Always flirting with Film

[jmarcus]

Is color film much harder to develop?

Is it more expensive?

Do you do it?

thanks,
James

 

[Leighgion]

Flirting is all well and fine, but eventually you have to brave asking for the date.

I don't do my own color film at home right now, but am told while it's more temperature sensitive than B&W process, it's not too difficult.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Dear James,

It's easy enough with a bucket of hot water as a water-bath. It's even easier (and cheaper, because you need less chemistry) with a CPE-2, preferably with lift. Yes, it is temperature-critical, and processing times are short, but if you look past the dire warnings to what actually happens with slightly out-of-spec processing, it doesn't have to be quite as perfect as you might think.

I process my own E6 (no lab for miles around) and sometimes my own C41, but I can also get that processed by a professional photographer about 10 miles away.

Mixed developers are quite short-lived (so only mix what you need, one-shot) but concentrates keep for a few months. Bleach-fix keeps well.

Cheers,

R.