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Developing Color Negs at Home

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Ron

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Jul 29, 2000, 3:00:00 AM7/29/00
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I know there are kits for C41 processing. Question is: How good are the
results?

Ralf R. Radermacher

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Jul 29, 2000, 3:00:00 AM7/29/00
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"Ron" <rgans@no> wrote:

> I know there are kits for C41 processing. Question is: How good are the
> results?

They are just as good as those from any commercial lab.

You'll miss the scratches and the fingerprints, in the beginning, but
you'll get over it. ;)

Cheers,
Ralf

--
Ralf R. Radermacher - DL9KCG - Köln/Cologne, Germany
Ralf's Cologne Tram Page - www.netcologne.de/~nc-radermra

e-mail from trash accounts (deja, yahoo) automatically rejected

Ron

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Jul 29, 2000, 3:00:00 AM7/29/00
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That's great news. Save some time and money. I do a lot of cross processing
and the labs sometimes balk at that.
Ralf R. Radermacher <foto...@gmx.de> wrote in message
news:1eejuik.yg3bre1dmctj4N%foto...@gmx.de...

Rolfe Tessem

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Jul 29, 2000, 3:00:00 AM7/29/00
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Ron wrote:
>
> I know there are kits for C41 processing. Question is: How good are the
> results?

As good or better than the commercial labs, and probably better from an
archival standpoint since I believe most labs don't wash before the
stabilizer (or maybe it's the other way around). The 5 liter Tetenal
kit, which is a two-step process, work great for me.

--
Rolfe Tessem | Lucky Duck Productions, Inc.
ro...@ldp.com | 96 Morton Street
(212) 463-0029 | New York, NY 10014

Ron

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Jul 29, 2000, 3:00:00 AM7/29/00
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Is Tetenal available from B&H? Their web site doesn't list it? There are
some links on JOBO's web sites, but they are now inactive. The few
references I've found for it concern paper. (Speaking of which, I've been
using Fuji Crystal Archive; the results are good. Would you have any other
recommendations?)
Rolfe Tessem <ro...@ldp.com> wrote in message
news:39833574...@ldp.com...

Manny Bhuta

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Jul 29, 2000, 3:00:00 AM7/29/00
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I do not know which Fuji Crystal Archive paper you are using. I
use and like Fujicolor Crystal Archive Professional Paper Type
C. I also like Type PII paper which is a lower contrast paper
designed for wedding and portraits.

BTW, I have been developing C41 and E6 films myself for many
years and would not consider giving my valuable films to labs.
If you plan to develop films infrequently, you may want to look
at Tetnal Press Kit for C41. It comes as two packets of powder.
One packet makes 1 liter of developer and the other packet makes
1 liter of bleach. These powders dissolve very quickly. Also
if I am not mistaken, it has a very long shelf life in powder
form.


--
Manny Bhuta
Randolph, NJ USA


"Ron" <rg...@nospamatt.net> wrote in message
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Rod Fleming

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Jul 30, 2000, 3:00:00 AM7/30/00
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Hi

C41 at home is of course eminently possible.

Things may have moved on, but when I tried them (10 years ago, I admit), the
two-bath kits had a problem with some "bronzing" of the most dense areas. I
remember reading that this was commonplace and did no harm, but I moved to
conventional 3-bath (dev, bleach,fix) chemistry, in my case from Fuji-Hunt.
3-bath chemistry does not have the bronzing.

The chemistry works out cheaper, though you have to buy more at a time, and
is designed for replenishment, so I do that. I use both a Jobo ATL2 and a
simple water-bath processor, actually a Kodak 3-gal (Imp) deep tank 3/4
filled with water, heated with a Nova immersion heater, with the chem
bottles preheated in that. Dev in a normal daylight tank, placing it in the
heated water between agitation cycles. Negs are very consistent.

I think it helps to use a tempered water wash, BTW, which is the only reason
I prefer the Jobo for this, other than my own bone-idleness in preferring to
have a machine do it for me!


Rod


"Manny Bhuta" <man...@webspan.net> wrote in message
news:so721tv...@corp.supernews.com...

Rolfe Tessem

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Jul 31, 2000, 3:00:00 AM7/31/00
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Ron wrote:
>
> Is Tetenal available from B&H? Their web site doesn't list it? There are
> some links on JOBO's web sites, but they are now inactive. The few
> references I've found for it concern paper. (Speaking of which, I've been
> using Fuji Crystal Archive; the results are good. Would you have any other
> recommendations?)

Tetenal is absolutely available from B&H, although I understand they are
updating their shipping procedures because of some hazmat problems. I've
also gotten it from Adorama when B&H has been out of stock. I'm sure
Calumet also carries it.

Another respondent mentioned the possibility of inferior results using
the two-bath kits rather than three-bath. I've certainly never seen
this, and he says his experience dates from 10 years ago, so this is
hopefully a thing of the past. I've processed tons of color negative
through my Jobo ATL-1000 in the year I've owned it, mostly Fuji NPS in
35mm, 120, and 4x5 and all look good to me.

Note that the stablizer, both with E6 and C41, is done off the processor
so it isn't counted in the number of steps. So, with the stabilizer
step, two-step is really three-step, three is really four, and six-step
E6 is really seven. This isn't a temperature-critical process, so most
people just use a tupperware container for the stabilizer and roll the
film off the reels into the container. This is because the stabilizer
can contaminate the reels and make them difficult to load in the future.

I use Fuji Crystal Archive type C paper, usually in matte finish, and
think it looks great. I think it's a particularly good match for Fuji
NPS.

