Reusing and storing C41 chemicals

miha · Apr 23, 2015

I was thinking if there is any benefit in storing 1L Tetenal colortec kit (3 x 1L actually) in smaller bottles. I normally develop four 4x5 sheets in one run. This equals one 35mm film. Tetenal says their one litre kit is good for at least 12 films (=12 runs of 4 LF sheets). I was thinking of dividing 1 litre into 4 250 ml bottles, so each small bottle can do 3 runs of 4 LF sheets (=3 35mm films). So after 12 sheets fresh chemicals would be used for the next 12 sheets and so on. Would doing so improve anything re quality/consistency.

bvy · Apr 23, 2015

I think it's a good idea, especially in terms of consistency. If your results degrade or change over time, it's one less variable to contend with. Look at something like the 8 oz. glass bottles from Specialty Bottle with polyseal caps. Fill them to capacity and store them in a cool dark place. The developer should keep for months.
http://www.specialtybottle.com/amberbostonroundglassbottle8ozwstdcap.aspx

Sirius Glass · Apr 23, 2015

I collect the exposed film and do planned development of twelve equivalent rolls within two weeks, but I usually get it done in three days or less.

miha · Apr 24, 2015

Thanks. I have Schott Duran bottles available locally, they should be equally good.

sagai · Apr 24, 2015

Miha, that Tetenal last forever for c41. Keep in airtight the mixed chemicals and follow the time extension advised.
I solely stopped using my 1 Liter mix after 20+ canisters because of the volume loss over the time.
That's my specialty bottle [emoji2] :

miha · Apr 24, 2015

Good to know, thanks. Maybe I'm over-thinking this...

sagai · Apr 24, 2015

One thing that made me thinking of is that based on an Ilford manual I had a read of for b&w is to have two consecutive "half" development cycles with first a used (or the new ... do not remember precisely ... ) developer and afterwards with a new one and when time to move on, the second developer will serve the purpose of the first one.

Rudeofus · Apr 24, 2015

There is absolutely no need to mix the whole concentrate at once. You will get much longer storage life if you mix 250ml of each bath, then use them in the course of a few weeks, then mix the next batch. The amount of concentrate needed for 250ml can be deduced easily from the mixing instructions, and simple beakers can be used for measuring the liquids.

If you protect the remaining concentrates (especially CD-1, CD-2, CD-3 and BX-2) with inert gas, these concentrates will last for at least a year after opening.

miha · Apr 24, 2015

Well TT comes in 100 ml bottles (Part A, B,...) so a good measuring cylinder is needed if one want to split these in quarters accurately, not my point really as I use 1 litre in a couple of months.

bvy · Apr 24, 2015

There's no reason not to mix the entire working solution at once. It's much easier to store 250ml of solution filled to capacity in 250ml bottles, than it is smaller quantities of the component chemicals under inert gas. That's my experience anyway. Plus you know each batch was mixed exactly the same. I've used working solution up to a year after mixing it.

miha · Apr 24, 2015

I have also read that working solutions are particularly robust.

sagai · Apr 25, 2015

Bvy, that assumes no contamination from water that does not necessarily easy to ensure.
I like that idea too, but there is a risk.
Further, there is a 4 Liter packaging for Tetenal that beats economically any c41 developer. ... as long as you capable of measuring millilitres for the hyper concentrated stabilizer of the batch.

bvy · Apr 25, 2015

I only use distilled water to mix developer. In the US, it's about a dollar a gallon, but I realize this might not be an option for every one everywhere. I've never used the kit stabilizers. Kodak Final Rinse serves the same purpose, is very cheap, and much more effective. The one time I used stabilizer, I ended up with sticky spots on my film.

sagai · Apr 25, 2015

Is it really a year for diluted c41?

bvy · Apr 25, 2015

sagai said:
Is it really a year for diluted c41?

I can only report on my own experiences. The frame below was shot on Kodak Portra 400 (film expiration date: 3/2015).

Exposure date: Jan. 19, 2014
C-41 working solution developer mixed on Feb. 7, 2014
Film developed on Feb. 22, 2015

The developer I use is from Kodak. The working solution was stored in a 20 oz./600ml bottle (filled to capacity). This is not a negative scan but a scan from an optical print. Keep in mind it was shot in a Holga...

ETA: I'll add that it's always better to use fresh chemicals and to develop film quickly. But still, the materials are very forgiving if you plan accordingly and take some simple precautions...

sagai · Apr 26, 2015

Thanks!

Rudeofus · Apr 27, 2015

A quick note: Kodak C-41 kit uses separate bleach and fixer, unlike Tetenal's BLIX. There is a good chance that you get retained silver, if you store BLIX working solution for that long.

Reusing and storing C41 chemicals

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