Red/magenta and yellow casts when developing E-6

[sage]

I was given some of old velvia 50 thats been most of has been sitting in the freezer except the one I used recently, I developed it today using the 6-step process, and when finished the blacks have a reddish or magenta cast to them, and the whites and highlights all have a yellow cast to it. While the developing chemistry is a a year or two old its never been used prior, and was mixed fresh beforehand and all brought to temperature. I was just wondering if anyone has any ideas on how to fix the cast for next time, or if its just a bad roll of film or from using old chemistry.

 

[PHOTOTONE]

If the blacks are not truly black, then it could be either the film, or the developer, probably the color developer. If you are "tight" you "could" extend the time in the color developer by a minute or more. Won't hurt. The color developer basically goes to completion. It is possible it is weak enough to not "go to completion" in the alloted time. A yellow cast "could" be a defective pre-bleach. I have had this happen before to me. I am referring in all cases to Kodak brand E-6 chemicals. I have no experience with any other for the last 30 years.

 

[sage]

Yeah the chemicals were from kodak, I guess next time I'll try extending the times a bit and see what happens, otherwise I'll go fetch some new chemistry. Thanks for the help.

 

[Rob Landry]

The only thing I've noticed with old Velvia is a very slight magenta cast (usually only noticeable in the highlights) and a slight loss of contrast (not a bad thing IMO). What you're describing sounds like a chemistry problem, possibly a mixing / contamination one. What was your mixing procedure like? Did you mix the entire kit at once? How careful were you with your mixing graduates and utensils?

 

[sage]

I mixed just what was needed, the 350mL mixing instructions, cleaning everything after each thing I mixed, some parts may not have been diluted absolutely correct but I did the best with the lines as I could. If I have time I'll try giving it another go this week or next week.

 

[PHOTOTONE]

E-6 requires relatively vigorous agitation, if doing by hand in a tank. If doing on a roller type of processor, such as a Jobo, then the agitation is taken care of. You may be exceeding the capacity of 350ml of solution for the volume of film you are developing. If doing by manual inversion agitation in a roll-film, or combi-plan sheet film tank, then you need to agitate by inversion every 15 seconds. (This works best for me).

 

[sage]

I used a jobo and just filled it up to 260 or so, and just dumping what was extra, only way I could get all the chemicals up to temperature, though I didn't have it on the highest speed or anything, I'll try turning it up as well, thanks for the info.