Existing C-41 kits , which is best ?

[lhalcong]

I've been using Kodak chemicals to process C-41 for quite sometime now but I'm now left to process a few more roles and possibly retire C-41. BH won't ship the tetenal powder kit , so my choices from freestyle are Arista, Rollei and Unicolor. The more expensive Rollei would suggest to be the better one but what's the opinion in terms of quality of the final color image. ? Which should I get ?

 

[Wayne]

Doesnt Freestyle still have tetanal? Maybe 5 liters is way too much for your needs. http://www.freestylephoto.biz/102228-Tetenal-C-41-Color-Negative-Processsing-Kit-5-Liter

I've only used the Unicolor kit so I'm in no position to compare. My next C-41 will be Flexicolor

 

[Rudeofus]

Color developers should be pretty much the same across the board, the biggest difference in my opinion will be the silver removal bathes, listed here in the order from excellent to ... let's say: less than excellent:

1. Separate bleach and fixer, bleach based on Ammonium Ferric PDTA
2. Separate bleach and fixer, bleach based on Ammonium Ferric EDTA
3. BLIX mixed from liquid components
4. BLIX mixed from powder components

You can convert option 3 and 4 into option 2 by following the procedure outlined (there was a url link here which no longer exists), but even with this procedure option 3 is better than option 4.

Another thing is final rinse, make sure you either get one with the kit, or order some separately, or mix some yourself from the recipe listed (there was a url link here which no longer exists).

 

[Sirius Glass]

I have only used Unicolor for all my C-41 processing and I have never had a problem with it.

 

[canvassy]

Unicolor and Tetenal are the same kits, just different branding. The instructions are the exact same. I use them with great results, but I've never used another brand.

 

[drmoss_ca]

The powder presskits branded Unicolor, Jobo and Tetenal all seem to be exactly the same. I think you can buy them also under other names. I have used those three and find them all equal and easy to use. There are no instructions for unusual temperatures, though I have figured out how to use them at lower temperatures (basically, the development takes so long it's just as quick to heat the solutions to usual temperatures). Kept in a cool place in concertina bottles, I have had no problems with chemicals stored for a couple of months before reaching the limit of films to be developed by them.
Liquid C-41 kits are a different beast, and hard to find, and even harder to get shipped across a border. The Tetenal kit does include times for lower temperatures and I'm told it works well that way, but I have no recent experience of it.

Chris