DIY Color film development

f16sunshine · 03-19-2011

Are you developing your c41 and or e6 yourself?
I've just moved back out to the island and have no local labs nearby any longer.
Any tips before I gear up my darkroom for color development?
Hardware or chemistry advise? I only shoot 120 in color anymore. Are there any special considerations?
Thank you for your replies.
Cheers

Pirate · 03-19-2011

I've been developing C41 for the last year almost. It's fun and simple, I do it in the bathroom, it's so simple.

I have my chemicals in 2 liter plastic bottles and warm them up in the sink. My suggestion is to get (if you don't have) a proper thermometer to keep tabs on the water temp. What I did was get to know how hot my tap water was, then figure how long the bottles needed to sit in the water to get them up to proper operating temperature. Now all I do is fill the sink and put the bottles in for the time- all my temperatures have been figured, and since the hot water heater is set to a fixed temp, I know the water will be the same temp every time so I don't need to measure it again. It's a small time saving tip.

That same thermometer is sitting suspended on the sink and therefor reads the air temp for me, so I know if I need to keep the door closed to keep things a little warmer, or open it a bit to cool things off so the ambient temperature in that room will stay between 20 and 21 degrees C.

If you really get critical with your developing times, thats a good way to keep track of the details.

Also, I have three 1000 ML developing pitchers that I use to dump the chemical into from the tank when the times are up. Dumping into l the pitchers is fast and easy and I can set them out of the way while carrying on with the developing and keeping things agitated before I need to pour the chemicals back in the bottles to use the pitcher again. This helps save time, I just keep a little space between them so I don't get any chemical splash into the wrong pitcher. When I am at the rinsing stage, I can pour the chems back into the proper bottles and get things out of the way.

Hope that little bit helps

DanP · 03-19-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pirate

Also, I have three 1000 Liter developing pitchers...

1000 liter pitchers!! Is that a typo or I am reading it right?

Pirate · 03-19-2011

Yep, typo.... Mili-Liter, my bad

robklurfield · 03-19-2011

When not using those 1000 ltr beakers for film processing, Pirate parks his car in one of them.

Actually, apart from the size of those 10,000 mil pitchers, this sounds compelling.

Pirate · 03-19-2011

They're for developing that 1200 format film

Carterofmars · 03-23-2011

I may try my hand at c-41 developing. Might stop over at B&H see if they have some used canisters, beakers, etc. looks like a lot of fun...

wjlapier · 03-23-2011

I'm considering doing C41 too. I can do B+W with my eyes closed and I'm happy with my results. I'm not too critical about time--5 sec over usually.

How important is the temp and timing? What are the results of develop time going a little over prescribed? Finally, what kit should I consider for a beginner to get going? I'm CONUS and can either purchase from BH or Freestyle.

Carterofmars · 03-23-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by wjlapier

I'm considering doing C41 too. I can do B+W with my eyes closed and I'm happy with my results. I'm not too critical about time--5 sec over usually.

How important is the temp and timing? What are the results of develop time going a little over prescribed? Finally, what kit should I consider for a beginner to get going? I'm CONUS and can either purchase from BH or Freestyle.

You Tube the phrase c-41 developing, and you will learn a lot. I'd also advise watching with pen and paper and jot down the supplies you'll need, the names of manufactures, etc. As a matter of fact one video post actually thanks the members of the Range Finder Forum.

If you decide to do home c-41 at home, post your progress.

zhengpeng · 03-23-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by f16sunshine

Are you developing your c41 and or e6 yourself?
I've just moved back out to the island and have no local labs nearby any longer.
Any tips before I gear up my darkroom for color development?
Hardware or chemistry advise? I only shoot 120 in color anymore. Are there any special considerations?
Thank you for your replies.
Cheers

You don't need a darkroom. Get a changing bag, a jobo processor, some jobo developing tanks, a few measuring cups and, of course, all the chemicals.

Steve M. · 03-23-2011

Go for it. I have a photographer/painter friend that recently learned to develop his E6 large format film. It looks beautiful. Donald is 78 years old.

wjlapier · 03-29-2011

I just read a 6 page thread over on apug. This guy has developed 23 rolls of film with the 1L Tetenal Press Kit. Colors still looking good. Pretty impressive.

I have two kits and plan on developing some 135 and 120 after I get back from vacation. Looking forward to it.

I guess I have a couple of questions. Seems chems are poured back into original containers right? After 2, 4, 6...rolls, do you increase develop time? I read somewhere someone was adding 15 seconds per pair of rolls of film. So, 3:30, 3:45, 4:00, and so on. The guy on apug started to develop for 4 minutes after so many rolls--I'll have to re-read where he added more time.

Carterofmars · 03-29-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by wjlapier

I just read a 6 page thread over on apug. This guy has developed 23 rolls of film with the 1L Tetenal Press Kit. Colors still looking good. Pretty impressive.

I have two kits and plan on developing some 135 and 120 after I get back from vacation. Looking forward to it.

I guess I have a couple of questions. Seems chems are poured back into original containers right? After 2, 4, 6...rolls, do you increase develop time? I read somewhere someone was adding 15 seconds per pair of rolls of film. So, 3:30, 3:45, 4:00, and so on. The guy on apug started to develop for 4 minutes after so many rolls--I'll have to re-read where he added more time.

Please post when you find that info.

I have all my supplies. Just waiting for the light safe canister and a 12" thermometer because the 6" I have is too short. I also have to find one with a clip for the top of bottle if possible. If anyone knows where I can get a thermometer with a clip on top please post.

wjlapier · 03-30-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carterofmars

Please post when you find that info.

I have all my supplies. Just waiting for the light safe canister and a 12" thermometer because the 6" I have is too short. I also have to find one with a clip for the top of bottle if possible. If anyone knows where I can get a thermometer with a clip on top please post.

Not sure where to get one of those thermometers. I found mine in a camera store local. I also saw some larger--longer--- thermometers in a place that sells equipment for winemakers.

The guy who developed 23 rolls with one kit followed the kit's recommendations up to max amount of rolls. after that he added 30 secs to dev and blix. His pics afterwards still looked nice.

mugent · 03-30-2011

I just did some 35mm C41 dev for the first time just a few days ago, but I've done B&W loads of times. I used the Tetenal kit.

In principle it's easier than B&W, as the timing is fixed, follow the instructions, and you'll be OK.

Without a water heater, which I don't have, getting the temperature right was a pain, I may have been a couple of degrees off, but it came out OK, so I guess it's not as critical as some make out. If I was to make a habit of it, I'd get a heater.

My results were grainy, but it was one of those 'retro' 400 ISO films, so it may not have been my processing to blame.

I may try it again soon, but with 120, but I rarely get the time, so don't know how long that'll be.

MT