Remaining Australian options for E6 slide processing (35mm and 120)

benderscameracorner · Jul 31, 2023

Hi all,

What options/places are there in Australia for getting slide/colour reversal film developed these days? I've amassed several expired rolls of 35mm and 120 along the way.

There doesn't appear to be any options in Tasmania... My local place here in Tassie can't even do C41 120 without having to sent it interstate. Unlike colour negative, I doubt I'm gonna shoot enough slide film to justify the expense and difficulty in developing it myself, I'd just like to shoot the old rolls of Velvia and Astia sitting in the fridge and see if I get decent results.

Cheers, Ben.

Romanko · Jul 31, 2023

Hi Ben,
There's a discussion here on remaining labs processing E-6:

Film, chemicals and camera repairs for Australia

I've been off the forum for quite a few years now and I have a question. Does anyone know of a photolab in Australia that will process 8x10 E6, specifically Fuji Provia 100?

www.photrio.com

35 mm and medium format slides should not be a problem as most good labs in Sydney process E-6.

Mondo1 · Jul 31, 2023

Hi Ben, just get an E6 Tetenal kit and do your own processing, it is very easy and much cheaper/faster than labs

Romanko · Jul 31, 2023

I am not sure if it is cheaper and definitely not easier. You will be paying around $90 for the 1L kit with 12 rolls capacity (plus shipping). Rewind Photo labs charges $12 per roll.

benderscameracorner · Aug 1, 2023

Thanks all. It appears Ikigai in Melbourne also do E6 for similar rates. They actually have a presence in Tasmania (dropoff/pickup deal with a cafe) which would be convenient, alas it's at the other end of the state to me. Oh well, Australia Post exists...

I'm about to get set up for C41 developing (sous vide bath etc.) so the technical and temp control side isn't so much of a consideration. And to be honest the cost of an E6 kit isn't much more than a C41 one, it's just more the shorter working lifespan of colour chemicals. With colour reversal film being seriously expensive these days, often hard to get hold of, E6 dev being allegedly easy to mess up and somewhat pointless over colour negative film within a hybrid digital workflow (at least in terms of my own use and needs) the high likelihood is I won't get through enough slide film to make it vaguely worthwhile, let alone cost effective.

Romanko · Aug 1, 2023

benderscameracorner said:
E6 dev being allegedly easy to mess up and somewhat pointless over colour negative film within a hybrid digital workflow

Some large format photographers shoot mostly slide film. The rest of their workflow is digital. Personally, I am never happy with the negative inversion process, there are too many variables out of my control.
I have a bad feeling that slide film is not here for long so I plan to shoot more while I can.

benderscameracorner said:
I'm about to get set up for C41 developing (sous vide bath etc.)

I did this a couple of years ago using the cheapest sous vide I could get online, two 40 L plastic storage containers from Bunnings one inside the other for better insulation, a cooling rack from Woolies on the bottom of the container to make a steady platform and improve circulation, and wide-throat amber glass bottles for chemistry (they were the hardest to source). The sous vide is clipped to the outside of a large jar filled with pebbles. When developing medium format films I usually load two roll in one reel to extend chemistry life. I develop four rolls at once in my 3-reel Paterson tank. I processed a few dozen rolls and am very happy with the setup.

mdarragh · Sep 16, 2023

benderscameracorner said:
Hi all,

What options/places are there in Australia for getting slide/colour reversal film developed these days? I've amassed several expired rolls of 35mm and 120 along the way.

There doesn't appear to be any options in Tasmania... My local place here in Tassie can't even do C41 120 without having to sent it interstate. Unlike colour negative, I doubt I'm gonna shoot enough slide film to justify the expense and difficulty in developing it myself, I'd just like to shoot the old rolls of Velvia and Astia sitting in the fridge and see if I get decent results.

Cheers, Ben.

Hello Ben,

You might consider contacting Ilona Schneider at Topspace Studio in Hobart.

TopSpace Studio

TopSpace Studio is an Art project space for independent photography and experimental film. It offers workshops, talks and seminars, screenings and other special events that concern image making.

www.topspacestudio.com

Their website doesn't mention processing at the moment but apparently it is in the pipeline.

I can also recommend Ikigai Flim Lab too.

And further to Romanko's comment, there are many reasons to work with colour transparency film rather than negative even if the film is scanned.

All the best

Stephen Frizza · Sep 16, 2023

https://rewindphotolab.com.au/services/processing/

Rewind Photo Lab in Sydney process E-6 film for $12 a roll in 35mm, 120, 220, 4x5 ,5x7 and 8x10 formats.
processing is done 6 days a week and is probably the cheapest option in the country due to the volume of processing done.

Wyno · Oct 3, 2023

Thanks for that info Stephen. I am just about to start shooting a box of 8x10 provia and the other option I was told about was Vision Labs in Sydney.

BurntOutElectronics · Oct 10, 2023

Film Never Die does it, but they get someone else to develop it. Also, they never give very well colour balanced scans of slide film back like they do with C41

Romanko · Oct 30, 2023

I had six rolls of Ektachrome 100 developed by Rewind Photo Lab. I am very happy with the results, their service and the turnaround time. I sent the film on Monday afternoon and had the processed slides back on Thursday. For me there is practically no cost savings in processing my own slides, even less so for C-41. Considering the situation with Tetenal and availability of photographic chemistry in general, I'll be using RPL more often.

Remaining Australian options for E6 slide processing (35mm and 120)

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