How are people developing E6 these days?

[ChipShorter]

So, a few years ago I got a crazy good deal on a jobo cpe2 with a bunch of bottles and cans and film spools, which I've been using to develop color film at home. Well, the machine has appeared to have given up the ghost. it lights up and heats up, but the motor no longer spins. Looking around on the bay, it looks like cpe's are still available, but they're way more costly than when I got mine.
And they're possibly not being produced anymore? I've read conflicting reports.

So I'm wondering: what are people doing to develop color film these days? Is there another process I should consider, or should I just suck it up and get another jobo?

Thanks!

 

[Frank Petronio]

Question is what do you do with film transparencies? Still doing slide shows or do you scan them?

Outside of slide shows or having a neat collection to show on a lightbox, it is hard to find a reason to shoot chromes anymore... the modern C41 films are easier to scan than before, contain a greater range of information, and can be plenty sharp.

If you want to send out to a good professional lab that still does runs a tight Refrema line for E6 because they still has the volume, try Edgar Praus at http://www.4photolab.com in Rochester, NY.

I think Freestyle is selling new Jobos in the USA.

 

[Fernando2]

I have a friend who develops my slides (along with his own).
He uses a Jobo CPE2 with Tetenal E6 kits.
They come out really good.

 

[kmallick]

I develop my medium format slides at home. For the 35mm E-6, I prefer to send them out because they come back sleeved and ready to go.

For home development, I bought a scientific temperature control bath from eBay for a song. This works great in temperature control.

 

[Balto]

I use a jobo CPE2 with the arista 3 bath kit from freestyle, everything comes out looking great. I was gifted about 100 rolls of slide film from a friend clearing out his freezer, so my only costs are chems.

 

[HHPhoto]

So, a few years ago I got a crazy good deal on a jobo cpe2 with a bunch of bottles and cans and film spools, which I've been using to develop color film at home. Well, the machine has appeared to have given up the ghost. it lights up and heats up, but the motor no longer spins. Looking around on the bay, it looks like cpe's are still available, but they're way more costly than when I got mine.

They've gone up in price because more photographers are developing at home now (compared to some years ago).
Higher demand = higher prices.

And they're possibly not being produced anymore? I've read conflicting reports.

They are built again, Jobo even introduced a new model last year:
http://www.jobo.com/JOBO-CPP3.949.0.html

So I'm wondering: what are people doing to develop color film these days? Is there another process I should consider, or should I just suck it up and get another jobo?

Thanks!

You can also use the Tetenal 3bath process.
Or get your Jobo repaired, than using FujiHunt E6 kit or Tetenal E6 3bath kit.
Or buy another used Jobo.
Or buy the new Jobo machine.
Or you can use one of the excellent E6 mail order labs:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=137289

You see, you have lot's of alternatives 🙂.

Wish you happy slide film shooting, cheers,
Jan

 

[MarinB]

I develop 35mm/medium format/70mm in a Paterson tank and sheet film formats up to 8x10" in Jobo 3010 and 3004 Expert drums, using FujiHunt Chrome6X kits. Those kits are the real deal and, thankfully, not overpriced in my neck o' the woods. In my experience, the proper tank/drum is the key. No processor, I do it all by hand. A Gossen Labosix timer with audible signals is used for exact timing and three titanium aquarium heaters, a small aquarium pump and four precise thermometers provide exact temperature control. I just use two DIY waterproof plywood/talc/epoxy/polyurethane trays, one for chemicals and the other for the tank/drum. Some types of plastic trays won't keep the temperature steady long enough. Even the drift-through temperature technique works fine if you're careful. So no real need for a processor, but it surely makes your job much easier. You just need to modify the Expert drum lids. PM me for details. Did many Velvia 50 and Provia 4x5" sheets in the last year and a half for two photographers and there were no complaints. I scan the transparencies on my own drum scanner.

 

[j j]

Well, the machine has appeared to have given up the ghost. it lights up and heats up, but the motor no longer spins.

If everything apart from the rolling mechanism still works maybe you could agitate by hand?

These machines are fairly simple items so your local hardware repairman may be able to get your motor running.