Kodak c-41

muhco3 · May 3, 2020

Hello every one ,
Is there anyone who has an experience with the Kodak c-41 chemicals as home user or low volume developer ?

The reason I'm looking for Kodak (apart from it is giving optimum results ) is the long shelf life of un-mixed chemicals , so you can mixed it on demand without the fear of the deterioration of the chemicals .

Kodak chemicals for c41 is confusing there are many types of developers, bleach and fixers , and their website is not helping either

I found the Fuji X-press kit but from what I have read it doesnt last as long as Kodak

So , if anyone could help + where to get them

Many thanks

Sirius Glass · May 3, 2020

I have used the Unicolor 1 liter kits quite good, consistent and easy to use. They can develop 12 to 16 rolls. I save up film and do wall the development in about a day and a half, so I do not know how long the chemicals can stand. I buy them from FreeStyle.

muhco3 · May 3, 2020

Sirius Glass said:
I have used the Unicolor 1 liter kits quite good, consistent and easy to use. They can develop 12 to 16 rolls. I save up film and do wall the development in about a day and a half, so I do not know how long the chemicals can stand. I buy them from FreeStyle.

Unicolor kits seems to be out of stock almost everywhere , but the reason I'm looking for c-41 with separate bleach and fixer is for better results , the Blix kits are less predictable and cause color shifts from my experience and what I have read in the forums .

mshchem · May 3, 2020

Kodak Flexicolor chemistry will go bad like everything else once opened. It can be divided into high quality bottles if the bottles are filled full. Unique photo sells Kodak Flexicolor Developer replenisher in small 5L quantities, you need starter solution to use the replenisher to make a working "tank" solution developer. Bleach Fixer is available from Unique as well, it to requires a starter to make a working solution. You can wash the film and use Kodak's final rinse.

There's nothing wrong with using the smaller blix based kits, just realize that most problems are from overuse. I would use them at about 8 rolls per liter.

I prefer the Kodak chemistry, but I've thrown out a lot that's gone bad.

There's folks on here that mix up all 5 liters and store in recycled mylar wine boxes.

Oxygen is the enemy.

nbagno · May 4, 2020

Check post 472 https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/list-of-color-chemicals-and-where-to-get-them.79069/

foc · May 4, 2020

I think some of the confusion about Kodak (and Fuji) C41 developers is that they are listed as lab chemicals and not clearly shown for home use (as in a kit).
It is also confusing when you see a developer listed and then developer starter listed beside it, then a low volume developer, then bleach and a bleach starter and so on.

The Fuji Hunt Xpress kit has everything you need in one box, that is good marketing. I also see that once mixed, the Fuji Hunt Xpress should not be stored (used or unused) for more than 4 weeks. That sound about right to me for any C41 chemical.

As mshchem said above, oxygen is the enemy.

muhco3 · May 4, 2020

mshchem said:
Kodak Flexicolor chemistry will go bad like everything else once opened. It can be divided into high quality bottles if the bottles are filled full. Unique photo sells Kodak Flexicolor Developer replenisher in small 5L quantities, you need starter solution to use the replenisher to make a working "tank" solution developer. Bleach Fixer is available from Unique as well, it to requires a starter to make a working solution. You can wash the film and use Kodak's final rinse.

There's nothing wrong with using the smaller blix based kits, just realize that most problems are from overuse. I would use them at about 8 rolls per liter.

I prefer the Kodak chemistry, but I've thrown out a lot that's gone bad.

There's folks on here that mix up all 5 liters and store in recycled mylar wine boxes.

Oxygen is the enemy.

Yes the issue is the smallest Kodak developer makes 5L which is a lot for me ,I haven't had a good experience with the Blix kit , so I thought maybe I should minimize the variables and use different C41 process as I got some color shifts and some how dull looking photos (some times) though the film I used was fresh one

nbagno said:
Check post 472 https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/list-of-color-chemicals-and-where-to-get-them.79069/

I have seen this thread , it is out dated from 2011 and most of the stores mentioned have shut down

foc said:
I think some of the confusion about Kodak (and Fuji) C41 developers is that they are listed as lab chemicals and not clearly shown for home use (as in a kit).
It is also confusing when you see a developer listed and then developer starter listed beside it, then a low volume developer, then bleach and a bleach starter and so on.

