Issues with the E6 development

[mshchem]

I've used 1.5 Adox C-Tec kits so far, the first one for 9 120 films (same area as a 36 exposure 35mm film) and half (500ml) of the second one for 5 films, in all case in a Paterson tank holding 500ml and the films processed one by one.

I've concluded that you can definitely process 5 films in 500ml of solution without any obviously visible degradation of the colours of the processed film (there has got to be some degradation, but I can't see it!). So 3 films in 350ml should be OK.

The only caveat is that I process all my films in a batch of solution over 2-3 days (i.e. 5 films, one by one, in 500ml in 2-3 days) ... I don't let the working solutions stand around for more than 3 days.

Good technique! You're not letting the developer sit around and oxidize, Paterson tanks and the relatively gentle agitation doesn't aerate the developer like a Jobo. If Adox is using the same recipe as Tetenal this stuff will store (within reason) as a concentrate. The little Adox kits look great!

 

[ChrisGalway]

Good technique! You're not letting the developer sit around and oxidize, Paterson tanks and the relatively gentle agitation doesn't aerate the developer like a Jobo. If Adox is using the same recipe as Tetenal this stuff will store (within reason) as a concentrate. The little Adox kits look great!

Adox are quoting 24 weeks shelf life for opened concentrate (all baths). I'm unlikely to ever wait that long ... seems too long for my liking. I'll use the remaining half of the kit in about 3 weeks time, i.e. around 5 weeks after I made up the initial batch.

Samu in Post 24 suggests using the FD only twice, and obviously the fewer times you re-use the solutions the better, but to me even 5 films in 500ml (Adox say up to 6) is fine, the fifth film comes out as good as the first, to my eye. Certainly there is no obvious visual degradation ... of course there has to be some, and perhaps a really critical eye could detect it.

 

[Samu]

Samu in Post 24 suggests using the FD only twice, and obviously the fewer times you re-use the solutions the better, but to me even 5 films in 500ml (Adox say up to 6) is fine, the fifth film comes out as good as the first, to my eye. Certainly there is no obvious visual degradation ... of course there has to be some, and perhaps a really critical eye could detect it.

Save the fully exposed leaders of the films from the first batch, and compare them with those in the fifth batch. You will see much more density in those developed with a developer used for many times. If the FD is badly oxidized, the colors wll also start ti change. I admit my criteria for a good slide is quite high. I make mine primarily for projection, which means there are nothing you can do to edit them after developing.

 

[ChrisGalway]

Save the fully exposed leaders of the films from the first batch, and compare them with those in the fifth batch. You will see much more density in those developed with a developer used for many times. If the FD is badly oxidized, the colors wll also start ti change. I admit my criteria for a good slide is quite high. I make mine primarily for projection, which means there are nothing you can do to edit them after developing.

Excellent suggestion ... the problem for me in that I use 120 roll film, no exposed leaders!

I would be interested if someone who does 35mm could follow Samu's suggestion and post the results.