Please help for processing E-6 on JOBO ATL w/ kodak single use chemistry...

[adonvll]

I'm new to the forum. I've never processed/developed any films before so please forgive my ignorance.

I'm bought a Jobo ATL-1 processor so I could do my own E-6 processing (I shoot slides on Medium format). I bought a single use chemistry kit from kodak and started some processing. I've ruined my first batch. The films are dark and doesn't appear to be developed correctly. I'm using the 2553 drum with the capacity for 6 120 films.

Maybe it's the way I mixed the chemicals: I used 500ml for processing 6 120 films, I mixed 300ml for each solution + 100ml for 1st developer, + 12.5ml for reversal, + 71.3ml Part A color then 23.5ml for Part B, + 35ml prebleach, + 155ml bleach, + 35ml fixer. Are each solution supposed to equal 500ml?!? Is 500ml enough for processing 6 120 Films? How accurate do you have to be with the chemical solutions? -- My graduated cylinders doesn't have .5ml increments..

 

[L Gebhardt]

Acording to the Kodak publication you should use 250ml for each square foot of film. Thus each roll of film (aprox. 80 sq inches) needs about 140ml. Your 6 rolls should have had 833ml of solution. This is most likely your problem, though I haven't yet used the Kodak kit. I have used the Tetenal Kits in a Jobo and have had very good results, so if your times and temps were correct, it is most likely your solution volume.

 

[L Gebhardt]

Also, I believe the Jobo tube needs more than 500ml for 6 120 rolls, though I don't remember off the top of my head - maybe 630ml. This will apply if you load two rolls on any of the rolls - say you only wanted to do 4 rolls.

In your case I would just add the 350 and the 500 volumes to make 850ml and do 6 rolls at a time.

 

[adonvll]

Thanks for the reply. Can mix 1000ml of chemicals and use this on the jobo tanks but then specify 850ml in the Jobo processor?

 

[L Gebhardt]

You could do this, but then you would be wasting 150ml of chemicals. Why not just mixup 850ml in one batch?