Can I adjust C-41 development recipe to change contrast, saturation and white balance?

[RichardH]

Hi,

Just going through initial attempts at C-41 Stand Development using Tetenal and this recipe:

VARIATION 2 baths (for example: Tetenal C-41 kit)

Pre-soak = 3m (no agitation)
Developer = 45m (1m continuous agitation at first)
1st wash = 3m (changing the water every 30s)
Blix = 60m (1m continuous agitation at first)
Final wash = Ilford-style
Stabilizer = 1m (no agitation)

Very encouraged with my results, but consistently getting undersaturated, cool (bluish) images lacking some contrast. All fixable in Lightroom, but I was wondering if anyone has suggestions of changing the recipe to get a more accurate image.

Thanks in advance.

Richard

 

[Asha]

Is there a particular reason why you are stand developing as opposed to the standard tetenal development process and times?

I've only ever semi stand developed with b&w chems, and a lack of contrast is common both with some b&w films as well as cross processing colour films.

I would suspect it is your process method that is causing the contrast problem that you mention.

As for colour casts.....with C41 developing, too hot will offer a tint towards red, too cold and the tinge will be towards green...... one click with the dropper in pp can solve it easily enough

 

[RichardH]

Is there a particular reason why you are stand developing as opposed to the standard tetenal development process and times?

Laziness and incompetence. My current threshold is that I can happy with standard B&W development processes, but find the concept of maintaining a bath at 38C etc beyond the pale on my patience/competence. Chemistry was my worst subject at school!

Joking aside, I find the stand dev process very easy, and as stated in my first post, can fix the problems in post. Just looking for possible improvements in development.

 

[Asha]

Laziness and incompetence. My current threshold is that I can happy with standard B&W development processes, but find the concept of maintaining a bath at 38C etc beyond the pale on my patience/competence. Chemistry was my worst subject at school!

Joking aside, I find the stand dev process very easy, and as stated in my first post, can fix the problems in post. Just looking for possible improvements in development.

I have to confess that sometimes I use semi stand for not dissimilar reasons but I am fully aware, as you are too evidently, of some of the consequences.

I don't think that you are going to improve on your results unless yo revert to following the tetenal dev times and temp.

You can get away at 30 degress celcius iirc, I know that I nebver dev at 38

30 is much easier to maintain and won't give you lack of contrast, even if you have a slight error of a degree or two during the process .....just a colour teint which as mentioned can be easily rectified.

It's a while since I bought a kit but I presume that the lower temp method is still mentioned in the booklet?

 

[FujiLove]

I think you will always end up introducing a colour cast if you don't stick to the standard C41 time and temp. The colour couplers won't be activated in the correct ratios.

 

[s162216]

You adjust the colour and contrast in the printing or scanning stage with colour neg films. Whilst altering the development process will alter both, it is not recommended as the process is deliberately standardised and there is no real way of knowing what result you will get out.

I think your problem is that you need to be more vigilant with your developing technique and not mess around with the process temperatures and times as they are supposed to be used as stated to get the expected end result.

 

[RichardH]

Thanks all. I get the picture. The Tetenal docs don't mention it for obvious reasons. I can live with the PP steps. Always do some minor PP on my b&w scans anyway, so I'm not introducing any steps in work flow.

 

[FujiLove]

If maintaining times and temperature is an issue, and you are doing a lot of colour work, I would recommend buying a Jobo processor. It will pay for itself very quickly.