Ready for C-41

RattyMouse · Sep 13, 2016

Time for me to try home developed C41! To get started, I need a recommendation on which set of chemicals are best to use. I see from Freestyle that there are the following:

Arista
Rollei
Unicolor
Tetanal

I am unsure how to choose one, aside from price/roll of film. Can readers here please give some advice?

Rollei looks to be all liquid chemicals, which is highly preferable to me. Also, they make a claim for stability.

That's a big concern for me. How long are the chemicals good once mixed? Do I need to process the whole batch soon? Normally I keep b & w developers for 1-2 months. I am not sure color chemicals are that stable.

Thank you for your advice!

Helinophoto · Sep 13, 2016

I've found that the 2.5L Tetenal kit has been pretty good-behaving as stock (undiluted), provided that I put some protectan-spray into the bottles (I mix 1 liter at a time).

The diluted stuff is more of a mixed bag really. Maybe 2 months if you store if properly, but in my experience, that is streaching it, even though there is a thread on flickr with a guy claiming to have been using the stuff for ages and with many more films than intended:
Here, the Tetenal-kit, as well as other kits are discussed.
https://www.flickr.com/groups/diy_color/discuss/72157640376426995/

I've only used the tetenal-kit and it has served me very well, very easy to mix. You deal with 3 liquids; dev - blix and stab, some prefer to have bleach and fix separate, but that isn't possible (afaik) with the Tetenal-kit.

Arctic amateur · Sep 13, 2016

It doesn't spontaneously die when you hit the limit, but colours and contrast will probably be increasingly off. Here are some test images from FPP: https://www.flickr.com/search?user_id=14617204@N06&sort=relevance&text=c41 developing test 35mm

Rudeofus · Sep 13, 2016

My recommendation would be:

a liquid kit with separate bleach and fixer
if that's not feasible, then a liquid BLIX kit
if neither of the above are feasible, only then a powder kit

mklw1954 · Sep 13, 2016

I use the Unicolor powder kits and get great results. They say 8 rolls can be developed per 1-liter kit, but indicate more can be developed and I've gotten up to 18 rolls without adding to the development times.

However, I've developed all rolls within 3-4 days, a week at the most, and Unicolor's instructions reference using the mixed chemicals quickly to extend capacity. Obviously, you have to save your films to do this and storing exposed film in the refrigerator, some for almost a year, has not been detrimental to results.

Other things I do are: use 1-liter plain seltzer water bottles for the chemicals, squeeze to remove air from the headspace when closing, and keep in a dark place even though I'm using the chemicals only a few days (PET plastic is a good oxygen barrier); filter the chemicals between runs with coffee filters; add 1/2 teaspoon of PhotoFlo concentrate to the 1-liter of stabilizer, and repeat every 8 rolls, which prevents water drying marks on the film; and wear nitrile gloves and lab goggles for basic safety.

I hope this can help you decide if this kit is for you.

Sirius Glass · Sep 13, 2016

I have only used Unicolor and it has always worked for me. I process all my film in one or two days most of the time. Once or twice I have gone to three or four days. I usually develop 12 to 16 rolls of film in a one liter batch.

canvassy · Sep 13, 2016

I also use the unicolor kits. The unicolor / tetenal / jobo kits are all the same thing from the same manufacturer.

I've found the kits last a long time and develop more rolls than the instructions state you can. My last 2L kit did over 30 rolls of film and I kept the kit for almost a whole year. I find that I get 16-20 rolls of film from a 1L kit and 32-40 rolls out of a 2L kit.

EdSawyer · Sep 13, 2016

There's a sticky either here or on LFPF, about the C41. Stick to Kodak chemicals if you can - the best quality, best pricing (considering volume) and really all around best choice. I use the normal C-41 process (not the -RA or -LORR versions) but there are a few different options.

Ko.Fe. · Sep 13, 2016

I've had 1L Tetenal powder mixed and in periodical use for two years. Stored in the little (not very cold) refrigerator and in 1L bottles air tight. At the end I discarded it because it was getting ridiculous. Two years, 20+ films and still works.

Terry Christian · Sep 13, 2016

Developer is the chemical that lasts least. Bleach, blix, fix, and stabilizer/final rinse last indefinitely. In my experience, developer stored in a plain plastic Datatainer bottle lasts about six weeks. However, when stored in glass or Nalgene, I've had it last months on end.

destroya · Sep 13, 2016

if you are going to shoot lots of C-41, then look into the kodak flexicolor chems. if you are going to do it, do it right. based on my experiences, it is far superior to the rollei and unicolor kits.

mshchem · Sep 14, 2016

destroya said:
if you are going to shoot lots of C-41, then look into the kodak flexicolor chems. if you are going to do it, do it right. based on my experiences, it is far superior to the rollei and unicolor kits.

