First try at C-41 with Jobo and Tetenal

[Johnmcd]

A couple of firsts,

1. My new/old Bronica SQA with 65mm
2. Portra 400
3. Tetenal C-41
4. My new/old Jobo CP2

All worked well. Love the colour. Very realistic. Jobo kept the chemicals at 38 deg C perfectly.







Cheers - John

[CNNY]

This has been working well for me too. Except that I roll my Jobo tank back and forth in my bathtub instead of using a CP2. It is pretty easy to get consistent results with the Tetenal kit.

[zerobuttons]

Congratulations with your results, John.

I have been looking into the Jobo machines lately, considering to begin processing C-41 at home. So far, the prices have been too high, considering the quality of the items (missing this, missing that).

Your results inspire me to keep on looking....

[Johnmcd]

Originally Posted by zerobuttons

Congratulations with your results, John.

I have been looking into the Jobo machines lately, considering to begin processing C-41 at home. So far, the prices have been too high, considering the quality of the items (missing this, missing that).

Your results inspire me to keep on looking....

Thanks. It was very easy with the Jobo. I used to have one over 20 years ago to do some cibachrome. I was lucky this time around when a friend who used to be a pro photographer had one in his shed and gave it to me for free. The advantage is it keeps the temp perfect. Though many just roll it like CNNY with good results.

I was prepared for smelly chemicals after reading posts on tetenal but I did not smell anything at all. My B/W fixer is much worst.

I'm very impressed. Looks very different to digital, not as vivid, more lifelike.

[Johnmcd]

A couple with some Fuji Reala 100 that I processed this morning. This time with the Zenzanon S 150mm lens.

[bigeye]

Always nice to know that there is post-apocalyse development for C-41.

I don't shoot neg color, but these look quite blue/cold to me. Is that the film (or scan)?

-Charlie

[loquax ludens]

The Jobo processors are indeed wonderful tools for C-41 and E-6 processing. I have two CPP-2 processors. I bought the second one after I wore out the first.

It does appear that there is a bluish cast to the images.

[Johnmcd]

Originally Posted by bigeye

Always nice to know that there is post-apocalyse development for C-41.

I don't shoot neg color, but these look quite blue/cold to me. Is that the film (or scan)?

-Charlie

This colour neg stuff is all new to me too. It could very well be a little 'blue'. Whether that's neg or scan, I'm not sure. I auto adjusted the colour in PS and got this.



and the original



The warmer one is definitely better. The others I don't get the same significant change. Thanks for the heads ups. Looks like I will need to do a little PP and train my 'colour eye'.

Cheers - John

[cepwin]

Great job. I'm about to do my second roll of Ektar using the unicolor it (waiting for water bath to cool so I can pour the chemistry and wait for it to get to temp.)

[Johnmcd]

Originally Posted by cepwin

Great job. I'm about to do my second roll of Ektar using the unicolor it (waiting for water bath to cool so I can pour the chemistry and wait for it to get to temp.)

Good luck. I've been processing B/W for as long as I can remember but for some reason following this 'recipe' had me sweating bullets Just what you're used to I guess.

[Gerry M]

Very well done, John. I think the results were well worth your effort.

[CNNY]

Originally Posted by Johnmcd

Good luck. I've been processing B/W for as long as I can remember but for some reason following this 'recipe' had me sweating bullets Just what you're used to I guess.

The first time I used the Tetenal kit I wasn't fully aware that the Blix gasses a lot. One of the used Jobo tanks I got has a hole in the cap for that reason. I ignored that and used the regular one. After a minute or so the cap blew off like a champagne cork and blasted 'beet juice' all over my bathtub. It kind of looked like a scene from a gangster movie. I was in a panic, but the film came out fine.
Lesson learned: always let the gas out while doing the Blix.

[Johnmcd]

Originally Posted by CNNY

The first time I used the Tetenal kit I wasn't fully aware that the Blix gasses a lot. One of the used Jobo tanks I got has a hole in the cap for that reason. I ignored that and used the regular one. After a minute or so the cap blew off like a champagne cork and blasted 'beet juice' all over my bathtub. It kind of looked like a scene from a gangster movie. I was in a panic, but the film came out fine.
Lesson learned: always let the gas out while doing the Blix.

