colour film lab stuff-ups (rant)

[lynnb]

In recent years I've enjoyed shooting film again, mostly bw but also the occasional roll of colour film, mainly Portra 160.

It's getting almost impossible to find any lab - minilab or pro lab - who can develop a roll of C41 without stuffing up in some way - either scratching the negs, leaving water marks etc. It's getting beyond a joke!

Below is an example from my most recent roll of Portra. Most of the negs were marked in this way - the marks are not surface marks or dust, it's damage to the neg. This is not untypical.

I really like the look of colour film, but honestly, this is enough to drive me back to digital!

Anyone with consistent good results from Sydney C41 labs, please let me know!

End of rant!

 

[Gerry M]

I'm in the U.S., but have these same problems here. Finally made me give up on color film. Even the custom labs leave something to be desired. So, for me, film for b&w and digi for color. 🙁

 

[zauhar]

Seriously?! It's been a while since I used a lab to process, but I have never seen anything like that. (I do realize this is directed more to folks down under.)

Any reason you have not tried C-41 yourself?

Randy

P.S. Nice image! Just says its lomo.

 

[V-12]

If you can already process your own B&W film using a Tetenal C41 kit is just as easy and needs no extra equipment, or at worst a washing up bowl for a water bath and a fishtank heater. High temperatures are not necessary and you can do it at 30c which any photo thermometer can manage. You can guarantee 12 rolls per 1 litre kit, more are theoretically possible but I chicken out before I start to get any inconsistencies creeping in.

V

 

[Particular]

Another vote for home c41 processing. I now use the tetenal liquid kit, which is easier to split into smaller batches. I go way beyond the recommended number of rolls. The critical issue is how many times you reuse the same liquids. I do large batches and try to do all the processing in a couple of sittings.

In NYC there thankfully are still lots of pro labs. I have occasionally used cvs which is a pharmacy. The last time I had some test rolls I wanted quickly, and I left detailed instructions for the film not to be cut. I asked not to sleeve it, but to just put the roll in an envelope, so I could feed it into my scanner. The girl who runs the place did everything perfectly. When I picked it up there was a different girl on shift. She saw the fat envelope, and was puzzled. "There is something wrong with the film, we can't print from it like this." I assured her that it was ok, and that I had asked for it to be like this. She then went to the back, and I watched her one by one pull both films from the envelope and inspect them slowly over the whole length holding them without gloves making fat thumb and finger prints on both sides. When she came back I said "I would prefer" if she held the film by the edges. She replied that it didn't matter because it had already been through the machine!

In those instances film cleaner saves the day. I now use 99% isopropyl alcohol in a little pump spray bottle to clean the film. Cheap and effective.

 

[zauhar]

Another vote for home c41 processing. I now use the tetenal liquid kit, which is easier to split into smaller batches. I go way beyond the recommended number of rolls. The critical issue is how many times you reuse the same liquids. I do large batches and try to do all the processing in a couple of sittings.

...

Do you mind sharing your agitation scheme? While I got pretty good results with a tank and stick agitation every 30 sec, things improved with a Jobo processor and constant agitation. Of course that is also with a small volume of chemical, so there are multiple variables in play.

But any hand processing would beat the 'pro lab' butchery that Lynn shares above.

Randy

 

[Robin P]

I've had plenty of negs with marks like that in recent years, all adds to the number of reasons to give up film altogether.
This week I finished the very last film in the house (B&W C41) and it came back impossibly thin, scratched and with marks similar to yours above on many frames - what made it doubly frustrating was the fact that it was with a modern AF SLR with a great lens so the results should have been great.
Very tempted to say I'll never use another film but being so ancient I know one should never say "never".

 

[V-12]

My agitation scheme is thirty seconds inversion then just to hold my Paterson tank in a bowl of water at the right temperature and very gently swirl the liquid with an added inversion on the minute, so no standing.

V

 

[robert blu]

I full understand what Lynn says having sometimes similar problem. Self developing is not appropriate solution for me for various reasons.Going full digital ? Maybe. Or shooting film with toycameras and the damages becomes part of the aesthetic! Justt kidding but the problem is real. In my case not so much dust or dirty film but scratches...
robert

 

[Darshan]

I get my C41 developed at Costco, have had great results always. Unfortunately, they don't develop 120 and since I process b&w at home, would like to try developing 120 (C41) at home.

