Kodak Color Negative C41 Kit

[koraks]

check to see if you need a starter for the bleach

No starter needed.

 

[mshchem]

No starter needed.

 

[mshchem]

Some of my (useful) junkque

 

[pentaxuser]

@pentaxuser none of those questions are answerable in a strict sense. My best guess is that 99% of the people won't notice, won't care or won't even land in a position to do either. I also guess that CineStill banks on this.

Thanks. If it's anything like 99% then I must admit I'd be tempted to try Cinestill's replenishment regime to see what I get, especially if the cost difference and difficulties in obtaining some of the ingredients are what they seem to be for Fatih but I am not he, of course

pentaxuser

 

[koraks]

the cost difference

A single roll of 35mm Kodak Ektar at this moment costs €18. Take this in no way as a suggestion that there's something wrong with Cinestill/PhotoSys' product if used properly, but I'd ask myself how much there's to be gained to save e.g. €0.20 per roll on chemistry given the cost of the film, not to mention the effort going into making the images on it.

 

[Fatih Ayoglu]

The issue is, over the last 2-3 years, the import chemical prices have been increased quite a lot, I’ve bought my Fuji Hunt Xpress kit for £65 now it is double of that.

 

[Fatih Ayoglu]

A single roll of 35mm Kodak Ektar at this moment costs €18. Take this in no way as a suggestion that there's something wrong with Cinestill/PhotoSys' product if used properly, but I'd ask myself how much there's to be gained to save e.g. €0.20 per roll on chemistry given the cost of the film, not to mention the effort going into making the images on it.

Fully agree. Still the cost of chemicals are considerably small compare to films. I was hoping to get a small and useful kit. So it seems Fuji Hunt Xpress kit is a better option if I don’t go down to Minilab chemicals. At least a Fuji publish timings correctly.

 

[mshchem]

Just now I poured out some 4 year old Fuji N1 C-41 developer replenisher concentrate that I just never used. I bought it during the pandemic, Unique Photo was offering free shipping, end of the world pricing. I used a lot of it mostly developing friends film.

If you are an amateur, not doing super critical work get the hobby kits and don't worry .

 

[Fatih Ayoglu]

Just now I poured out some 4 year old Fuji N1 C-41 developer replenisher concentrate that I just never used. I bought it during the pandemic, Unique Photo was offering free shipping, end of the world pricing. I used a lot of it mostly developing friends film.

If you are an amateur, not doing super critical work get the hobby kits and don't worry .

@koraks
@mshchem

You both use Fuji Minilab chemistry as one shot, bleach replenished and fixed one shot as well?

There are 2 versions of Fuji fixer a replenished one and a standard one I believe (Super Unilever vs Nagacolor RA Fixer) so not quite sure which one is the right one.

Bleach is easy, I just need to choose correct volume. It is under EnviroNeg brand anyways. I believe developer is also under EnviroNeg.

 

[koraks]

You both use Fuji Minilab chemistry as one shot, bleach replenished and fixed one shot as well?

For me: developer one shot, bleach replenished, fixer one shot.
C41 fixer is all pretty much alike; get whichever is cheapest.

 

[mshchem]

For me: developer one shot, bleach replenished, fixer one shot.
C41 fixer is all pretty much alike; get whichever is cheapest.

This is my procedure too. I'm switching back to the Flexicolor developer replenisher and starter

I use the Kodak C-41 RA bleach, it lasts forever. Fixer is Fixer.

 

[Fatih Ayoglu]

For me: developer one shot, bleach replenished, fixer one shot.
C41 fixer is all pretty much alike; get whichever is cheapest.

This is my procedure too. I'm switching back to the Flexicolor developer replenisher and starter

I use the Kodak C-41 RA bleach, it lasts forever. Fixer is Fixer.

Thank you both, much appreciated.

Fixer is fixer, does that mean I can use BW fixer for C41 films?

 

[koraks]

Fixer is fixer, does that mean I can use BW fixer for C41 films?

In practice, yes. Most B&W fixers are acidic and C41 fixers are almost pH neutral; ideally you should adjust the pH of a B&W fixer up to ca. 6.5 or so for C41. But in practice, modern C41 films will come out OK even if you use an acidic B&W fixer provided you wash the film after fixing (which you should do anyway).
The issue with acidic fixers and C41 is that in the old days, the color dyes could get stuck in a colorless ('leuco') state at low pH. In practice with modern films this is reversible; try dipping a developed C41 negative in a cup of water with some vinegar or citric acid in it. You'll see the colors fade and the image go sort of white. Then when you wash the negative with tap water, the colors go back to normal. Apparently with very old films (pre 1990s?) this would not always happen.

