Kodak Flexicolor developer longevity once mixed

Tom Kershaw · May 14, 2014

Does anyone here have experience of how long mixed Kodak Flexicolor developer lasts? I have made up a 20L batch and have about 1/3rd left over after processing a batch of film, stored in full plastic containers.

The Kodak Z-131 pdf: http://wwwuk.kodak.com/global/plugins/acrobat/en/service/Zmanuals/z131_01.pdf suggests 6 weeks in glass bottles but I'm fairly certain I've read of C-41 developers lasting much longer than that in practice.

Tom

bvy · May 14, 2014

I can only speak from my own experience. I mix up the same developer and store it in 20 oz. Sobe bottles filled to capacity. I got good results up to the very last bottle, which I used six months after mixing.

Tom Kershaw · May 14, 2014

bvy said:
I can only speak from my own experience. I mix up the same developer and store it in 20 oz. Sobe bottles filled to capacity. I got good results up to the very last bottle, which I used six months after mixing.

Thanks for that observation. I don't really want to expose lots of colour negative film just to use up the developer within the next couple of weeks.

Tom

Gerald C Koch · May 14, 2014

Kodak's estimate is based on just how much change in density, color saturation, color fidelity, etc is acceptable after 6 weeks. A bit more stringent than "good results." Color film processors have long known that any color shift is acceptable to the average person provided it is toward a warm color.

It is better to save up several rolls of film to be processed shortly after mixing chemicals than to try to extend the chemical's useful life.

Tom Kershaw · May 14, 2014

Gerald C Koch said:
Kodak's estimate is based on just how much change in density, color saturation, color fidelity, etc is acceptable after 6 weeks. A bit more stringent than "good results." Color film processors have long known that any color shift is acceptable to the average person provided it is toward a warm color.

It is better to save up several rolls of film to be processed shortly after mixing chemicals than to try to extend the chemical's useful life.

Well yes, I have used the majority of the chemicals already, just slightly less than I had anticipated.

Tom

Kodak Flexicolor developer longevity once mixed

Tom Kershaw

bvy

Tom Kershaw

Gerald C Koch

Tom Kershaw

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