semrich
Well-known
I'm shooting mostly film now and started doing my own B&W developing close to two years ago.
On a trip to India I shot a bunch of 135 and 120 color film and I paid a lot to have it developed by a local "Pro" lab. What I got back was dust and water spotted negatives.
Shortly afterwards I saw and commented on some of Keith's color photos that he had just developed himself using the Tetenal Press Kit. I picked up some of the kits and finally got up enough nerve to have a go at it.
I went out and shot 4 rolls of 120 various ISO's and put two rolls through my Xpan and 2 rolls through my M3 with the Zeiss Sonnar.
Now for the good, bad, and ugly:
The Good: to begin with I was concerned about the difficulty of keeping the chemicals at 102F and ended up using a big kitchen kettle 27 cm wide X 14 cm deep with a thermostat controlled hot plate underneath. The pot was big enough to fit three 1L glass juice bottles with about 5 cm mouth (easy enough to pour the chemicals back into from the developing tank) and a plastic graduate for the pre soak water. Keeping the temperature controlled worked great.
Mixing the chemicals was easy, and I was more than pleased with the results. Here are 2 examples scanned with an Epson V750, auto settings, simple curves in CS3, very little dust spots and no water marks:
The Bad: I use stainless steel tanks and when the temperature is up to 102F the plastic press on lid is loose and when doing the inversions every 30 sec. the developer and Blix continuously leak out. The kit makes 1 liter each and I was using a 500 ML tank so I got all 8 rolls done without running out. Just a messy process where you need good ventilation.
If anyone can advise me about a tank that I don't need to invert to agitate I would use that for color film.
The Ugly: After developing the 4 rolls of 120 which looked good I started on two rolls from the M3, one roll of which I had one of those shots you knew was a keeper as soon a you press the shutter, feeling confident with the process now and not having to pour the pre-soak water back into a container just down the drain I inverted the tank, the lid popped off and both rolls of film tumbled into the sink. Some valuable lessons there about non attachment. If I can't find a more suitable tank for C41 you can be sure I will duct tape the lid in place the next time.
On a trip to India I shot a bunch of 135 and 120 color film and I paid a lot to have it developed by a local "Pro" lab. What I got back was dust and water spotted negatives.
Shortly afterwards I saw and commented on some of Keith's color photos that he had just developed himself using the Tetenal Press Kit. I picked up some of the kits and finally got up enough nerve to have a go at it.
I went out and shot 4 rolls of 120 various ISO's and put two rolls through my Xpan and 2 rolls through my M3 with the Zeiss Sonnar.
Now for the good, bad, and ugly:
The Good: to begin with I was concerned about the difficulty of keeping the chemicals at 102F and ended up using a big kitchen kettle 27 cm wide X 14 cm deep with a thermostat controlled hot plate underneath. The pot was big enough to fit three 1L glass juice bottles with about 5 cm mouth (easy enough to pour the chemicals back into from the developing tank) and a plastic graduate for the pre soak water. Keeping the temperature controlled worked great.
Mixing the chemicals was easy, and I was more than pleased with the results. Here are 2 examples scanned with an Epson V750, auto settings, simple curves in CS3, very little dust spots and no water marks:
The Bad: I use stainless steel tanks and when the temperature is up to 102F the plastic press on lid is loose and when doing the inversions every 30 sec. the developer and Blix continuously leak out. The kit makes 1 liter each and I was using a 500 ML tank so I got all 8 rolls done without running out. Just a messy process where you need good ventilation.
If anyone can advise me about a tank that I don't need to invert to agitate I would use that for color film.
The Ugly: After developing the 4 rolls of 120 which looked good I started on two rolls from the M3, one roll of which I had one of those shots you knew was a keeper as soon a you press the shutter, feeling confident with the process now and not having to pour the pre-soak water back into a container just down the drain I inverted the tank, the lid popped off and both rolls of film tumbled into the sink. Some valuable lessons there about non attachment. If I can't find a more suitable tank for C41 you can be sure I will duct tape the lid in place the next time.
Gaspar
Established
I had exactly the same issue when I started. see http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71676&highlight=LEAKY+TANKS
Al Kaplan
Veteran
See if you can find an old Nikor or Kinderman tank from the 1960's or older, with a stainless steel lid. The oldest ones, the ones with a straight baffle across the mouth, had the lids and caps hand lapped to EXACTLY fit, no leaks, but you had to keep the parts together or OMG did they ever leak! Mine were marked with different colors of Dymo tape. Nearly half a century later they still don't leak and the tape is still there!
novum
Well-known
Nothing like hot blix burning your skin! After it runs down your arm and into your kitchen gloves.
Dave Wilkinson
Veteran
I had a go - many years ago, but fortunately over here I can get a roll done in under an hour, at 'Tesco' for the paltry sum of 99p.!...and my branch does a clean job, so it's just not worth the hassle anymore.
Dave.
Dave.
le vrai rdu
Well-known
I'm shooting mostly film now and started doing my own B&W developing close to two years ago.
On a trip to India I shot a bunch of 135 and 120 color film and I paid a lot to have it developed by a local "Pro" lab. What I got back was dust and water spotted negatives.
Shortly afterwards I saw and commented on some of Keith's color photos that he had just developed himself using the Tetenal Press Kit. I picked up some of the kits and finally got up enough nerve to have a go at it.
I went out and shot 4 rolls of 120 various ISO's and put two rolls through my Xpan and 2 rolls through my M3 with the Zeiss Sonnar.
Now for the good, bad, and ugly:
The Good: to begin with I was concerned about the difficulty of keeping the chemicals at 102F and ended up using a big kitchen kettle 27 cm wide X 14 cm deep with a thermostat controlled hot plate underneath. The pot was big enough to fit three 1L glass juice bottles with about 5 cm mouth (easy enough to pour the chemicals back into from the developing tank) and a plastic graduate for the pre soak water. Keeping the temperature controlled worked great.