 

[Fatih Ayoglu]

In practice, yes. Most B&W fixers are acidic and C41 fixers are almost pH neutral; ideally you should adjust the pH of a B&W fixer up to ca. 6.5 or so for C41. But in practice, modern C41 films will come out OK even if you use an acidic B&W fixer provided you wash the film after fixing (which you should do anyway).
The issue with acidic fixers and C41 is that in the old days, the color dyes could get stuck in a colorless ('leuco') state at low pH. In practice with modern films this is reversible; try dipping a developed C41 negative in a cup of water with some vinegar or citric acid in it. You'll see the colors fade and the image go sort of white. Then when you wash the negative with tap water, the colors go back to normal. Apparently with very old films (pre 1990s?) this would not always happen.

Thanks @koraks, it looks like C41 fixer is relatively cheap, so I wont risk it, 40litre of fixer is £100, that is a lot of fixer

 

[khh]

Thanks @koraks, it looks like C41 fixer is relatively cheap, so I wont risk it, 40litre of fixer is £100, that is a lot of fixer

You can use C41 fixer for B&W as well. It's probably the cheapest rapid fixer you can buy.

 

[mshchem]

Thank you both, much appreciated.

Fixer is fixer, does that mean I can use BW fixer for C41 films?

I am using a Fuji fixer that I bought here in the US from Unique Photo, called Fuji Universal fixer. Works with both C-41 and E-6. Dilution is 1+4 for negatives, 1+9 for E-6. I use it at 1+4 for black and white negatives too. I have substituted Kodak rapid fixer (without the hardener!) years ago when I was in a pinch, I don't do it regularly.

The Fuji universal came to me in a 5 gallon cubitainer, I decanted it into full 1 gallon glass bottles, it keeps very well and it was cheap!

 

[blee1996]

In practice, yes. Most B&W fixers are acidic and C41 fixers are almost pH neutral; ideally you should adjust the pH of a B&W fixer up to ca. 6.5 or so for C41. But in practice, modern C41 films will come out OK even if you use an acidic B&W fixer provided you wash the film after fixing (which you should do anyway).
The issue with acidic fixers and C41 is that in the old days, the color dyes could get stuck in a colorless ('leuco') state at low pH. In practice with modern films this is reversible; try dipping a developed C41 negative in a cup of water with some vinegar or citric acid in it. You'll see the colors fade and the image go sort of white. Then when you wash the negative with tap water, the colors go back to normal. Apparently with very old films (pre 1990s?) this would not always happen.

This is interesting info. I have been using B&W fixer (Ilford Rapid Fixer, 1+4) for all my film (B&W, C41, E6, ECN-2). One reason is convenience. The other reason is saving time: Ilford Rapid Fixer can fix within 3-5 minutes, while the color fixers are often 6-8 minutes. I do wash film thoroughly after fixing, so hopefully there is no adverse effect on the color film by using Ilford Rapid Fixer,

 

[khh]

This is interesting info. I have been using B&W fixer (Ilford Rapid Fixer, 1+4) for all my film (B&W, C41, E6, ECN-2). One reason is convenience. The other reason is saving time: Ilford Rapid Fixer can fix within 3-5 minutes, while the color fixers are often 6-8 minutes. I do wash film thoroughly after fixing, so hopefully there is no adverse effect on the color film by using Ilford Rapid Fixer,

Does Ilford Rapid Fixer actually clear the film quicker in tests, or are you just going by the manufacturers recommended time? Since color film generally contains more silver than B&W, and since all the silver has to be fixed out of the color film, I wouldn't be surprised if the difference in recomended time is just due to the difference in the amount of undeveloped silver the fixer is expected to deal with.

 

[foc]

Ok, for the best possible results (which I will develop for friends and possibly for some other people as well), the best option is to go to Fuji Minilab chemicals as one-shot, so I have this list;
Am I in the right landscape?

• NEG N1-S Developer Starter https://www.processuk.net/product/fuji-c41-developer-starter

• EnviroNeg Developer Replenisher LR AC 2 x 10-ltrs https://www.processuk.net/product/environeg-developer-replenisher-lr-ac-2-x-10-ltrs​

• EnviroNeg RA Bleach Replenisher AC 2 x 5-ltrs https://www.processuk.net/product/environeg-ra-bleach-replenisher-ac-2-x-5-ltrs​

• Negacolor RA Fixer & Replenisher 4x10-litre https://www.processuk.net/product/negacolor-ra-fixer---replenisher-4x10-litre​

• Stabilizer 100-litre https://www.processuk.net/Stabilizer__100-litre/p740597_3426918.aspx​

Am I in the right landscape?

You could swop the stabilizer for the Fuji FSC 100 tablets, (final rinse)

• https://www.bristolcameras.co.uk/product/fujifilm-fsc-100-super-conditioner-tablets-100/

You can make 5L of rinse from one tablet, store the 5L and use as needed.