Colour development: tale of woe

[Moto-Uno]

^ +1. I enjoy C-41 at home , a camping cooler is great for temp control , even with b&w film I have found that I invert the container once and then loosen the lid and that's pretty well the end of chemistry trying to escape from the tank . Peter

 

[olifaunt]

I find C-41 is much simpler than black & white. By that I mean look at the gadzillion different types of developers available for black and white film.

Well, no, you can just choose one B&W developer and stick with it. Nothing simpler.

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

Or you can look at achieving different contrast, grain, detail and overall look with different developers too. All at a far more sensible 20 degrees.

But yes, master a black and white developer and it's simplicity itself, especially one shot.

 

[Fraser]

Once you get the hang of it its probably easier than black and white in some ways because there is a definite right and wrong. I first started processing with a jobo processor (bought one for £40 before film got popular again) but now I use a Durst coterm which uses hot air rather than hot water to heat the chemicals so you can have everything up to temp in 5-10minutes.
Hang in there good luck!

 

[Russell W. Barnes]

I guess "burping" the lid on the Paterson tank doesn't help with the warm soup, it warms up the air inside which then expands... well that sucks.

I've had a go at C41 colour developing and it worked a treat, but I agitated it with the Paterson 'twiddle-stick' with the tank in the water bath as I was concerned with keeping it at the correct temp - and agitation times are more frequent for colour than B&W. I agree that Blix is a bit bothersome though! A titchy drop of it leaves quite a stain.

I might have another go sometime with a sous-vide in the sink, but don't know if I can shoot off enough colour film in the time it takes the chems to go off to justify spending thirty quid or so. I suppose the answer is to save the films up after shooting and do them in batches.

I did try stand-developing C41 and it actually worked (initial agitations then leave it) but although the colours were true and consistent, the results were grainier than if I'd developed it at 30 or 38.5C.

 

[Ted Striker]

Some time ago I bought a colour development kit and a few rolls of film: it has sat around for five years . . . because of . . . of what? Innate laziness or a sixth sense that colour would be difficult?

I did the same thing. Bought a set of C41 chemicals, a Sous vide heater and then promptly never used them. Even bought a Jobo. It sits in my basement unused.



I have over 60 rolls of color film undeveloped. I doubt my chemicals are any good and I'm not going to buy or send in my film. Too much money.


So I just stopped shooting color film. All the labs in my area have closed down so I am unlikely to ever develop this film. It was stupid to spend all that money but there you go.

 

[Russell W. Barnes]

I have over 60 rolls of color film undeveloped. I doubt my chemicals are any good and I'm not going to buy or send in my film. Too much money.

I suppose if there's anything on those films you wish to get off you could develop them as B&W films in B&W chemicals? I've done that before.

 

[traveler_101]

Ok what do we have in the way of suggestions? (Please do not take this too seriously - lol)

On the one hand: secure the tank top properly - it was probably my fault all along (except I never had this problem before with a couple of hundred b&w rolls developed). On the second hand - acquire a sous vide heater (where to put it when not in use?), treat the soup as you would a good martini - stirred not shaken, run hot water continuously to maintain temperature (electricity to hear water is getting expensive). On the third hand, follow Dr Striker's advice (take my losses and consider it a lesson learned).

 

[jwc57]

I was thinking about developing C41 with a kit....but found out my local camera store develops c41 for $3.99/24 roll. I'll let them do it.

 

[Russell W. Barnes]

Our local store (Penrith UK) used to do a really good C41 develop package, including Hi-res scans, at very reasonable costs.

But then they went all tired and the service went down to 'we send it off every Monday', then the films started coming back and it was evident the lab had been using tired chemicals; apathy had set in and the local store didn't want to know anymore.

The resurgence in film use has livened a lot of the labs up, I'm pleased to say, and there're good labs out there.

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

I agree with that Russell - I have had excellent results from one send off lab - FilmDev - that is very reasonable. If I didn't develop my own, I'd send it there in a heartbeat. At £4 a roll for C41 development and low res scan, I might resume using them for some colour.

 

[Ted Striker]

I suppose if there's anything on those films you wish to get off you could develop them as B&W films in B&W chemicals? I've done that before.

Interesting idea. Thank you. I develop b&w film all the time.

 

[Moto-Uno]

^ If the chemicals are still in their original packages , they're probably okay . Peter