Tetenal Fix - so cheap? What's up with that?

grain elevator

Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2020
Messages
1,296
Location
Germany
Format
Multi Format
Hello,
I'm wondering what the deal is with the Tetenal C41/E6 Fixer sold very cheaply in 10L canisters here: https://www.nordfoto.de/analoge-fot...etenal-c-41-fixierbad-regenerator-fx-10-liter
I can't find any data. It's so much cheaper than other Fixers (also those from Tetenal) that I have to wonder if it's less concentrated? But it does say there "for 80 liters"... Or was it just a well guarded secret and I have jinxed it now? Any experiences with the stuff? I'd use it for B&W btw, but posting on this forum because it's sold as colour fixer probably more people here have used it for that.
 
OP
OP

grain elevator

Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2020
Messages
1,296
Location
Germany
Format
Multi Format
Well, this one seems especially cheap. Any idea why? And have you used this specific product? And how long would you expect it to keep, opened, if I flood the canister with butane or some such?
 

pentaxuser

Member
Joined
May 9, 2005
Messages
20,024
Location
Daventry, No
Format
35mm
I am recalling this from memory and it may be hazy now after several years but I certainly thought that C41 fixer was OK for b&w and again hazy but I thought I saw several posts responding that they did use it for both C41 and b&w. However I also recall that it was a one way street in that b&w fixer was not really suitable or at least not ideal for C41

Koraks has already confirmed that my memories are correct and hopefully others will also do so. They might also comment if there are any difference n
its capacity between C41 and b&w

pentaxuser
 

koraks

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Nov 29, 2018
Messages
23,513
Location
Europe
Format
Multi Format
grain elevator said:
Well, this one seems especially cheap.
Click to expand...
Yeah, this one is cheap indeed, but eg Fuji RA fixer is usually fairly cheap as well. Larger volumes = lower costs, too.
No, haven't used the tetenal in particular, but I'm sure it'll work fine.
I'd decant it into full glass bottles. Should last at least a year that way and likely much longer than that. Once air gets to it, it will start sulfuring out at some point; for a half full bottle assume a useful lifetime of 9-12 months. YMMV.

And yes, C41 fixer can be used for b&w, also for collodion negatives and salted paper prints (1+20 dilution). I use it for these purposes, and for film I generally use it one shot at dilution 1+10 to 1+15 (yes, also for c41).
It doesn't last as long with reuse as acid fixer, which is why I prefer one shot use, even though it can be reused and/or replenished up to a certain point.

@pentaxuser indeed, you got it right. Acid b&w fixer should ideally not be used for color film since it can lock the cyan dye into leuco (colorless) state.
 

pentaxuser

Member
Joined
May 9, 2005
Messages
20,024
Location
Daventry, No
Format
35mm
Probably the cheapest and most efficient way is to use C41 film fixer. It can work for B&W film and also paper, just vary the dilution ratio. It's one of the cheapest fixers out there. PE posted dilutions for using it with other than C-41 film at one point. (The C41 dilution from the fixer concentrate is 1:4 with water, other uses like B&W film would be higher concentrations)

Here's the kind of post above I was referring to. Note that if the B&W dilution has to be higher then the C41 fix may not be quite as cheap as it appears

Still good value of course

pentaxuser
 

koraks

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Nov 29, 2018
Messages
23,513
Location
Europe
Format
Multi Format
pentaxuser said:
Note that if the B&W dilution has to be higher then the C41 fix may not be quite as cheap as it appears
Click to expand...
If that were the case, yes. But it isn't. I use C41 fixer pretty much like any other fixer, although I don't reuse it as long (these days...) as I would with acid fixer.

All considered fixer isn't really a big cost driver anyway and the differences are all pretty marginal.
 

pentaxuser

Member
Joined
May 9, 2005
Messages
20,024
Location
Daventry, No
Format
35mm
Yes Koraks you are right on C41 dilution matching B&W at 1+4 I was thinking of B&W paper fixing which is usually 1+9 but the OP mentions only C41.

As a matter of interest from your experience can C41 fixer be used for B&W paper and of so at what dilution? The post I found which I should have credited to the poster who was Ed Sawyer mentions that it can be used for B&W paper but at different dilutions but he does not specify what these are. Reading it again it might depend of the interpretation of "higher concentrations" which is the phrase Ed uses but as he mentions this in relation to B&W film then I am puzzled about why it has to be used at higher concentrations. I had always thought that B&W film was also 1+4 so exactly the same as C41.

Thanks

pentaxuser
 

koraks

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Nov 29, 2018
Messages
23,513
Location
Europe
Format
Multi Format
For paper I use it at either 1+4 or 1+9. I observed that a single 8x10 print requires a minimum of about 7ml of c41 fixer concentrate (this is fuji rapid access fixer).
 

halfaman

Subscriber
Joined
Sep 22, 2012
Messages
1,415
Location
Bilbao
Format
Multi Format
I don't understand why it says it is for 80 liters. Dilution for C-41 is 1+4 and for RA-4 1+5, so 10 liter of concentrate makes 50 liters of C-41 fixer or 60 liters of RA-4 fixer. And yes, it is really cheap, I suppose this is an old stock.

Shelf life of Tetenal fixer concentrates are not very good when opened, worse than other manufacturers, so keep it always airtight filling bottles of less volume.
 

Rudeofus

Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
5,081
Location
EU
Format
Medium Format
That Nordfoto offering seems to be far below normal prices, see here. Get it while you can ...
 

pentaxuser

Member
Joined
May 9, 2005
Messages
20,024
Location
Daventry, No
Format
35mm
Tom Kershaw said:
Tetenal prices can be odd though, Firstcall Photographic and Morco in the UK both offer Superfix Plus at a lower price for 5L than Fotoimpex.
Click to expand...
Tom, I do wonder if it is Tetenal's prices or the prices that retailers for reasons best known to themselves charge for Tetenal products that vary. This may have been what you meant of course. If so I agree

pentaxuser
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…