New Kodak-branded C-41 chemistry

[Steven Lee]

This looks pretty great:

KODAK PROFESSIONAL

KODAK PROFESSIONAL Photographic Chemistry and Imaging Solutions

kodak.photosys.com

 

[halfaman]

And a bit confusing. "Chemistry can be used one-shot or replenished with the appropriate KODAK Color Negative replenisher solutions (sold separately)."

To have a separate working and replenisher solutions makes no sense to me for home processing with the announced volumes. Who is going to use and replenish separately 2.5 liters of working solution? Perhaps one liter with inversion tanks. Let's see what the instructions say...

Nevertheless, 5 liter kit price looks good enough for current times and I see it is scheduled also the comeback of the professional C41 line.

 

[MattKing]

The kit may essentially be the replenisher with the appropriate starter already added.
So if you want to use it one shot - go ahead. If you want to use it to start a replenishment line, it works for that as well.

 

[Rudeofus]

To have a separate working and replenisher solutions makes no sense to me for home processing with the announced volumes. Who is going to use and replenish separately 2.5 liters of working solution? Perhaps one liter with inversion tanks. Let's see what the instructions say...

I believe, that there are several labs now out there who develop film rolls with a Jobo type rotary processor, and these labs would likely benefit from a low quantity but replenishable set of chems ...

 

[Steven Lee]

@halfaman I am not following. Why are you linking the volume with replenishing? I mean sure, replenishing makes more sense for large volume users, but it is helpful for smaller volumes too. I used to be a happy Flexicolor user for years, and when I had more than 8 rolls to process, for example having come back from a vacation, I used replenishing to save on chemistry:

1. Load the first 4 rolls into a tank and run them
2. Replenish with replenisher
3. Run the next 4 rolls
4. Replenish
5. Another 4 rolls

... and so on. Works great and super economical. It didn't matter how much replenisher I had. In fact, buying in smaller batches of 2.5L ensures freshness.

 

[halfaman]

@halfamanWorks great and super economical. It didn't matter how much replenisher I had. In fact, buying in smaller batches of 2.5L ensures freshness.

Perhaps my mistake is thinking like a lab that it is continously replenishing the same working solution. And all replenishers are prepared with the same concentrates used for the working solutions but with different dilution (and without staters).

With this kind of replenishing you need to pay twice, for the working solution and for the replenisher. In my mind that doesn't sound economical, but I may be driving to conclusions too soon.

I believe, that there are several labs now out there who develop film rolls with a Jobo type rotary processor, and these labs would likely benefit from a low quantity but replenishable set of chems ...

Rotary processing only makes sense for low volume, I saw several times a Jobo ATL for B/W processing in labs for example. It can't compete with minilabs or dip&dunk processors when business get serious, neither in cost or productivity.

 

[Scott J.]

It's great to see they're bringing back the individual Flexicolor chemicals, including the LORR developer replenisher and the Rapid Access (RA) versions of the bleach and fixer (https://kodak.photosys.com/collections/kodak-co). Based on what I was purchasing from Unique Photo over the last five or so years, some prices are higher (e.g., LORR developer) while others are, on a per-unit basis, a bit lower (e.g., Bleach III and RA fixer).

I'll be curious to see how Cinestill does with shipping charges. Unique Photo was notorious for charging really high and weirdly unpredictable prices for certain chemicals (especially bleach), such that it could pay off to experiment with adding or deleting certain items from your cart to find out which combination of chemicals resulted in the lowest shipping charges. In my experience, Cinestill's shipping charges for chemicals have been very straightforward and fairly reasonable.

I also appreciate that the packaging has been updated to precisely describe what's actually contained in the packages. Previously, the lack of proper package labelling had been the source of a lot of confusion for people buying Flexicolor chemicals for the first time.

 

[Steven Lee]

With this kind of replenishing you need to pay twice, for the working solution and for the replenisher. In my mind that doesn't sound economical, but I may be driving to conclusions too soon.

Ah, I see. I was assuming that this kit works similarly to how Flexicolor was sold. You get a replenisher and a starter. You start by making the working solution by mixing them, and then just keep adding the replenisher.

 

[MattKing]

Ah, I see. I was assuming that this kit works similarly to how Flexicolor was sold. You get a replenisher and a starter. You start by making the working solution by mixing them, and then just keep adding the replenisher.

As I read it, that is exactly how this kit works.
If one shot makes sense for you, you use up a kit and then buy another.
If a replenishment regime works for you, the kit gives you a working solution whose life can go on forever by keeping it working through purchasing and using replenisher.
The first option has the advantage of requiring less storage space.

 

[cmacd123]

If one shot makes sense for you, you use up a kit and then buy another.
If a replenishment regime works for you, the kit gives you a working solution whose life can go on forever by keeping it working through purchasing and using replenisher.

also the Kit makes 2.5 litres of all solutions. (or 5 liters if you buy the bigger kit) the replenisher sells to make 40 or 50 liters depending on the Low USE or the Regular developer (plus you also need the Bleach and fix.) plus the dev and Bleach starters.

 

[Richard Man]

This is great news. I have been using Flexicolor for years, and during the stretch when it wasn't available, I tried "other brands" and not impressed. For a brief moment in time last, Unique had (I have been asking them to send me updates when available) some 5L in stock and I bought 7x. Will need ones soon.

 

[Rudeofus]

Rotary processing only makes sense for low volume, I saw several times a Jobo ATL for B/W processing in labs for example. It can't compete with minilabs or dip&dunk processors when business get serious, neither in cost or productivity.

Of course it's not competitive with minilabs, if you get 100+ rolls/week. Cut that down to 10-20 rolls/week, and it becomes the only viable option.