Does anyone here process E6 at home?

6

68degrees

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If so where are you getting your chemcals? When i start doing it I want to use stock chemicals and not a kit. Whats the longevity on the E6 chemicals when mixed, is it comparable to B&W? Also what would the cost be compared to black and white? 2x 3x 4x cost or ?? I dont want to mount the transparencies just make short 5 frame filmstrips.

Thanks
Gary
 
I used Tetenal Colortec kit off eBay. The longevity is specified in the manual, it's 6 weeks in closed containers I think.
 
I did this, not with E6, but with E3, back in the 1970's. There are a lot of steps to keep track of! I recorded a tape of music, with voice-over instructions "pour out the first developer now" to help with the timing and to get the steps in order. (Sort of like Mannes and Godowski whistling classical music in the darkroom to time Kodachrome. That's where I got the idea.) The slides are still good, have not faded, after 40+ years.
 
I believe stock chemicals for color come in large quantities, not intended for the home developer.

The kits are not too expensive, and the results are good with a little practice .

Randy
 
Yes I did a lot with Kodak "hobby kit" when it was available, later on I went to commercial labs asking to buy the ends of the large LORR packages, that would go bad because of the large air volume in those square containers. That was very cheap as the lab would toss the remaining amount anyway.
There are a few very important steps to be aware of. Fix in the reels is a KILLER for the slides in the next batch!, If your slides will be purple and film base seems red, you have not washed your system: Reels, tank, the mixing equipment THOROUGHLY. !!!
If your slides seem milky and have no contrast, you have neglected the Bleach regeneration: That is done with vigorous shaking of the bleach so the air bubbles activate the bleach. Otherwise it is a straightforward process, but the time and temperature in the first bath is critical. A stop watch and digital thermometer is a must.
 
68degrees said:
If so where are you getting your chemcals? When i start doing it I want to use stock chemicals and not a kit.
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I really don't think there are many (if any?) users of this forum that mix their own E-6 solutions.

I've found just developing E-6 quite a bit harder than C-41, but sourcing every single component, measuring/weighing, mixing all the chemicals and then praying that I got it right... No thanks! I'd rather just pay €2 per roll for available E-6 kit chemistry used single-shot.

Good luck! Report back.
 
I use the tetnal e6 kit, which I buy from macodirect.de. The mixed solutions can be used up to 2 weeks, without any noticeable problem, from my experience. Anyway, you don't have to mix the whole 1l or 5l kit. Most of the time, I mix just 250ml of solution, which is enough for 3 films, then I discard the used solutions right away. The concentrated stock lasts quite a bit, longer than recommended by the manufacturer, again without visible problems (more than a year, from my experience).

E6 isn't really hard. Anyway, I don't find it harder than c41. Basically all you need is a good thermometer and a basin of hot water. I have a Jobo tempering box , but before it I used to develop my colour films in my bathtub, with very good results.
 
bogdanb said:
I use the tetnal e6 kit, which I buy from macodirect.de. The mixed solutions can be used up to 2 weeks, without any noticeable problem, from my experience. Anyway, you don't have to mix the whole 1l or 5l kit. Most of the time, I mix just 250ml of solution, which is enough for 3 films, then I discard the used solutions right away. The concentrated stock lasts quite a bit, longer than recommended by the manufacturer, again without visible problems (more than a year, from my experience).

E6 isn't really hard. Anyway, I don't find it harder than c41. Basically all you need is a good thermometer and a basin of hot water. I have a Jobo tempering box , but before it I used to develop my colour films in my bathtub, with very good results.
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Thank you B!
 
I do it regularly with the Arista E-6 1 quart kit that I buy from Freestyle. I can develop twelve 120 rolls (equivalent to 35mm roll) from this kit. That comes to about $3.33 per roll (including shipping cost of the kit). I try to develop the films in a batch. I can develop 4 rolls a day in Paterson tank and finish the batch in 3 consecutive days. I am sure the chemicals last longer than that, but my workflow is down to a point where I get it over with once I mix the chemicals, set up the temperature bath etc.

Once in a while I also use the Tetenal E-6 kit from Freestyle which is more expensive in the US. I save and re-use the stabilizer from that kit (missing in Arista kit) that supposedly saves the E-6 film from fungus and other bad stuff.
 
kmallick said:
I do it regularly with the Arista E-6 1 quart kit that I buy from Freestyle. I can develop twelve 120 rolls (equivalent to 35mm roll) from this kit. That comes to about $3.33 per roll (including shipping cost of the kit). I try to develop the films in a batch. I can develop 4 rolls a day in Paterson tank and finish the batch in 3 consecutive days. I am sure the chemicals last longer than that, but my workflow is down to a point where I get it over with once I mix the chemicals, set up the temperature bath etc.

Once in a while I also use the Tetenal E-6 kit from Freestyle which is more expensive in the US. I save and re-use the stabilizer from that kit (missing in Arista kit) that supposedly saves the E-6 film from fungus and other bad stuff.
Click to expand...

Interesting. Are you happy with the results? Thanks.
 
68degrees said:
Interesting. Are you happy with the results? Thanks.
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Yes, most definitely! At least for my amateur use. As you know, temperature control is key. Since I do E-6 and C41 at home a lot, I invested in a a scientific temperature control bath which works great.

e6_lab.jpg


I like to project 6x6 and 6x7 slides. For the 35mm E-6, I prefer to send them to Fuji lab (Dwayne's) because they come back sleeved and ready to go.
 
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