C-41 Processing....Opinions Welcome

[michael_ginex1]

I've recently revamped my processing temps and times and would

appreciate your comments and suggestions (I used to use Blix until

reading the learned recommendations on this forum). I usually process

one roll at a time in a small single reel SS tank and try to hold

100F throughout using a water bath in continuous flow at that temp.

Batch developer is used once and discarded (one-shot).

The times are as follows:

developer 3min 15sec (Fuji-Hunt Negacolor),

Stop 10-15sec,

Bleach 2min 15sec,

Wash 1min,

Fix 2min 45sec,

Wash 1min,

Stabilizer 30sec.

Thanks in advance.

[discpad]

Are you using C41-RA bleach and fix? Those times are awful short. Also, I would leave the film in the stabilizer for a couple minutes... Why rush?

 

Lastly, since you only do small batches, why not spend $20 on eBay for a used/surplus heated water bath: Search for "water bath" (no quotes) and then click on "Business & Industrial" on the left... You'll get around a hundred or so hits on a regular basis. Just be sure to find out the tub size: Ask the seller if it's not listed.

[michael_ginex1]

Dan,

The Bleach and Fix came with chemistry I got from a Canadian outfit and appears highly concentrated, as a matter of fact I have to use gloves because the bleach seems very caustic. Both worked well with the developer it came with so I figured it should be ok with the Negacolor. I don't detect any latency on the negs so I assume they're doing the job. I guess by your comments you think the times could be longer. Any negative impact by extending them? How much is too much?

Dan, the expert advice you have offered on this forum has proven to be invaluable to many including myself, and I for one would like to say thanks a bunch.

[discpad]

Michael: You give me way, way too much credit: I'm pretty much parroting Ron Mowrey, who is a recently retired Kodak film & processing engineer.

 

By the way, looking at your times, Ron and I do something very similar: We add 1/3rd stop to our C-41 exposures to compensate for the tolerances down in the toe of the film curve: Ron does it in the camera (i.e. exposing ISO 160 film at EI 125), while I do it with another 10-15 seconds in the developer for the 1/3rd stop push.

 

That being said, using a stop bath in place of a water first wash "slams the door" on developer action, giving you a slight pull.

 

------------

 

Now, on to the bleach and fix: Look at the label and see which C-41 variant it's for: C-41B, C-41B with LORR (Low Replenishment Rate), C-41RA (Rapid Access, for minilabs where speed is (allegedly) important), and C-41SM (cartridges, unlikely).

 

If you don't have it already, go to my Home Page at:

http://users.snip.net/~joe/default.htm

and download the Kodak Process C-41 Using KODAK FLEXICOLOR Chemicals Publication Z-131 manual PDF binder. Inside it between chapters 1 & 2 is a treat: Publication CIS-49, "Preparing Smaller-Than-Package-Size Amounts of KODAK Processing Chemicals"

 

Cheers!

Dan

[michael_ginex1]

Thanks again, Dan...give that a try tonight.