Second this recommendation.

RattyMouse · Sep 14, 2016

destroya said:
if you are going to shoot lots of C-41, then look into the kodak flexicolor chems. if you are going to do it, do it right. based on my experiences, it is far superior to the rollei and unicolor kits.

Freestyle doesnt carry Kodak chemicals.

bvy · Sep 14, 2016

mshchem said:
Second this recommendation.

Third.

Unique Photo stocks all the chemicals. This isn't a kit, but it's far more economical, and the developer is cheap enough to use one shot. I've never been comfortable pushing a dozen rolls through the same liter of developer. I've shared the chemicals needed before with links and prices.

A proper kit might be a good choice, though, to get started and see if this is for you.

darkroommike · Sep 14, 2016

I like the powder kits from Tetenal (sold as Unicolor in the USA) since I'm only an occasional user of C-41. If I were doing a lot of C-41 I'd roll my own bleach, fix, and stabilizer and buy only the developer.

RattyMouse · Sep 14, 2016

bvy said:
Third.
I've never been comfortable pushing a dozen rolls through the same liter of developer. I've shared the chemicals needed before with links and prices.

Why? There are literally hundreds of accounts of people re-using color developer. There simply isnt an issue with this since that is how it is done by the vast majority of people.

bvy · Sep 14, 2016

RattyMouse said:
Why? There are literally hundreds of accounts of people re-using color developer. There simply isnt an issue with this since that is how it is done by the vast majority of people.

There simply isn't an issue until there's an issue. I like to eliminate risks where I can, and the developer is cheap enough that I can do this. Even so, I actually use it twice. Then I dump it.

mshchem · Sep 14, 2016

bvy said:
Third.

Unique Photo stocks all the chemicals. This isn't a kit, but it's far more economical, and the developer is cheap enough to use one shot. I've never been comfortable pushing a dozen rolls through the same liter of developer. I've shared the chemicals needed before with links and prices.

A proper kit might be a good choice, though, to get started and see if this is for you.

I also get my Kodak Chemistry from Unique. You can buy single bottles (Not case quantities) there is a lot of info on this on the forum. If you want to use the powder fine. But these kits are "Press Kits" which I always imagined was for a Journalist to mix up in a Motel bath room. I haven't much confidence in this approach. I bought the Developer and Bleach Starters and enough chemistry to easily develop 75 rolls of film for right around 100 bucks. The concentrates keep well. etc. Get the RA C-41 Bleach it will last forever.
Best Regards, Mike

RattyMouse · Sep 15, 2016

I decided to try the Rollei chemicals, but sadly, they are out of stock for the next 6 weeks at the very least!

EdSawyer · Sep 15, 2016

All the bleach types last forever, it seems. I too only use developer one-shot. It's cheap enough and important enough that to me it's a no-brainer to not risk re-using that. a 20L kit of that is about $24, and will develop 192 rolls of 35m, 120, or sheets of 4x5, when used one-shot in my phototherm.

Rudeofus · Sep 15, 2016

With US$ 24 for a Kodak 20l kit one shot use sounds feasible, but with €30-40 for Tetenal's 1l kits it does not.

farmersteve · Sep 15, 2016

Read this about extending your C-41 developer waaaaay beyond the limits described on the box. http://120studio.com/film-dev/c41-capacity.htm

RPC · Sep 15, 2016

I would be careful with extending use of the developer. It sounds good, but I have seen no sensitometric tests telling us just what it is actually doing to the negatives. It is akin to those saying they develop at low temperatures and get good results, but show no valid test results.

mshchem · Sep 15, 2016

EdSawyer said:
All the bleach types last forever, it seems. I too only use developer one-shot. It's cheap enough and important enough that to me it's a no-brainer to not risk re-using that. a 20L kit of that is about $24, and will develop 192 rolls of 35m, 120, or sheets of 4x5, when used one-shot in my phototherm.

Phototherms are awesome little machines.

mshchem · Sep 15, 2016

RPC said:
I would be careful with extending use of the developer. It sounds good, but I have seen no sensitometric tests telling us just what it is actually doing to the negatives. It is akin to those saying they develop at low temperatures and get good results, but show no valid test results.

SECOND! The developer is the cheapest part. The bleach is expensive but will last forever. Fixer is cheap
Best Regards Mike

Ready for C-41

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