Home-processing c41 b&w

[jerry_kirkwood]

Hi, I have a bunch of T400CN to use up and am thinking about processing it myself.

 

I am NOT going to buy a Jobo processor because of the cost.

 

My question is, given there are no color shifts to worry about, how critical is

the development temperature? I have a fishtank heater and a thermometer and can

regulate a homemade tempering bath pretty well. I plan on doing a few rolls now

and then, probably with the smallest Tetenal kit, then scanning the negs. If

I'm + or - a degree or two, will I still get good results?

 

Tanks very much.

[eric friedemann]

You can't develop C-41 film as well as a machine using little kits. Again, a C-41 processing machine with "seasoned" chemicals will yield the best C-41 processing possible.

 

 

That having been said, since your final product will be a B&W print, a temperature variance of +/- 1 or 2 degrees won't leave you with unprintable negatives. Though, you may see mild density differences from roll to roll as your temperature shifts.

[david_starr3]

I've developed a lot of Ilford XP-2 at home with no problems at all. I used a simple water bath for temperature control. The negatives printed just fine. I've never scanned the negatives - I use a wet darkroom exclusively - so I can't comment on scanning.

[steve_levine]

Doing this is accurately at home is certainly possible, and a reasonably proficient B&W darkroom person will have no problem. Temperature, time and precise mixing of chemistry, are always critical in any photo developing scenario if one expects roll to roll consistency. Gaining or losing several degrees either way will always have an effect. A single degree or two, not so much.

 

 

 

The reason most hobby shooters don't develop their own color, is the lack of creative processing controls that are available to the B&W shooter. Most color processes are pretty much etched in stone. And applying "zone system" type increases and decreases in development to alter contrast, tends to under or over develop specific color layers unevenly.

[Fotohuis RoVo]

The latest development in home processing in the mononegacolor chemicals can allow +0,5 - -1,0 degrees deviation of the original Kodak C41 process parameters (37,8 degrees C.).

Critiqual is the C41 developer temperature. The blix step and the stabilizing bath are not critiqual at all.

 

In principle you can do a quite good home processing with a water bath. Very practical is e.g. the Jobo TBE-2 were all chemicals and tank processing are on the same temperature and those units are rather cheap these days (especially in Europe, Eur. 50,- or even less).

 

I am using the C41 kit from Amaloco, equivalent for 4x6 35mm or 120 roll films (total 24).

The C41 developer is nicely divided in 4 separate glass bottles, each for 6 films which can be used up within 3-4 weeks (working solution).

 

http://shop.fotohuisrovo.nl/product_info.php?cPath=31_46&products_id=166

 

Best regards,

 

Robert

[kaveh_ranjbar]

Sure not, even the quoted 1/4th degree accuracy is something for serious colour maniacs, on normal conditions you can not spot differences on minus/plus half degrees and even with more than 1 degree difference you can always correct the color shift using software, if you scan the negatives, with almost no compromise. Fishtank heater is really fine, but most of them are incapable of doing as high as required for C-41(except the ones used for Saltwater Fishtanks and/or Hospital Tanks)and I personally prefer pre-heated plastic tanks instead of metal tanks. I have developed tens and tens of Color and BW C-41 films in my own home and I am happy with my results. Those 'decent' lab machines do always scartch your film...

[krisheylen]

By now, I have developed around 30 35mm films without a processor, in a normal daylight tank. I use a warm-waterbath, with the Tetenal press kit. Only the first two rolls came out slightly underprocessed, until I found out that my thermometer's reading failed by 2 degrees C. Even with those I had less problems with colourcorrection than negatives developed by any of our local labs (I scan the negs). On all the next rolls I had hardly any colour correction to do, no fingerprints and no scratches.<p>I highly recommend to give it a try, especially if you do black & white.<p>

Regards,<br>Kris.

[jerry_kirkwood]

Thanks guys. Actually what I called a "fishtank heater" is actually a Dev-Tec TC750 made for darkroom use. It goes up to 104F and says +/- 0.5 degrees but taking that with a grain of salt is why I asked about +/- 1-2 degrees. I'll give it a shot, with some unimportant film.

[al_alspix]

Here's some more info based on my experience over the last year. Try it. It's cheap and easy.

 

http://alspix.blog.co.uk/2007/04/21/title~2135363