That's a classic! I would imagine it staining anything it hit.

BTW, how long do the mixed chemical last in non-full bottles. I seem to get mixed answers from 4 weeks to a year??

[Johnmcd]

Originally Posted by Gerry M

Very well done, John. I think the results were well worth your effort.

Thanks Gerry. I must admit it has opened up some new possibilities. I've got 4 rolls of Portra 400 and 4 of Reala 100. I don't think they will last long

Just got to start looking in 'colour'...

[CNNY]

Originally Posted by Johnmcd

That's a classic! I would imagine it staining anything it hit.

BTW, how long do the mixed chemical last in non-full bottles. I seem to get mixed answers from 4 weeks to a year??

Luckily the tub contained it pretty well. It rinses off easily, but I wouldn't expect it to be forgiving on a white suit.

I haven't really kept the mixed solution for more than a week or two. I save up my films and then batch process them. I can fit 8-10 films (depending if it is 35mm or 120) in one tank. The 1L kit works out efficiently with that tank size. I typically will reuse the solution once, but I do that fairly soon after the first batch. I've used it a third time on a few occasions and didn't notice any difference, but they weren't critical images. I think it goes down hill gradually. You determine the cut off point.

[Johnmcd]

Originally Posted by CNNY

Luckily the tub contained it pretty well. It rinses off easily, but I wouldn't expect it to be forgiving on a white suit.

I haven't really kept the mixed solution for more than a week or two. I save up my films and then batch process them. I can fit 8-10 films (depending if it is 35mm or 120) in one tank. The 1L kit works out efficiently with that tank size. I typically will reuse the solution once, but I do that fairly soon after the first batch. I've used it a third time on a few occasions and didn't notice any difference, but they weren't critical images. I think it goes down hill gradually. You determine the cut off point.

The Jobo uses 240 ml's at a time in my small tank that holds just one 120 reel. I was just hoping I could keep pouring that back in the litre solution to mix back into the rest of solution. This will of course, increasing affect the strength. But to what degree I wonder? Looks like I'll have to shoot the eight rolls I have left asap??

[Johnmcd]

From the Mamiya 7. Fuji Reala 100

[dfatty]

glad to see you're getting good results with tetenal. out of the blue i've started having issues with the rollei c-41 kit so seeing your results i'm going to give tetenal a whirl.

[yinyangbt]

Originally Posted by CNNY

The first time I used the Tetenal kit I wasn't fully aware that the Blix gasses a lot. One of the used Jobo tanks I got has a hole in the cap for that reason. I ignored that and used the regular one. After a minute or so the cap blew off like a champagne cork and blasted 'beet juice' all over my bathtub. It kind of looked like a scene from a gangster movie. I was in a panic, but the film came out fine.
Lesson learned: always let the gas out while doing the Blix.

Please excuse my idiot question , but I am a totally newbie , wanting to get in the C41 th a Jobo CP . If the cap has a hole for letting the gas out , when mounted on the Jobo machine in the water bath doesn't the inside liquid gets out in the water? (or vice-versa) Maybe you have a picture with the cap of the drum to figure out .

[CNNY]

Originally Posted by yinyangbt

Please excuse my idiot question , but I am a totally newbie , wanting to get in the C41 th a Jobo CP . If the cap has a hole for letting the gas out , when mounted on the Jobo machine in the water bath doesn't the inside liquid gets out in the water? (or vice-versa) Maybe you have a picture with the cap of the drum to figure out .

The hole is pretty small, and it is right in the center. When you use a rotary tank like the jobo, you only fill the tank (a little less than) half way. I follow the amounts printed on the tank pretty closely. Because the tank is constantly turning while you are processing, all the film has equal contact with the chemistry. To answer your question, the tank is not full enough to leak out of the hole. I have also done some inversion processing with c41, and I just kept the cap off except when I was agitating. The great thing about rotary processing is that it is more efficient with chemistry, so I prefer to do it that way.