Ron

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Jul 31, 2000, 3:00:00 AM7/31/00
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I went over to B&H yesterday (I live about 10 blocks away) and looked at
their Tetenal kits. The guys there seemed to know what they were talking
about. Will get a small system this week and start experimenting. I'm just
afraid that starting de novo I will (or they will) have forgotten something
crucial. no matter, as I will experiment on dummy film. Mostly, I'm
interested in processing E6 as C41; but will do regular C41 as well.

One question: How dangerous are the chemicals? Need I wear protective gear?

Ron


Rolfe Tessem <ro...@ldp.com> wrote in message

news:3985D168...@ldp.com...

James Fairchild

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Jul 31, 2000, 3:00:00 AM7/31/00
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Ron,

The last I heard, the Tetenal kits still have formaldehyde in the
stabilizer, which is why I chose the Beseler kit for my first foray into
home E-6 processing. The one liter Beseler kit will process 12 rolls of
35mm or 120 film, or six rolls of 220. Not bad for less than $30.00.

Jim

"Ron" <rg...@nospamatt.net> wrote in message

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Manny Bhuta

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Aug 1, 2000, 3:00:00 AM8/1/00
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Just out of curiosity I looked at the label on Tetnal C-41
stabilizer. It contains isothiazolinone. Is that same as
formaldehyde? What is Beseler's stabilizer?

--
Manny Bhuta
Randolph, NJ USA


"James Fairchild" <jpf...@swbell.net> wrote in message
news:4Rph5.75$5g7....@nnrp1.sbc.net...

Rolfe Tessem

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Aug 1, 2000, 3:00:00 AM8/1/00
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Ron wrote:
>
> I went over to B&H yesterday (I live about 10 blocks away) and looked at
> their Tetenal kits. The guys there seemed to know what they were talking
> about. Will get a small system this week and start experimenting. I'm just
> afraid that starting de novo I will (or they will) have forgotten something
> crucial. no matter, as I will experiment on dummy film. Mostly, I'm
> interested in processing E6 as C41; but will do regular C41 as well.
>
> One question: How dangerous are the chemicals? Need I wear protective gear?

Some stablizers contain formaldahyde. I believe the Tetenal C41 kits no
longer do, but the E6 kits still have it. In either case, I wear rubber
gloves when handling the film in the stablizer. This is the only time
you should come into contact with any of the chemicals. I use the
Tetenal 5 liter C41 kits and generally mix up a liter at a time, since
the chemicals don't keep well once mixed up (probably a couple of
weeks). If the C41 developer has turned dark, it's dead.

James Fairchild

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Aug 1, 2000, 3:00:00 AM8/1/00
to
Manny,

The Beseler E-6 stabilizer ingredients are: Hexamethylentetramine,
Surfacants, Water

Jim

"Manny Bhuta" <man...@webspan.net> wrote in message

news:sodj1ff...@corp.supernews.com...


> Just out of curiosity I looked at the label on Tetnal C-41
> stabilizer. It contains isothiazolinone. Is that same as
> formaldehyde? What is Beseler's stabilizer?
>
> --
> Manny Bhuta
> Randolph, NJ USA
>
>
> "James Fairchild" <jpf...@swbell.net> wrote in message
> news:4Rph5.75$5g7....@nnrp1.sbc.net...
> > Ron,
> >
> > The last I heard, the Tetenal kits still have formaldehyde in
> the
> > stabilizer, which is why I chose the Beseler kit for my first
> foray into
> > home E-6 processing. The one liter Beseler kit will process
> 12 rolls of
> > 35mm or 120 film, or six rolls of 220. Not bad for less than
> $30.00.
> >
> > Jim
> >
> > "Ron" <rg...@nospamatt.net> wrote in message
> >
> news:h2mh5.24063$o71.1...@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net.
> ..

> > > I went over to B&H yesterday (I live about 10 blocks away)
> and looked at
> > > their Tetenal kits. The guys there seemed to know what they
> were talking
> > > about. Will get a small system this week and start
> experimenting. I'm just
> > > afraid that starting de novo I will (or they will) have
> forgotten
> > something
> > > crucial. no matter, as I will experiment on dummy film.
> Mostly, I'm
> > > interested in processing E6 as C41; but will do regular C41
> as well.
> > >
> > > One question: How dangerous are the chemicals? Need I wear
> protective
> > gear?
> > >

Bruce Wilson

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Aug 2, 2000, 3:00:00 AM8/2/00
to
I just looked at my Kodak 5L E6 kit, and the stabiliser ("final rinse")
has no formaldehyde. In addition to gloves, splash-proof goggles would
be a very good idea (essential, for this chemist). For chemicals used
in developing, the risk of getting the stuff in your eyes is way higher
than soaking it in through your skin. As an example, formaldehyde
becomes a skin irritant after 3 days of exposure, and an eye irritant
after 5 minutes, at 4 ppm concentrations (and most stabilizers use 1000
ppm concentrations, 250 times higher).
--
Bruce Wilson
http://chemweb.sdstate.edu/wilson

In article <3986EA77...@ldp.com>,
Rolfe Tessem <ro...@ldp.com> wrote:


> Ron wrote:
> > One question: How dangerous are the chemicals? Need I wear
protective gear?
>

> Some stablizers contain formaldahyde. I believe the Tetenal C41 kits
no
> longer do, but the E6 kits still have it. In either case, I wear
rubber
> gloves when handling the film in the stablizer. This is the only time
> you should come into contact with any of the chemicals. I use the
> Tetenal 5 liter C41 kits and generally mix up a liter at a time, since
> the chemicals don't keep well once mixed up (probably a couple of
> weeks). If the C41 developer has turned dark, it's dead.
>

> --
> Rolfe Tessem | Lucky Duck Productions, Inc.
>

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