What Kodak chemical kit I should buy to develop color for Kodak portrait C41

[ThangNguyen]

Hi,
I now familiar with develop BW film. I would like to start with Kodak color film. But there are too meny kits on BH so I am not really sure which one I should use to develop my Kodak portra films. And it looks like I can only buy it at store. Is there another option to buy online? I would like to buy Kodak chemical.

Thank you!
Thang

 

[Keith]

I've had excellent results with Kodak Portra with the C41 kits sold by Freestyle and B&H ... Unicolor and Tetenal.

These one litre kits easily develop a dozen rolls of film and costs under twenty dollars. Because the kits are powder there is no problem with shipping.

 

[Trius]

If you want Kodak chemistry, you probably want C41-RA, but I'm not sure where you can buy it. Freestyle's Arista C41 kit may be the same or equivalent. If it were me, I would try to get a "real" Kodak kit unless I was sure it was the same thing rebranded. Kodak has such great quality control. Except for its board of directors, of course.

 

[emayoh]

I'm not the best scanner or most-conscientious developer, but here is a good result from using a Unicolor kit from Freestyle with some Portra 160NC in 120 format.


kristen's kitchen by Redfishingboat (Mick O), on Flickr

 

[oceanpriest]

I've had excellent results with Kodak Portra with the C41 kits sold by Freestyle and B&H ... Unicolor and Tetenal.

These one litre kits easily develop a dozen rolls of film and costs under twenty dollars. Because the kits are powder there is no problem with shipping.

I guess both unicolor and tetenal are same. CMIIW

I bought one Tetenal press kit from B&H, and the box shows "Jobo C-41 press kit". The printed instruction manual is exactly the same as the unicolors at freestyle's website.

Here's my first result developing expired Kodak 160nc film

 

[wasabean]

i was going to ask the same question. i've used the tetenal with great results, but i don't want to have to accumalate 12+ rolls before i mix the powders and develop my c41's.

i know kodak sells a c-41sm kit which basically is the same, it makes 1 litre but i believe it doesnt yeild as many rolls as the tetenal kit.

i know the chemicals needed for c41 are:
1. developer
2. bleach
3. fixer
4. stabalizer (+photo-flo)

but i get confused and don't know what replinisher vs regenerator means. i want to buy the dilutions and mix it when i needed so i can develop a couple rolls at a time, not 12 at a time.

 

[sevo]

but i get confused and don't know what replinisher vs regenerator means

Probably nothing you should bother about. Replenisher vs. regenerator differ in their application, and will be process and machine specific. When doing manual and/or low volume processing you don't need/can't use either - the process drift when using replenishment/regeneration would be more uncontrollable than when simply disposing of the chemistry after depletion and starting anew.

You should know from the manual that you need one or the other if you happen to own a high volume automatic processor...

 

[wasabean]

thats very good information, thank you.

so what options do i have besides using the tetenal kit?

Probably nothing you should bother about. Replenisher vs. regenerator differ in their application, and will be process and machine specific. When doing manual and/or low volume processing you don't need/can't use either - the process drift when using replenishment/regeneration would be more uncontrollable than when simply disposing of the chemistry after depletion and starting anew.

You should know from the manual that you need one or the other if you happen to own a high volume automatic processor...

 

[emayoh]

wasabean: The amount of chemicals you mix when needed to develop a couple rolls at a time will not differ all that much from 1 liter actually. If you are developing 2 rolls of 135 in a plastic tank, you're going to need ~575ml anyway. The reason people save up rolls to develop 12 rolls in a shot is not because the kit has such a large amount of chemicals -- it's that you want to re-use the small amount of chemicals as much as possible so that the chemicals deplete due to cost-effective use and not deplete due to air+time. If you mix enough just for two rolls, and then discard the solution, you'll burn through your a la carte chemicals pretty fast, too. If you don't care about cost-per-roll, the convenience may be worth it.

Also the fact that the Kodak kit doesn't yield as many rolls as the Tetanal kit is likely due only to marketing. You can likely reuse the chems more times than Kodak recommends.

 

[wasabean]

that’s what i currently do with my B&W developments. i mix 500ml solutions at a time and process. i have so much B&W chemicals that it doesn’t financially hurt me if i do it that way.

plus, mixed chemicals have a shelf life. i wouldn’t have a problem if i were able to exhaust the mixed chemicals before it hits the shelf life, but i usually find myself hitting the shelf life before i exhaust the chemicals. but the cost savings of diy development greatly outweighs the cost of having the lab do it at ~$5 a pop. a tetenal kit is $20, i benefit in just 5 rolls which is less the tetenal advertised yield. too bad shelf life of mixed chemistry is only 2-3weeks =(

wasabean: The amount of chemicals you mix when needed to develop a couple rolls at a time will not differ all that much from 1 liter actually. If you are developing 2 rolls of 135 in a plastic tank, you're going to need ~575ml anyway. The reason people save up rolls to develop 12 rolls in a shot is not because the kit has such a large amount of chemicals -- it's that you want to re-use the small amount of chemicals as much as possible so that the chemicals deplete due to cost-effective use and not deplete due to air+time. If you mix enough just for two rolls, and then discard the solution, you'll burn through your a la carte chemicals pretty fast, too. If you don't care about cost-per-roll, the convenience may be worth it.

Also the fact that the Kodak kit doesn't yield as many rolls as the Tetanal kit is likely due only to marketing. You can likely reuse the chems more times than Kodak recommends.

 

[loquax ludens]

Photographer's Formulary sells a Flexicolor C41 Process Kit 1Lt. It's repackaged Kodak chemicals.

Freestyle has several options too, including Arista, Rollei, and Unicolor. The first two are liquid kits, the last one is powdered (Unicolor) and is the same as the Tetenal / Jobo Press Kit.

You can also buy Kodak chemicals from a mini-lab supplier like Pakor. I have only bought RA-4 chemicals from them, but they have all the C-41 chemicals too. But if you go this route, you will have to buy large quantities, and shipping is rather high.

You might be able to source some or all of the chemicals at Adorama too. I believe, unlike B&H, they will ship.

If you are in Europe, this might be the way to go: Fuji C-41 Film X-Press Kit for 5 Liter

The Trebla chemistry from Armadillo Photo Supply is another option.