Fujihunt X-Press C41 long storage

brbo · Jan 19, 2022

've been using FujiHunt XPress C-41 5L kit for well over 10 years now. One kit lasts me well over one year. When I shot a lot of slide film a 5L kit was enough for two years.

I mix and use 1L of working solutions at a time. When I open the concentrates for the first time, I mix 1L and then divide the rest of the concentrates into four 1L "mini kits". Each concentrated component goes into separate amber glass bottle of the appropriate size and topped off with inert gas. You don't have to do this for bleach. A lot of work at first and you need to buy a lot of glass bottles in various sizes at first. But mixing the next batch of working solutions is then very fast and easy.

Mixing all 5L at once certainly seems attractive, but I was always hesitant to do this. I can't seem to find a reason why working solutions would keep better than properly sealed concentrates.

Tom Kershaw · Jan 19, 2022

brbo said:
Mixing all 5L at once certainly seems attractive, but I was always hesitant to do this. I can't seem to find a reason why working solutions would keep better than properly sealed concentrates.

I mix the whole C-41 developer concentrates (most recently Fujihunt Environeg) into working solution at one time and then bottle individually, usually 1000ml, sometimes 2500ml - this works fine, and the working solutions keep well in full tightly capped bottles.

brbo · Jan 19, 2022

Tom Kershaw said:
I mix the whole C-41 developer concentrates (most recently Fujihunt Environeg) into working solution at one time and then bottle individually, usually 1000ml, sometimes 2500ml - this works fine, and the working solutions keep well in full tightly capped bottles.

Well, "well" is very... vague. I might try it, though. Or probably might not since some say that the 5L Xpress C-41 kit is now discontinued. I'm not going to try to find out if diluted developer also keep "forever" with my last 5L kit...

Though, Fuji seems not overly concerned about properly stored concentrates (as there is no indication of production or expiry date on the XPress 5L kit (that I can find)), but the instructions are quite clear about what is regarded as keeping time of used or unused working developer solution (they state 6 weeks for full, stoppered glass bottles). I'm not the one to religiously follow the rules, I regularly use working developer solution that's much older than 6 weeks without any noticeable problems, but I guess there is a reason why Fuji recommends storing the chemicals in concentrated form.

It's certainly great to see people still using their diluted developer a year after mixing. I just like to be extra paranoid since I can't shoot that much film to go through 5L kit in a year. I'll probably switch to one-shot anyway if the 5L kit is indeed discontinued and I'll have to buy "industrial" quantity of C-41 chems.

Tom Kershaw · Jan 19, 2022

brbo said:
I just like to be extra paranoid since I can't shoot that much film to go through 5L kit in a year.

Last year I used enough C-41 film to get through the developer in reasonable time. The member here 'Koraks' introduced me to the Fuji Hunt chemicals and I found their 2x10L (or 2x 3 separate concentrates) product works well. I have the other lot of concentrates left and will mix these up when next needed.

Radost · Jan 19, 2022

brbo said:
inert

Can you point me to a inert gas product I can buy?

RPC · Jan 19, 2022

brbo said:
Mixing all 5L at once certainly seems attractive, but I was always hesitant to do this. I can't seem to find a reason why working solutions would keep better than properly sealed concentrates.

After the developer is mixed, the developing agent is protected by a preservative from oxidation from air dissolved in the solution. If stored full in glass containers, the glass protects from the outside air.

I use Kodak C-41 developer and I always mix it all up at once and store in full, glass, tightly sealed bottles.My experience shows it lasts a lot longer this way (much longer than a year) than mixing from concentrates when needed.

brbo · Jan 19, 2022

RPC said:
After the developer is mixed, the developing agent is protected by a preservative from oxidation from air dissolved in the solution. If stored full in glass containers, the glass protects from the outside air.

I don't understand how that leaves concentrates with less protection from oxidation.

RPC said:
I use Kodak C-41 developer and I always mix it all up at once and store in full, glass, tightly sealed bottles.My experience shows it lasts a lot longer this way (much longer than a year) than mixing from concentrates when needed.

My experience is that properly stored concentrates keep at least two years. But, I make no claims whether that is longer or not than your mixed solutions. Fuji has a warning about keeping properties of mixed solutions, it doesn't have one for concentrates. I know nothing about chemistry, so I have to rely on manufacturer's information. If I ever experience my concentrates going bad, I will certainly try mixing entire quantity at once.

Radost said:
Can you point me to a inert gas product I can buy?

I use Protectan that Old Gregg linked to. I'm sure there are other cheaper solutions that work just as well...

RPC · Jan 19, 2022

@brbo, I usually use my mixed developer up in under two years, but I have had both C-41 and RA-4 developer last up to 5 years or more mixed with good results, stored properly. After opening, I have never had developing agent concentrates (part c of C-41 and part b of RA-4) last anything close to that after opening, not even two years.

thicktheo · Dec 6, 2022

Guys, I need an opinion...

I was using the Tetenal C-41 kit for the past few years, and I had great results mixing my developer as needed (with syringes). The A, B, C developer parts all kept their potency right up to the end, and we are talking about a 5l package which lasted 3-4 years.

This time, I could only get a Fuji X-Press kit, also 5l. Should I mix it all up, or continue with my tried-and-true method of syringes?

Things to consider:

I develop on a Jobo processor, so only 300ml needed per development cycle
I only develop 4x5 sheets (most of them expired) and the odd cross-processed slide film. "Proper" films go to the lab.
I don't shoot that many films that I have to develop myself, so I need this developer to last for a couple of years.
I tend to develop at 30c for 8:30 mins. It has worked good enough with the Tetenal kit (examples here (all expired and cross-processed) and here (the large format photos))

It would be great if you could share some knowledge!

koraks · Dec 6, 2022

thicktheo said:
The A, B, C developer parts all kept their potency right up to the end, and we are talking about a 5l package which lasted 3-4 years.

I'm stunned, also I've heard similar reports from a friend of mine with different chemistry (Fuji Hunt, but not Xpress). I myself haven't been so lucky with the Fuji minilab chemistry I've used; that one does a lot better when it's all mixed up and decanted into entirely full, glass bottles. It keeps well that way. Even the factory-sealed bottle that contains the CD4 has gone bad within a couple of years, whereas the mixed working developer from the same batch (which came in two halves) is still as good as new.

Sorry, I can't offer anything particularly conclusive, apart from my good experiences with mixing everything up and storing it properly.

thicktheo · Dec 6, 2022

koraks said:
I'm stunned, also I've heard similar reports from a friend of mine with different chemistry (Fuji Hunt, but not Xpress).

Keep in mind that I'm talking about the Tetenal Colortec chemistry, although I guess it's not far from the Fuji Hunt formula.

koraks · Dec 6, 2022

Yes, I'm aware of that - and I'm not aware of the specific differences. I think most/all C41 commercial developers are pretty similar going by what I've read.

Fujihunt X-Press C41 long storage

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