Mixing the chemicals was easy, and I was more than pleased with the results. Here are 2 examples scanned with an Epson V750, auto settings, simple curves in CS3, very little dust spots and no water marks:
The Bad: I use stainless steel tanks and when the temperature is up to 102F the plastic press on lid is loose and when doing the inversions every 30 sec. the developer and Blix continuously leak out. The kit makes 1 liter each and I was using a 500 ML tank so I got all 8 rolls done without running out. Just a messy process where you need good ventilation.
If anyone can advise me about a tank that I don't need to invert to agitate I would use that for color film.
The Ugly: After developing the 4 rolls of 120 which looked good I started on two rolls from the M3, one roll of which I had one of those shots you knew was a keeper as soon a you press the shutter, feeling confident with the process now and not having to pour the pre-soak water back into a container just down the drain I inverted the tank, the lid popped off and both rolls of film tumbled into the sink. Some valuable lessons there about non attachment. If I can't find a more suitable tank for C41 you can be sure I will duct tape the lid in place the next time.
thanks for the feed back
so arcording to you, it is quite easy ?
i should give a try
lorriman
Established
Where are these mythical tescos? My local Tescos did but don't any more.
Anyone know of a Tescos in London or near that does this still? Asda has gone up to £2 no CD.
novum
Well-known
thanks for the feed back
so arcording to you, it is quite easy ?
i should give a try
Dead easy, especially if you have a big, deep sink.
Trius
Waiting on Maitani
What Al said on the tanks with fitted lids and caps. I have a bit of a mishmash right now. For b&w it's not a big deal, but I really should sort them out.
Dave Wilkinson
Veteran
Two Tesco's here - one new Superstore in the center of town, and one on the outskirts - both 99p. by the time I've been for a coffee (not Starbucks! ) and looked at the digi-toys in the two remaining camera shops, they are ready to take home and scan!, but no CDWhere are these mythical tescos? My local Tescos did but don't any more.
Anyone know of a Tescos in London or near that does this still? Asda has gone up to £2 no CD.
Dave.
Steve M.
Veteran
The scans you posted look very good. I suspect that duct tape will work out fine, as I haven't found many things that it doesn't work well with.
The difficult part of non attachment is trying to not become attached to the idea. No amount of reasoning will work. Just sit for 15 minutes. Thanks for the informative post and great pics.
The difficult part of non attachment is trying to not become attached to the idea. No amount of reasoning will work. Just sit for 15 minutes. Thanks for the informative post and great pics.
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
The latest Jobo tanks have a top that locks on positively and they also have an expandable membrane in the separate push on cap that allows for gas expansion ... which you always get with this process, especially the blix. My Paterson tank always weeps around the lid throughout the process with C41 but is fine with black and white.
For temperature control ... I don't bother with water baths any more. I use a fairly powerful fan forced heater in my darkroom. I sit everything in front of it until it's up to temperature by which stage the room has got pretty warm also and I generally have to this in shorts and t-shirt to avoid heat exhaustion!
With the room at around 30deg C or more the temperatute drop of the solutions in the six minutes it takes to do the whole process is negligable.
Congratulations Richard ... nice results but shame about dropping the other stuff in the sink!
For temperature control ... I don't bother with water baths any more. I use a fairly powerful fan forced heater in my darkroom. I sit everything in front of it until it's up to temperature by which stage the room has got pretty warm also and I generally have to this in shorts and t-shirt to avoid heat exhaustion!
With the room at around 30deg C or more the temperatute drop of the solutions in the six minutes it takes to do the whole process is negligable.
Congratulations Richard ... nice results but shame about dropping the other stuff in the sink!
AJShepherd
Well-known
I've tried C41 development with a Tetenal Colortec kit, and so far it's gone OK. I usually dunk my chemical bottles in a sink full of really hot water for a while to get them up to temperature, and top up the sink with water from the kettle if the temperature drops a bit.
I'm using plastic tanks and I do find that if I shake them too vigourously I do get the odd splashes, but nothing drastic.
Ektar 100 in Voigtlander R3A:
Fuji Pro 400 in Holga:
For 35mm it's probably no cheaper than taking them to the nearest Boots or Snappy Snaps, but for 120 it's a lot cheaper. And it's quite satisfying when you take the spool out and hang it up to try and see your negatives for the first time.
I'm using plastic tanks and I do find that if I shake them too vigourously I do get the odd splashes, but nothing drastic.
Ektar 100 in Voigtlander R3A:
Fuji Pro 400 in Holga:
For 35mm it's probably no cheaper than taking them to the nearest Boots or Snappy Snaps, but for 120 it's a lot cheaper. And it's quite satisfying when you take the spool out and hang it up to try and see your negatives for the first time.
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le vrai rdu
Well-known
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
I think price comparison between lab and doing it yourself has little to do with the satisfaction gained when you do your first C41 at home ... depending on your outlook I guess!
I would love to have a go at E-6 one day but the chemicals here in Oz seem to be damned expensive and Freestyle won't send the kits by air unfortunately ... !
I would love to have a go at E-6 one day but the chemicals here in Oz seem to be damned expensive and Freestyle won't send the kits by air unfortunately ... !
lorriman
Established
Two Tesco's here - one new Superstore in the center of town, and one on the outskirts - both 99p. by the time I've been for a coffee (not Starbucks! ) and looked at the digi-toys in the two remaining camera shops, they are ready to take home and scan!, but no CD
Dave.
I've had a look on the Tesco site but I can't track these stores down. Where are they actually located? Or are you not talking of London?