home colour: E-6 or C-41

I've heard that E-6 is easier, but I prefer using C-41 films.

I'd like to consider developing 4x5 sheets at home but am unsure which will be a simpler set up to run in the bathroom (its not that big) with a JOBO processor

thanks for your thoughts

E-6 is more prone to difficulties than C-41. This is due to the nature of the chemistry involved.

I do 8 - 12 4x5 sheets in my Jobo all the time.

PE

While E6 is more difficult only the first developer stage is critical time/temperature, and in real terms it's quite straight forward.

If you want to make prints as well then C41 is your better option, I've done both E6 & C41 and you don't require very much space.

Ian

E6 processing is something I didn't attempt when there were good one-hour or same-day E6 labs nearby, not even years into having my own Jobo CPP2 processor.

When I finally did, I found it pretty straightforward and my chromes were even better with one-shot chemistry, but it is time consuming. There are 7 steps involved in true E6, and it takes the better part of half an hour just to run film. C41 is certainly faster and less tedious. Less time consuming, I do find C41 and especially RA4 just as time & temperature critical, however. That and C41/RA4 fumes are more bothersome than E6.

You didn't say whether you already have a color printing workflow established. Mine has been hybridized to scanning and printing digitally in recent years, even with film capture. (I did much Ilfochrome and RA4 printing previous to this). E6 more fully populates the DR of a CCD scannner; I would consider it a distinct disadvantage to use neg film if limited to an 8 bit scanner like a Tango. Will have to instead assume that since this is APUG you intend to print out optically/traditionally with wet chemistry. For that, RA4 is vastly easier to get spot on with color balance and contrast than with Ilfochrome-- but you'll soon want better ventilation than what a bathroom typically provides.

Well, Ian to be precise, the First Developer is critical as is the rinse afterwards. Also, the reversal step is critical if you use the reversal bath and if you use a light it is tricky for many people to master properly. I might also mention the high pH Color Developer which is prone to going off if you are not careful.

There have been several threads on all of these, and my experience with them led me to my comment above.

PE

Doing either process is cake with the Jobo; I do both in mine with excellent results. Like you, I prefer C-41 for its richness and tonal range; I'd just as soon shoot that D-stuff as shoot E-6! Just one man's opinion....

Your larger problem is going to be sourcing the chemistry; it's becoming increasingly difficult to find the chemistry packaged in smaller amounts for low-volume use; or, if you can find someone who carries it, getting it shipped (B&H is bad about this--they have all the stuff, they just won't ship it!).

As a result, I am the proud owner of enough C-41 fixer to fix every gram of silver in North America; and soon, enough C-41 bleach to float a dreadnought. As for developer, that's my last problem to solve. At least the fixer works for B&W as well....

MikeSeb said:

Doing either process is cake with the Jobo; I do both in mine with excellent results. Like you, I prefer C-41 for its richness and tonal range; I'd just as soon shoot that D-stuff as shoot E-6! Just one man's opinion....

Your larger problem is going to be sourcing the chemistry; it's becoming increasingly difficult to find the chemistry packaged in smaller amounts for low-volume use; or, if you can find someone who carries it, getting it shipped (B&H is bad about this--they have all the stuff, they just won't ship it!).

As a result, I am the proud owner of enough C-41 fixer to fix every gram of silver in North America; and soon, enough C-41 bleach to float a dreadnought. As for developer, that's my last problem to solve. At least the fixer works for B&W as well....

Click to expand...

This is the question I always wondered, sure you can get a 10L or 10 Gallon jug of the stuff, but how to keep it from going bad on you..... I can tell you why B&H will not ship it though.

Most photo chemistries, are considered corrosive, dangerous goods class 8, especially the colour stuff, shipping companies therefore need to handle it manually as the belts and automated sorting equipment can be dangerous if a box containing bottles of chemicals were to fall and break open (some of these belts systems can be 3 storeys high), because of the manual handling they charge extra, and the shipper has to have arrangements in place for emergencies.

If your a company like Kodak or Fuji obviously this isn't an issue, as they ship enough chemicals to make it worth it. B&H probably doesn't.

wogster said:

This is the question I always wondered, sure you can get a 10L or 10 Gallon jug of the stuff, but how to keep it from going bad on you..... I can tell you why B&H will not ship it though....If your a company like Kodak or Fuji obviously this isn't an issue, as they ship enough chemicals to make it worth it. B&H probably doesn't.

Click to expand...

Frustrating though that B&H has it all but won't ship it, while Adorama and Calumet will ship anything but frequently have nothing!

Luckily C-41 bleach and fixer seem to last forever as concentrates; I just mix small lots of developer by syringes to extend the storage life of the 4000-liter bottles that seem to be all that are readily available.

I'd do C41. The thing is you can save A LOT of money with home E6 processing (a single gallon of chemistry can process 134 4x5 sheets or 34 120 rolls. A 5 liter kit costs $50). However, it is an absolute pain. The c41 process takes less than 10 minutes if you're using a blix. The E6 process takes more like an hour. I bought my kit directly at B&H, but adorama will ship it, for a fee. I do it with a steel tank in a water bath tempered to 101 to compensate for loss.

I've been doing C41 for a while. If you start with that I would recommend going directly to a developer replenisher rather than the 1 gallon size. You can make up a liter (which will last for a month or two) and then when you lose some you can top it off with replenisher. This way you can take full advantage of your chemistry. The bleach lasts forever. The fix is dirt cheap. And finish it off with a stabilizer (don't use the "final rinse" because it doesn't contain a stabilizer to prevent color fading).

Thanks everyone for the C-41 support (I infer from PE's reply that he's in favour of the C-41 process too but I'm not certain).

I think I'll go C-41 as it seems to have more in its favour (including my preference for the exposure range and scanning) I can get shadow details in high brightness range situations like this



but then I'm probably preaching to the converted ;-)

MikeSeb said:

Frustrating though that B&H has it all but won't ship it, while Adorama and Calumet will ship anything but frequently have nothing!

Luckily C-41 bleach and fixer seem to last forever as concentrates; I just mix small lots of developer by syringes to extend the storage life of the 4000-liter bottles that seem to be all that are readily available.

Click to expand...

I kinda wondered about that..... Seems like someone could make a lot of money by making smaller kits of developer. Unfortunately it may be one of those things where it costs $20 for the kit and $25 for the shipping, where you could buy the 40L size for $40....

wogster said:

I kinda wondered about that..... Seems like someone could make a lot of money by making smaller kits of developer. Unfortunately it may be one of those things where it costs $20 for the kit and $25 for the shipping, where you could buy the 40L size for $40....

Click to expand...

That was exactly the case with the C-41 fixer. I wound up buying the 5 gal cube (makes 25 gal working solution) for only a few bucks more than the 10L cube (I think it was, next size down).

Evidently C-41 fixer is insufficiently toxic to keep B&H from shipping it. My free-shipping deal for being a NAPP member (please don't stone me, I've whored myself out to the digital darkside for free B&H shipping!) saved me a bundle on that one. I think shipping would have been nearly as much as the fixer cube itself cost.