Tetenal developer with Fuji bleach/fix

unibonded · Apr 3, 2009

Having read all the anti blix comments on the forum, and being stuck with 2 1lt Tetenal kits and a 5lt kit with no blix (I bought it on ebay and didn't realise the blix was missing), I was wondering if it's feasible, and wise, to use the Tenenal developer with the bleach and fix from a Fuji C-41 Film X-Press kit. As I understand it, I can re-use the bleach and fix so I could use the Tetenal developer for it's second use.

I'd be using it in a Jobo 3010 expert drum and a CPP-2 processor.

Any advice would be great

Photo Engineer · Apr 3, 2009

Uni;

Since a bleach then fix goes to completion, there is usually no problem mixing and matching the developer from one company and the tail end sequence from another company. There are, AFAIK, no problems whatsoever as the chemicals are compatible.

PE

srs5694 · Apr 3, 2009

I'll second PE's comment with my own personal experience: I use mix-it-yourself formulas for developer with commercial bleaches and fixers. So far I've used Kodak and Silver Pixel bleaches and Kodak fixers. I've never run into a problem that I suspected was related to such cross-brand (and un-brand) usage.

unibonded · Apr 3, 2009

That's good news thanks, I'll give it a go.

Given that I develop 10 sheets of 4x5 at a time, how many uses do you think I could get out of the bleach and fix, just a couple?

srs5694 · Apr 3, 2009

One of the Kodak publications (I don't recall which one, offhand) says that C-41 bleach and fixer have twice the capacity of C-41 developer. Personally, I use 250ml of developer per 35mm roll of film single-shot, so I re-use 275ml of fixer once (two uses in total), the extra 25ml being insurance against leakage. I use a replenishment system for my bleach, though; I dump 70ml and add 70ml of fresh solution for each roll. (This is also as per Kodak's documents, although I believe they say 69ml.) This all would vary depending on the film area, of course, so you should compute based on your film area and the solution volume you'll use in your processing system.

nickandre · Apr 3, 2009

I'd be careful. Make sure you give it lots of time.

PE-Would a fresh blix give the same results as a kodak Bleach and Fix? I have been getting the impression that the blix produces worse results from the get go.

Photo Engineer · Apr 3, 2009

Blixes for film, as I have said, are less effective than blixes for papers.

This is why Kodak and Fuji don't sell them!

Fresh solutions are always better than used solutions, but blixes are more dilute (generally) than bleach then fix situations.

PE

Athiril · Apr 4, 2009

FWIW - Tetenal's blix comes in 2 liquid concentrates... bleach and fix on their own (and may be used on their own) tetenal just tells you to mix them together for a blix so it appeal to people as simple 3-bath kit.

unibonded · Apr 6, 2009

Athiril said:
FWIW - Tetenal's blix comes in 2 liquid concentrates... bleach and fix on their own (and may be used on their own) tetenal just tells you to mix them together for a blix so it appeal to people as simple 3-bath kit.

So does that mean that the Tetenal isn't a true Blix? Would you end up with better results if they were used separately (although that would mean half the solution) or would that make no difference?

Athiril · Apr 6, 2009

Not sure if there's a much of a difference, but im sure the bleach will last long unmixed with fix.

Photo Engineer · Apr 6, 2009

Blixes always should be shipped as 2 parts to preserve freshness and activity.

PE

rootberry · Apr 6, 2009

I just ordered a tetnal 5l kit. All this discussion of to blix or not to blix is driving me crazy. So, I'm going to get some kodak bleach and fix, then process two runs of identical negs- one using tetnal blix, the other with the kodak chems. If there is a noticeable difference one way or the other, then I'll know what direction to go in.

These threads go back years and years, but I can't find any examples of people doing this basic test. Have any of you seen comparisons between these two processing methods?

Photo Engineer · Apr 6, 2009

I have. I did years of tests at Kodak while we were designing the original C-41 and E6 processes and the results determined that the use of a bleach - then fix was the better approach.

PE

unibonded · Apr 6, 2009

It will be interesting to see your results rootberry, I'd be surprised if the difference is anything other than slight. I'd be interesting to see if there's any difference in grain.

Photo Engineer · Apr 6, 2009

Results varied with film type based on speed and thickness of emulsion. For example, a 400 speed film blixed more slowly than a 100 speed film. Results with different water supplies may vary and the results from different levels of wash may vary.

Look at sharpness, grain and color contamination or desaturation.

I would be most happy to be proven wrong, but after having solved the problem of compounding a "good" blix recently, it would give me mixed feelings about doing all of that work for nothing.

PE

danzyc · Apr 9, 2009

i have made a small test....i have printed one 6x6 negative on 20x25 paper developed with tetenal blix and 35 mm roll with the same kit..

the 6x6 seems to be very good.......but the 35 mm not have the same color and sharpness ...i also have compared it with a 35 mm roll developed at laboratory...and the prints on 20x25 are stunning....i think that for 35 mm due to the high magnification the difference is noticeable...

i use for the test great camera as rolleiflex 75 planar and leica....and i have printed myself all photo on supra endura paper 20x25...

Tetenal developer with Fuji bleach/fix

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