Home Developing Colour Medium Format Film

Sir SR

Sir SR

Messages
5,635
Name
Shaheed
Edit My Images
No
As per title, do any of you do it and how do you find it?

Do you need many more chemicals than those already bought for mono development?
 
It isn't really anymore difficult than black and white. At the moment I'm using fuji xpress but im going to go back to Tetanal because it is a 3 bath kit (the bleac and fix are in one bottle) not 4 like the Fuji.
You do need to get the developer part to the right temperature, 38 degrees, but the other chems are not so temperature critical. So long as you have good multi timer it is pretty straightforward.

Andy
 
I develop C41 and E6 at home and really enjoy it. In some ways it's simpler than B&W because they are completely 'standard' processes. This means there's no worrying about which combination of developer works with which film, what temperature to use, for how long etc. I run the process using a Jobo CPP tank, but have previously just used a water bath and before that the kitchen sink. They all work fine, but obviously, the Jobo makes things quicker and easier.

I use the Digibase C41 kit (https://www.macodirect.de/en/chemis...ard-digibase-c-41-super-maxi-kit-for-5l?c=649), but have used others in the past such as Tetenal. I haven't noticed any difference between them, although I have a preference for the ones with the separate bleach and fix because blix doesn't keep as well.

I use the Tetenal kit for E6 (http://www.ag-photographic.co.uk/tetenal-e6-kit-25l-new-3774-p.asp)

I'd say if you like colour film, go for it and don't worry about it being difficult. I used to process my own slides in the kitchen sink when I was a kid. I'm sure my temperature control must have been all over the place, but those slides still look great thirty odd years later. If you need help or advice, just ask and I'm sure someone will be along to advise. APUG is also a fantastic resource.

Have fun!
 
The only way that C41 is harder than B&W is that you need to get the developer to the right temperature and keep it there reliably. But it's also easier than B&W in that every film you develop will be done the same way. No need to look up dev times, just stick it in the developer for 3 min 15 secs. Another good thing is that you can develop multiple different C41 films at the same time, which you cant do for B&W (unless they happen to have the same dev times).

Cheapest way to regulate the temperature to begin with is to use a cheap washing up bowl with a thermometer in it, and just add the odd splash of hot water from the kettle when the temperature drops at all.

I don't do my own C41 any more as I don't shoot enough colour film to make it worthwhile. Filmdev is cheap enough (£5 for dev+scan) that it's not worth it for me, but it's a fun process for sure!
 
The only other thing I would suggest is that if you plan on doing colour and black and white that you think about using separate tanks...

Anyway...good luck.
 
I have been doing c41 at home for quite sometime and i really enjoy every bit of process! Digibase c41 , tetenal or Fujihunt all are good kits, you cant go wrong with. Do share results :)

How are you planning to scan 120?
 
Sir SR said:
Have ordered one!
Click to expand...

Also find yourself a separate pot or tray to carry out the final stabiliser step. Remove the film from the reel before putting it in the stabiliser as the chemical gunks up the reel and makes them very hard to load.
 
Carl Hall said:
The only way that C41 is harder than B&W is that you need to get the developer to the right temperature and keep it there reliably. But it's also easier than B&W in that every film you develop will be done the same way. No need to look up dev times, just stick it in the developer for 3 min 15 secs. Another good thing is that you can develop multiple different C41 films at the same time, which you cant do for B&W (unless they happen to have the same dev times).

Cheapest way to regulate the temperature to begin with is to use a cheap washing up bowl with a thermometer in it, and just add the odd splash of hot water from the kettle when the temperature drops at all.

I don't do my own C41 any more as I don't shoot enough colour film to make it worthwhile. Filmdev is cheap enough (£5 for dev+scan) that it's not worth it for me, but it's a fun process for sure!
Click to expand...

pretty much spot on... E6 is also good for home dev - same kind of constraints, iirc there may be an extra stage with the Tetenal chemicals as c/f to C41 but it's just one more stage and one more time to keep track of.

Be very careful to keep the chemicals segregated - I used seperate measuring jugs for each chemical - cheap 50p plastic jugs from asda, and colour coded the handles with different colours of insulating tape - same bands on the bottle, the bottle lid, and the jug. Cross-contamination of the chemicals is a BAD thing - and as you'll be re-using the same stuff every time until the chemicals are depleted (think it was 16 rolls of c41 in the small tetenal kit, increasing the duration of the stages every 4 rolls worth IIRC - that's another thing to keep track of BTW - how many rolls - 1 roll of 135 or 120 at 100iso = 1 "roll" , seem to remember 400iso film being "worth" 2 rolls as it was harder on the chemicals)

but it's easy enough, and, if you DO go for the E6 option at some point, you'll have the BEST experience you can get with home film developing... pulling a roll of "miniature stained glass windows" out of the soup - all complete, perfectly formed pictures - not negatives, not negatives with an orange cast, but perfect little miniatures...

I LOVED dev'ing E6 - but stopped because I simply didn't shoot enough to make it worthwhile - the chemicals "go off" far quicker than B&W chemistry does - and I was probably only getting 3-4 rolls done before the chemicals died on me - at that rate it was cheaper to send them to Peak instead...
 
Taimoor said:
I have been doing c41 at home for quite sometime and i really enjoy every bit of process! Digibase c41 , tetenal or Fujihunt all are good kits, you cant go wrong with. Do share results :)

How are you planning to scan 120?
Click to expand...

I've been scanning 120 black and white with my v550 Epson

IMG_1484396161.332012.jpg
IMG_1484396174.481654.jpg
IMG_1484396188.032417.jpg
IMG_1484396198.500145.jpg

Just ordered some developer from AG - lots of useful tips on this thread.

I just love the whole creative process of taking the shot, processing it, scanning it and then minor tinkering before I get the finished product!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jao
FujiLove said:
Also find yourself a separate pot or tray to carry out the final stabiliser step. Remove the film from the reel before putting it in the stabiliser as the chemical gunks up the reel and makes them very hard to load.
Click to expand...

Can you not just split the reel at the end?
 
Sir SR said:
Can you not just split the reel at the end?
Click to expand...

You could, just don't get stabiliser on the bits where the film runs. If you do, give it a good scrub with hot water and a toothbrush before loading another roll. I believe B&W photoflo stuff also causes this stickiness, but I found the C41 and E6 stabiliser much worse.
 
FujiLove said:
You could, just don't get stabiliser on the bits where the film runs. If you do, give it a good scrub with hot water and a toothbrush before loading another roll. I believe B&W photoflo stuff also causes this stickiness, but I found the C41 and E6 stabiliser much worse.
Click to expand...

Thanks - love these little bits of advice that you guys have already experienced - it's really handy!
 
Oh, and if you're using a kit with blix (rather than separate bleach and fix) use a stop bath between dev and blix. I can't recall why, but the guys on APUG helped me out with some issues and this was one of the fixes. It could be that bleach can handle contamination with developer better than blix and also acts as a stop. 2% acetic acid is recommended for C41 stop. I buy mine from eBay.
 
FujiLove said:
Oh, and if you're using a kit with blix (rather than separate bleach and fix) use a stop bath between dev and blix. I can't recall why, but the guys on APUG helped me out with some issues and this was one of the fixes. It could be that bleach can handle contamination with developer better than blix and also acts as a stop. 2% acetic acid is recommended for C41 stop. I buy mine from eBay.
Click to expand...

I got the tetenal kit in the end! I'll investigate when it arrives!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top