Color Darkroom Revisited
Dave Weiss
Ron Speirs et. al.:
Thanks for the info. (re. color proof sheets). Enough was
said that I am anxious to start ordering materials. Here
are a few questions before I pull out the charge card:
1. Of the Freestyle papers, is one better then the other?
I am tempted to order the "Japan's Finast" as it
the cheapest ($23 for 100 ea. 8x10)
2. Is the EP-2 processing any different compared to
conventional processing as far as results? Is one
capable of providing more color saturation then the
other?
3. How many prints do you typically obtain from a
2 liter kit?
4. How do you go from c41 to EP-2 chemicals?
5. If you have a typical b&w darkroom, what additional
equipemnt is necessary for developing color negatives?
Can this be done economicallly or is it better to
let a lab take care of the negatives.
Thanks for all of the help.
Dave
conventional processing as far as results? Is one much
more colorful than the other? Or is it just ease of use?
3.
RON SPEIRS
>
> Ron Speirs et. al.:
>
> Thanks for the info. (re. color proof sheets). Enough was
> said that I am anxious to start ordering materials. Here
> are a few questions before I pull out the charge card:
>
> 1. Of the Freestyle papers, is one better then the other?
> I am tempted to order the "Japan's Finast" as it
> the cheapest ($23 for 100 ea. 8x10)
It's hard to say. Just pick one or two and order some. Don't try to
use too many kinds of paper; it gets to be a hassle balancing the color
between different kinds.
> 2. Is the EP-2 processing any different compared to
> conventional processing as far as results? Is one
> capable of providing more color saturation then the
> other?
What do you mean by "conventional processing"? EP-2 WAS the conventional
process up until a few years ago. If you're asking for a comparison to
the newer RA-4, I can't comment because I haven't done RA-4. But judging
prints from commercial processors compared to my prints, I'd take my prints
any day; but this is probably due more to the lack of skill of the commercial
machine operator than to the paper process.
> 3. How many prints do you typically obtain from a
> 2 liter kit?
About 32 8x10 or 16 11x14 prints.
> 4. How do you go from c41 to EP-2 chemicals?
To convert your used C-41 developer to EP-2 developer:
Hot water (40-50C) 400 mL
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate ~0.1 g This is optional; it just
helps the Benzyl Alcohol to
dissolve easier.
Benzyl Alcohol 15 mL This stuff is oily. Stir well
and make sure it is completely
dissolved.
Sodium Carbonate Monoh. 7 g
Hydroxylamine Sulfate 2 g
Used C-41 Developer 500 mL I use it for 1 or 2 batches of
film (2-4 rolls)
Tinopal SFP ~0.5 g Again, this is optional. It is
an optical brightening agent
and helps for whiter whites.
Water to make 1 Litre
Other formulas which I have encountered for mixing EP-2 from scratch:
ZV BJP HAP DIG
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate 0.2 g Same comment as
above
Benzyl Alcohol 15 mL 15 mL
Benzyl Alcohol with
Diethylene Glycol 1:1 30 mL 26 mL The D.E.G. is
a cosolvent for
the Benzyl Alc.
Calgon
(Sodium Hexametaphosphate) 2.0 g 2.0 g Not needed with
deionized
water
Potassium Carbonate 32 g 36 g
Sodium Carbonate 25 g
Sodium Metaborate (8H2O) 70 g
Sodium Sulfite Anhy. 2 g 2 g 1 g 2.1 g
Antical #3 1 g
Potassium Bromide 0.6 g 0.4 g 0.5 g 0.5 g
Hydroxylamine Sulfate 3.g 3.4 g 3 g 2.2 g
CD-4 2 g 3 g 2.4 g | Either CD-4
CD-3 4 g 4.4 g 4.6 g | or CD-3, not
| both.
Tinopal SFP ~0.5 g Same comment
as above
Water to make 1 L 1 L 1 L 1 L
CD-3 is Kodak Color Developing Agent #3, 4-amino-N-ethyl-N-
(b-methane-sulphonamidoethyl)-m-toluidine sesquisulphate
monohydrate
CD-4 is Kodak Color Developing Agent #4, 4-[N-ethyl-N-2-hydroxyethyl]-
2-methylphenylene-diamine sulphate
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
As you can see, all of the formulas are very similar. When manufacturers
design formulas, they have to put additional stuff in them to function in the
unpredictable circumstances of the user, such as minerals in the water, pH
of the water, and to help them last longer (preservatives). When you are
mixing your own, you don't need to worry about a lot of those things. The
sources noted by the column headings are:
ZV: Zone V, So. Strafford VT (802)765-4508. They sell charts with all kinds
of formulas and chemicals to mix your own.
BJP: British Journal of Photography Annual (I forget the year)
HAP: A formula by W.N. Milhauser, first seen in Dale Neville's Superformance
Darkroom Bulletin, later published in Darkroom & Creative Camera
Techniques, Sep/Oct 1988.
SUB: A Substitute EP-2 by Patrick Dignan from 1979.
When I don't do the C-41 - EP-2 conversion, my favorite is the HAP formula.
The schedule:
Prewet 30 s
Prewet 30 s
Developer 2.5 min
Stop 30 s
Wash 30 s
Bleach/Fix 2.0 min
Wash 30 s
Wash 30 s
Wash 30 s
Wash 30 s
I use the chemicals one-shot in a simple drum, which holds 2 8x10's. The
chemicals are at 42C, and they drift down while in the drum. For the 2
8x10's (or 1 11x14) I use 4 oz. of the chemicals and 6 oz. on the prewets
and washes.
