How Does One Get Started Processing C41 At Home?

With respect to the "large tub", I would suggest looking in the thrift stores for a used hard sided picnic cooler.

BillBaileyImages said:

I need your opinions of starting with a 38° pre-soak (or whatever the correct term is)

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Opinions are divided on this; the conclusion I drew from this is "you'll need to determine what works best for you".

Personally, I like (need) to presoak with 120 film in a Jobo 1520 tank and with 4x5" in a 2500 tank (with the 2502N reel), but I don't need it with 135 in the 1510 or 1520 tanks. Don't ask me why, but I get surge marks along the edges (into the image frame) on both 120 and 4x5 if I omit the presoak, but never on 135. The surge marks disappear entirely if I do a presoak.

Some people report the exact opposite of my experiences, or have other arguments against doing a presoak.

In your place, I would probably start without a presoak and only introduce one if any surge mark problems pop up.

Thanks for your input. Since I have well-controlled water input, and I'm using the 2-series Jobo tanks and reels (which MIGHT reduce turbulence versus the 1-series), the pre-soak will be my starting point. I have a few 120 "test rolls" to act as guinea pigs for that approach. Results will be shared. Still putting the final elements in place in my "portable" processing lab. Everything is kept on a rolling 72-inch-long table in front of my washing machine and dryer. The table just pivots to the other side of the laundry room alcove when it's time to wash clothes.

To get my control strips in spec using a paterson tank I use the following below. Agitation is once per second stopping the last 10 seconds during the drain. I preheat the tank with film loaded to ~100F using heat tape before I start.

Chemistry was newly mixed Fuji Developer, Kodak bleach, and Kodak fixer, stabilizer. All chemicals where used one shot. Dev Time was pushed from 3:15 to 3:45 to get HD up in spec.

Sous Vide heater in a large pot to keep water bath / chemicals at temp with a calibrated external temperature probe to verify Sous Vide is holding 102F.


Times used where:

Develop (102F) 3:45
Bleach (102F) 6:30
Wash (75F) 3:15
Fixer (102F) 6:30
Wash in sink with running water 3:15
Stabilizer 1:30