -- 8 rolls per liter of tank solution, and done. No time adjustment is needed at that level, at least according to multiple kit sellers (and my experience with kits matches that).

ECN-2 PROCESS 16MM

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