The formula for the Stop bath: Mix up some 28% acetic acid by mixing
6 oz of Glacial Acetic Acid into 16 oz water. Be careful of the Glacial
Acetic Acid, it's strong stuff! Always put acid INTO water, use adquate
ventilation. Mix the working solution with 100 mL of the 28% acid with
1 Litre of water.
Bleach: Most all commercial bleaches now are based on Ferric E.D.T.A.
(Ethylene Diamine Tetraacetic Acid Ferric salt). It is slower and not as
effective as the older bleach which I use. My bleach is a variation of
the Kodak SR-29 bleach:
Potassium Ferricyanide 10 g
Potassium Bromide 2.5 g
Water to make 500 mL
Fixer: I use Kodak Rapid Fixer concentrate (without the hardener) for
everything (color & B&W) except for C-41. (For C-41 I use Flexicolor
Bleach). Anyway the formula for EP-2 bleach:
Rapid Fixer Concentrate 100 mL
Water to make 500 mL
Notice that the bleach and fixer are specified to make 500 mL. Put half
the amount of each in the containers in the water bath, then pour them
together just prior to pouring into the drum. The reason for this is that
the bleach and fix would destroy each other if mixed up prior to use.
You probably also process C-41 and E-6. I use the bleach formula (at
4X the concentration) for both C-41 and E-6. (It is not a direct
substitute for the regular bleach; there are some other things which are
necessary to prevent staining). But when the bleach is getting near
exhaustion with film, I dilute it 1:3 and use it for paper. The above
fixer formula is what I mix up for E-6. When it has been used for film,
I use it as described for paper. I don't use the C-41 fixer for paper;
it kills the bleach too fast.
Procuring chemicals can be a challenge. You probably won't find good
prices for chemicals at regular distributors. Many times the prices are
too high because they are offering a grade of chemical more pure than you
need (you don't need reagent grade; technical or photo grade will do).
If you have access, you might get good prices at the University chemistry
department stockroom. I have found chemicals at the following places:
Lauder Photographic 916-638-1225
Zone V 802-765-4508
Photographers Formulary 800-922-5255
Tri-Ess Sciences 818-247-6910 or 213-245-7685
Bryant Laboratories 415-526-3141
Fluka 516-467-0980
Get their catalogs, compare prices. You won't find everything at one place.
For common stuff like Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Sulfite, Acetic Acid, you
may be able to get these locally. Getting the chemicals may seem like a
big step, but if you are going to be doing a lot of printing over the years,
you will save a lot of money. (And the basic chemicals have a LONG shelf
life). You will need a scale with accuracy to 0.1 g. If you want info on
C-41, E-6, R-3000, let me know.
> 5. If you have a typical b&w darkroom what additional
> equipment is necessary for developing color negatives?
> Can this be done economically or is it better to
> let a lab take care of the negatives.
Since you would already have the tank, reels and thermometer, the only
additional equipment you would need is a water bath. This could be as simple
as a dishpan and a teakettle of hot water. I use a plastic storage bin ($3 at
the hardware store), an evaporative cooler water pump ($8 on sale during
the summer) running on a variable transformer (used) with a couple of
coffee-cup immersion heaters ($6 at a housewares store). Yes, you can
spend hundreds on a JOBO if you want, but there are less expensive ways.
With me, the absolute economy of doing my negatives isn't really the
issue. I can mix up some C-41 developer in a few minutes, and have my
developed negatives hung to dry in a half hour. This is probably less
time than two trips to the photofinisher. But the real advantage is one
of security: I don't worry about my film getting lost or damaged; I
know my chemistry is fresh (I just mixed it!); I can cut my negatives
in the way I want; and they can be processed ANY time I want. If these
factors are important to you, how can you put a price on them? BTW, I
think my cost of developing negatives is less than you would pay a lab.
And don't forget, the C-41 processing is essentially FREE because you
reuse the C-41 chemicals for EP-2 print processing.
I would be the first to admit that getting into processing this deeply
(mixing your own) is a big commitment. You need to analyze your desires
and needs and look at it in the long term. If you have any more detailed
questions, please E-mail.
Ron Speirs, Evans & Sutherland Computer Corp., Salt Lake City, Utah 84108
801-582-5847 rsp...@leo.sim.es.com
David Kao
darkroom work including mixing color chemicals myself. I am
very familiar with E6, C41, and EP2 processes. After reading
your article I am rethinking if I should mix my own chemicals
again.
A couple of years ago I tried an experiment which was aimed at
saving cost for C41 chemicals. From an article published in
Creative Camera and Darkroom techniques I learned that it is
possible to buy C41 chemicals at a large package (3.5 gallon sizes)
and use only as little as needed each time for many times for a
very long time. The cost for larger C41 packages are much much
lower than smaller packages in terms of $ per roll of film
developed.
However, most components in C41 do not last once opened and
partially used. Only the bottle A which can last almost
indefinitely even it is partially used. So the author uses only
bottle A and discards the rest from the C41 package. He will use
a few cc of chemicals in bottle A and mix it with CD4 and HAS to
make 0.5 liter of color developer to use in one batch and discard
it after the batch. He has fresh developer all the time everytime.
CD4 and HAS are in powder form so they last indefinitely too.
It worked. Still today my partially used bottle A from my Kodak C41
package, partially used 2 years ago, is still as fresh as new.
However, the developer mixed this way has a problem. It produced a
very obvious color crossover problem. In other words, colors are
messed up. It is not only a balance problem. It can not be
corrected no matter how hard I tried to balance them. My
conclusion was either I did not mix it with right mixture
(basically incorrect quantity of CD4 and HAS) or the CD4 I bought
was not pure CD4 (or not CD4 at all). I bought it from Zone V.
Any way, I did not continue to mix C41 myself. But I am wondering
if you ever encounter any color crossover problem at all since you
mix your own chemicals.
David Kao
San Jose