E-6

[oscroft]

Just wondering if anyone here does their own E-6 processing - I usually come back from spells in Thailand with 5 or 6 exposed films, and it's a real pain having to wait 3 weeks for Jessops to process them.

I've been looking at the Tetenal 5L 6-bath kit, which costs £63 at Silverprint (only the 3-bath kit seems to come in smaller quantities, but smaller packs are very expensive per film). Has anyone used the 6-bath kit or anything similar? How many films would a 5L pack process? What is the shelf life of the chemicals like? Is it generally cost-effective to do it yourself? (I'm not worried about technical difficulties - I've done E-4 a long time ago, with actual old-fashioned reversal exposure).

Any advice would be welcomed

 

[kully]

Three weeks!? That's astounding - I bet they're expensive as well.

dlab7.com are based in Guernsey and if you buy five vouchers at a time the cost is £3/roll (mounted). I normally get my slides back on Thursday if I send them out on Monday, or the following Monday if I ask for a push.

 

[Mark Wood]

25 years or so ago (was it really so long ago...), I used to process all of my own E6 films with the 6 bath "Barfen" kit that was available quite cheaply in the UK. (It cost around £1 per film to process.) At this time, the E4 process had just died out (although Ektachrome IR film still needed it) and apart from the obvious improvements in film emulsions, the major advantage of E6 was seen as the chemical reversal step which replaced the re-exposure step in E4. Was it easy? Well, the only absolutely critical step is the first development stage where exact temperature control and timing are essential. The Barfen kit quoted a temperature range of 37±0.3 °C for this step which isn't trivial to achieve over the 7 minutes needed. The other steps weren't so critical (the worst was one requiring temperature control within a couple of degrees) but juggling 6 baths and maintaining a washing-up bowl, solutions and developing tank at 37 °C ideally needs at least two pairs of hands! The results were good and the pictures survive to this day but when the cost of E6 processing in real terms dropped, I gave up. (4 bath kits were available at the time but the view was that they were a compomise when final image quality was taken into account.)

 

[Mark Wood]

PS. Peak Imaging and Fujilab in the UK usually get processed E6 films back within a week. My experience is that Jessops is sadly no longer a photographic store.

 

[oscroft]

Thanks all. It certainly sounds like I should forget the idea of processing E-6 myself and just use one of those cheaper and faster places you've suggested. As I get my film from 7dayshop, it makes sense to try dlab7.com first, I guess - I'll get some vouchers with my next order.

Thanks again

 

[phototone]

Just wondering if anyone here does their own E-6 processing - - I've done E-4 a long time ago, with actual old-fashioned reversal exposure).

Any advice would be welcomed

I do E-6 processing all the time in my sink-line using 3.5 gallon stainless steel tanks in a water jacket. Piece of cake.

However, E-4 (which I used to do also) is not an "old-fashioned reversal exposure", as it had a chemical reversal bath, just like E-6. E-4 took about 56 minutes to do, as I remember.

It was E-2 and E-3 which required the timed exposure to a light source for reversal. I have done that process also, what a pain, and the emulsion of the film was very delicate. (not hardened).

 

[oscroft]

However, E-4 (which I used to do also) is not an "old-fashioned reversal exposure", as it had a chemical reversal bath, just like E-6. E-4 took about 56 minutes to do, as I remember.

It was E-2 and E-3 which required the timed exposure to a light source for reversal. I have done that process also, what a pain, and the emulsion of the film was very delicate. (not hardened).

Oh, wow, I guess it must have been E-3 I used to do then - I do have to keep reminding myself how much older I am than I'd like

 

[Trius]

I used to use the Tetenal 3-bath kit and while the first run was nail-biting because it was, after all, my first time, it was a great success and I continued to use that kit when I did E-6. I really don't have the facilities to do it now, but that may change down the road.

BTW, the Agfachrome 64 in the Tetenal was spectacularly good. Sadly the film is gone.

 

[rhogg]

E-6 at home

E-6 at home

I process E6 at home. I have used both the Agfa kits and the bulk Kodak chemicals in a JOBO. Takes about 35 minutes, costs a little less, but produces better results and has turn around I control.

I shoot about 15 - 20 rolls of E6 a year and have found that the Kodak chemicals last much longer than the recommend storage life.

There is an initial investment and I doubt its ever really recovered except through satisfaction, control and convenience.

 

[Mark Wood]

Apologies if I added any confusion about a re-exposure step in the E4 process. I was thinking back to a processing kit (with film) that 3M sold in the late '70s which I'd wrongly assumed was E4. Clearly it wasn't - I wonder if it was an old AGFA film/process type?

 

[oscroft]

Apologies if I added any confusion about a re-exposure step in the E4 process. I was thinking back to a processing kit (with film) that 3M sold in the late '70s which I'd wrongly assumed was E4.

Aha, I think that was it - it was definitely '70s, and now that you mention it I think it was 3M I used