 

[Spanik]

Can't say I ever had a lab stuff up like that. Not even far. Always excellent results. But I go to a family run company that takes pride in doing film and as such have a rather large customer base.

 

[zuiko85]

Not a problem where I live.....because it simply is not available at all. The local Costco was the last and they have stopped. I have discovered that there is a family business about a 55 mile round trip and if I get desperate I might just pay for the gas to go try them out.

 

[Eric T]

Lynn,
I now develop all C41 myself. It really isn't that hard. I buy the chemicals from freestyle along with the Peterson tank and a few bottles. Then I bought a water bath from ebay for about $50 to maintain temperature at a reasonable. (Athough a sink with warm water would probably do.)
Developing yourself is quite liberating and isn't very expensive.
Eric

 

[Particular]

Do you mind sharing your agitation scheme? While I got pretty good results with a tank and stick agitation every 30 sec, things improved with a Jobo processor and constant agitation. Of course that is also with a small volume of chemical, so there are multiple variables in play. But any hand processing would beat the 'pro lab' butchery that Lynn shares above. Randy

Hi Randy, I use a 1500 series Jobo tank with two extenders (1530 I think). I can fit 8x 35mm or 10x 120, with two 120 films per reel. I have two of these tanks, so I can develop a mix of 16-20 35mm/120 films in two runs, one after another. I sized this set up to take exactly 1liter of liquid, which is the size of the basic kit. I don't have (room for) a Jobo processor, so I roll the tank side to side on the floor of my bath tub. It is constant agitation, and I imagine I am as constant and vigorous as an automatic processor. The tricky part is pouring the chemicals which takes longer than I would like. I follow the times and temperatures in the instructions fairly closely. I use a plastic tub as a water bath for the plastic chemical and water bottles, but the tank is not in the bath so that temperature is not perfectly constant. I think my exposures are less constant than my developing, at least I'm blaming any bad results on that. It is mostly good though.

 

[gb hill]

I've been mostly able to fix scratches by editing my local processed C-41 negs from CVS. I will get one of these kits if the expense of developing gets too high or they quit altogether. I'm sure you can find a supplier who can ship to your location. I like supporting these guys in the States.

http://filmphotographyproject.com/store/unicolor-c-41-development-kit-1-liter-kit

 

[lynnb]

thanks guys for the interesting discussion. I've seen johnmcd's C41 home processing setup (I think it's Jobo) and it looks simple and manageable, but I'm not sure if the low volume of colour film I shoot would warrant getting the equipment.

Almost all the pictures on this roll were of my daughter, so they're valuable to me. I've just spent hours in Photoshop using the healing brush to touch up all the marks on ones I want to print. Aaaaargh.

Greg, thanks for the link to the Unicolor kit. I notice it says it will process Remjet film! Does that mean I can process my roll of expired Kodachrome 25 that missed the Dwayne's deadline? Unfortunately the kit is only available in the US, but it would be great if someone using this kit could develop that old roll for me!

 

[Ong]

Mind giving out who did the processing? Riesel? Vision Imaging? (dare I say Big W?)

 

[lynnb]

Ong, it was my local Camera House (Fuji Frontier lab). I've had similar unfortunate experiences with a local pro lab at Brookvale, as well as at Big W. I've never had a bad experience with Vision Imaging, which I've used for Velvia processing, but they're a 30-40min drive away. I think in future I'll use them. Never tried Riesel.

Any recommendations?

Cheers,

 

[gb hill]

Greg, thanks for the link to the Unicolor kit. I notice it says it will process Remjet film! Does that mean I can process my roll of expired Kodachrome 25 that missed the Dwayne's deadline? Unfortunately the kit is only available in the US, but it would be great if someone using this kit could develop that old roll for me!

I wish. I have a roll of Kodachrome I'd shoot if you could. This kit will process the Kodak Vision 3 cinema 35mm film which has a remjet backing. They have easy instructions on how to get the remjet off.

 

[Johnmcd]

thanks guys for the interesting discussion. I've seen johnmcd's C41 home processing setup (I think it's Jobo) and it looks simple and manageable, but I'm not sure if the low volume of colour film I shoot would warrant getting the equipment.

Hi Lynn,

Yep, it's Jobo and works very well with the Tetenal C-41 chems. It's easier than B/W actually as all speeds are the same time. The only thing that stops me from doing more colour is I can't print them in the darkroom.

More than welcome to save up a few films and come over and use the Jobo 🙂

Cheers - John