The Fuji Hunt Xpress kit has everything you need in one box, that is good marketing. I also see that once mixed, the Fuji Hunt Xpress should not be stored (used or unused) for more than 4 weeks. That sound about right to me for any C41 chemical.

As mshchem said above, oxygen is the enemy.

Exactly , to add to this confusion , the Fuji kit does not exist in their website ! but it seems good and one of the few c41 kits with separate bleach and fixer

nbagno · May 4, 2020

muhco3 said:
Yes the issue is the smallest Kodak developer makes 5L which is a lot for me ,I haven't had a good experience with the Blix kit , so I thought maybe I should minimize the variables and use different C41 process as I got some color shifts and some how dull looking photos (some times) though the film I used was fresh one

I have seen this thread , it is out dated from 2011 and most of the stores mentioned have shut down

Exactly , to add to this confusion , the Fuji kit does not exist in their website ! but it seems good and one of the few c41 kits with separate bleach and fixer

Not the thread, the post # 472. There is a post with a link to a website that list's all of the Kodak C41 chemicals.

muhco3 · May 4, 2020

nbagno said:
Not the thread, the post # 472. There is a post with a link to a website that list's all of the Kodak C41 chemicals.

I have seen it and went to the website , his explanation is not clear and the fixer that he used is no longer produced , that is why I want the input of the members .

Roger Thoms · May 4, 2020

nbagno said:
Not the thread, the post # 472. There is a post with a link to a website that list's all of the Kodak C41 chemicals.

Here’s the link
https://www.kabbottphoto.com/c-41-with-kodak-flexicolor-at-home/

Roger

AndyH · May 4, 2020

Very helpful link. Thanks!
Andy

nbagno · May 4, 2020

muhco3 said:
I have seen it and went to the website , his explanation is not clear and the fixer that he used is no longer produced , that is why I want the input of the members .

The fixer replenisher is in stock, the final rinse and replenisher is not in stock, but available at other places. I just looked all of it up as well as the fuji chemicals. What exactly is not clear? Just trying to help.

nbagno · May 4, 2020

muhco3 said:
I have seen it and went to the website , his explanation is not clear and the fixer that he used is no longer produced , that is why I want the input of the members .

The chemicals are still listed on Kodak's website. Bleach III and the fixer/replenisher. https://imaging.kodakalaris.com/retailers/equipment/chemistry-agx/flexicolor-chemicals-c41

mnemosyne · May 4, 2020

muhco3 said:
Hello every one ,
Is there anyone who has an experience with the Kodak c-41 chemicals as home user or low volume developer ?

The reason I'm looking for Kodak (apart from it is giving optimum results ) is the long shelf life of un-mixed chemicals , so you can mixed it on demand without the fear of the deterioration of the chemicals .

Kodak chemicals for c41 is confusing there are many types of developers, bleach and fixers , and their website is not helping either

I found the Fuji X-press kit but from what I have read it doesnt last as long as Kodak

So , if anyone could help + where to get them

Many thanks

From personal experience: I recommend mixing all 5 liters of the X-Press kit developer working solution at once and keeping them in a quality wine bag (bag-in-box system). You can use a 5 liter bag or split it between smaller bags for easier handling. Use demineralized water to mix the working solution. If you insist on using tap water let it sit for at least 24 hours before using it. Kept that way the developer should last about a year or even longer. From my experience this will work better than keeping parts of concentrates once the seal of the bottle is broken. The reasoning behind this has been explained elsewhere.

The same is true of Flexicolor developer, at least the one in the kit I use (European market). I have replenisher solution made from a 20 liter kit split over a couple of wine bags that is still going strong after more than a year. The color is virtually unchanged from fresh solution and it still works as advertised.

The c41 bleach (concentrate or working solution) and the fixer should keep very long without any special precautions.

mshchem · May 4, 2020

Roger Thoms said:
Here’s the link
https://www.kabbottphoto.com/c-41-with-kodak-flexicolor-at-home/

Roger

This is mostly the way I do it. Unique keeps the RA C-41 bleach and fixer in stock, and sells in less than case quantities. I just bought over 300 bucks worth of individual Fuji Pro6 chemistry. Unique doesn't break up cases of E6, but it's a miracle to find this stuff in a retail setting.

To the OP, there's no small hobby kits from Kodak. The Fuji C-41 kits that Freestyle sells are the best you are going to find in a kit. The Arista and Tetenal liquid kits that use blix work fine as long as you don't overuse them.

Kodak c-41

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