[buzzardkid]

Originally Posted by CNNY

This has been working well for me too. Except that I roll my Jobo tank back and forth in my bathtub instead of using a CP2. It is pretty easy to get consistent results with the Tetenal kit.

Care to elaborate on your approach a bit? I have a bath tub too!

How about keeping all chemicals on temp and what do you do with used chemicals while there's not much time during development?

[CNNY]

Great! Some apartments only have a shower.
First, I would say that I have never used one of the Jobo processors, so I can't comment on how much better or more consistent they are to my 'poor mans' method.
I used to use a Jobo paper drum that I modified to take 4x5 film to do b+w developing in the school darkroom. I would clear enough space on the countertop to ensure that the drum could make more than one full rotation. Ideally you have about a meter (3 feet), or an arms width. I would then just roll the tank gently back and forth for the whole processing time.

Now that I neither have a darkroom, or a bathroom (or even a kitchen) with enough counter space, I do the same in the bath tub!
I have a Jobo 1520 and two 1530 extensions, which will take 8x 35mm or 10x 120. I chose this configuration because the amount of liquid it takes is 900ml, which is as close as I could get to the 1L of the Tetenal kit. I use the whole kit for one batch, and normally do another batch with the same chemistry the next day. I try to get as much processing out of one kit with least inefficiency or reuse.
I mix the chemicals and store them in 1L plastic soda bottles that have a wide opening. I have a plastic tub (een afwasteiltje) that I fill with hot water that I stand the chemicals and the pre-wash water and first wash bottles in. Getting the temperature right definitely is the tricky part, mainly because it needs to be higher than room temperature. Once it is there (or slightly above), it tends to stay steady long enough to process. I don't have any method for keeping the temperature in the tank steady while processing, but as developing times are relatively short, I don't think it is a huge issue, unless your tub is really cold (mid-winter). While processing, I pour the pre-wash into the toilet (deep green), but pour the chemicals back into their bottle. I find the Jobo tanks easy to pour out precisely without needing a funnel. The pouring does take longer than I would like, and I am improving with practice. I am mainly trying to be consistent.
For the agitation I basically sit on the edge of the tub, and reach down and roll the tank back and forth with my finger tips (yes, this is tedious, and yes, doing it on the counter would be better ergonomically). The tank is so long that it is wider than my tub, so I lay it length wise and lightly bounce it off the sides. I found a relaxed way of doing this that is not to hard on my back. There normally aren't any big spills, just a few drips which are easy to spray down afterwards. At the end I hang all the film from clothes hangers to dry over the tub as well.
I have thought about getting one of those freestanding motors bases, but kind of like how compact the whole setup is now. A Jobo processor would take up my whole closet.

I hope this helps.

[buzzardkid]

Thanks! I particularly found the remark on 'het afwasteiltje' interesting: you must be Dutch!

Nobody non-Dutch would know a word like that, right?!

Anyway, I feel I'll be giving this a try sometime soon, I have a 5-roll Paterson tank that can do the job for a first test run!

[CNNY]

Originally Posted by buzzardkid

Thanks! I particularly found the remark on 'het afwasteiltje' interesting: you must be Dutch!

Nobody non-Dutch would know a word like that, right?!

Anyway, I feel I'll be giving this a try sometime soon, I have a 5-roll Paterson tank that can do the job for a first test run!

You may be on to something! (Although I have many hidden talents). I grew up in limburg. I still visit there when I can.
Good luck, c41 is not as scary as it seems.

[zauhar]

Beautiful results John, great work.

I,on the other hand, have been mostly disappointed in my C-41 results. I have good control of the temperature with a heat bath, but I think my downfall is agitation. I believe this really requires continuous agitation as provided by the Jobo developer.

I likewise had poor results with E-6, until I took to heart the instructions and agitated 15 sec every 30 sec (basically 15 sec on and 15 sec off). I think I might be even better off to just use continuous agitation in my usual Samigon tank.

Randy