question on color film development

[Bobby L.]

last month i bought a roll of B&W but I had to take it in to get it develop, because i couldn't use my B&W chemicals to develop the roll because it called for C-41 processing.

what chemicals would i need to develop in case I buy B&W film that calls for C-41 processing. also a website or someplace that talks about developing color and the times for each chemical that is used.

 

[brian steinberger]

I'm not sure exactly what chemicals you would need. You can purchase C-41 kits on the internet. I personally would find it so much easier to take C-41 to a lab and have them process only. Then you can take the film and print at home.

If you're looking for more control with black and white and like to process the film yourself, I would stick with traditional black and white films. It just seems easier to me.

 

[Bobby L.]

looking at ways to save money, especially with B&W films that needs to be process with C-41, I figure it would be good to do my own developing with those B&W that need C-41 process, especially if it's like the middle of the month i have no money and have couple rolls of B&W require c-41 to develop, I can do it in my darkroom, that way once the film had dried I can make the proof sheet then print the pictures I want, like I do with B&W that don't need the C-41.

I figure i should learn in case I ever decide to buy what I need for my beseler C3II enlarger to print color, I would know how to develop color film.

 

[glbeas]

The problem with getting a c41 kit to keep around for the occasional roll, is it goes bad in a fairly short time after you mix it and use it. There are no liquid concentrate kits I know of that you can use a little out of and reseal and expect it to stay good without going to special pains to purge the oxygen out of the bottles. Color kits are designed with a certain volume of film in mind and using less usually winds up wasting the chemicals. I usually save my color till I get enough to do a liter mix the process them all that day.

 

[Bobby L.]

k i understand, about how many roll of film is good to do for a batch of chemicals. is there any place on the web that talks about developing using the c-41, because i looked on you tube and the only thing i see is on B&W.

 

[JBrunner]

As you've noticed, C-41 film isn't really black and white emulsion, and it doesn't respond to printing in the same way on black and white paper either. I have used it, and gotten decent results, but when I do use it, it is specifically because I don't want to process it, but would rather send it out. I don't do much of that these days. There is also much less flexibility in development using color process. If you are seriously interested in black and white as a medium, I would earnestly advise mastering regular black and white processing and printing over using a color process monochrome emulsion. Plus, nothing is cheaper.

If you are dead set on doing it, I'm sure more good advice will appear on this thread.

 

[nickandre]

First make sure that your film says Illford XP2 as that is the only chromogenic film with a clear base (no mask) that will print well on standard B+W papers (not graded and without filter garbage or panchromatic papers=not fun).

You should try the silver emulsion black and white. The only real advantage to the chromogenic C41 process film is to get it processed in a minilab for convenience. Since you are not, you'll lose the ONLY advantage. You'll have less control over development, it will take longer or you need to process at a higher temperature.

The only reason I would recommend continuing is if you plan to process color film in the future as well as this so you don't have to keep track of two different sets of chemistry. That being said:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/109267-REG/Tetenal_T109306_C_41_Press_Kit_for.html

That has instructions that come with it detailing different temperature time combinations that will work especially well with chromogenic films as well as instructions for push processing. That should get you started. Will keep for 2 weeks but you should plan on processing as many rolls at a time as you can, earlier the better. I assume you have reels, tanks, darkroom/bag, thermometer, and tempering bath, right? EDIT: That will process 8-12 rolls of film (or as much as you get done before the developer oxidizes.

You should get regular b+w. Look on B&H (the website above) for chemistry. You'll need the Developer, Stop, Fix, (and fix remover if you want it) which you might be able to find in kits.

 

[Bobby L.]

k thanxs for the info guys. I'll be careful about the film i pick up and don't pick the one for c41 processing. eventually down the road I'll mess around with color, but for now I'll stick to B&W. because of my budget I'm lucky to be able to pick up 1 or 2 25 packs of 8x10's or 25 or 100 pack of 5x7's right now.