My C-41 home dev results

[squirrel$$$bandit]

Well folks, I cannot believe I waited so long to do this. On Keith's advice, I used the Unicolor/Tetanal press kit 3-bath system, right there in my workroom sink, and had no problems at all. It is not difficult to keep the dev at 102 degrees for 3.5 minutes. Results are far, far better than I have ever gotten from the local labs. I am a total convert. Cameras are Canonet GL17 and Pentax ME Super w/50/1.4. Film is Agfa Ultra, not yet expired!

Flickr set:
http://flickr.com/photos/mabelsound/sets/72157608335445286/

Some samples:

 

[sepiareverb]

Like the chicken shot. Now some of the Fotospeed RA4 and you're printing at home too!

 

[valdas]

great results. i do at home e6 using tetenal, but i keen to try c-41 as well.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

E6 is next of course! Is there a kit as simple and small-batch as the C41 kit?

Sepia, I have never printed, not even B&W! Someday. I have to build a darkroom--we don't have any windowless rooms in our house, so it would have to be in the basement...

 

[steverett]

The E-6 kit is more complicated and the development process is longer (~30-40 min). However, the concentrates are all liquid, so it's easy to mix small batches at a time. They only keep 2 weeks, and I would not recommend trying to stretch that. I used 3- or 4-week old chems once, and my blacks turned red.

 

[valdas]

tetenal makes 3 bath and 6 bath kits. i use 3 bath, it's quite simple

 

[sepiareverb]

Sepia, I have never printed, not even B&W! Someday. I have to build a darkroom--we don't have any windowless rooms in our house, so it would have to be in the basement...

My darkroom has a window- as have most of the ones I've worked in. Few things as fine as doing your toning on a beautiful spring day with the windows open. Even mid-winter having the plywood cover off the window makes anything one does in white light more enjoyable for the natural light.

When I print on moonless summer nights I can even have the windows open! Listening to the frogs sing while printing is wonderful.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

So you don't need darkness to print? Forgive me, I'm a total novice in that area.

 

[sepiareverb]

No, darkness is required for printing, but if it is dark enough outside I can keep the windows open. Much darkroom work is done under white light, so those tasks are great with open windows or at least no blinders over the window when it gets too cold outside (like this morning- brrr)

I've got a plywood cover over the window that is hinged along the top, so I can open it up and hold it open with a hook in the ceiling.

You should give printing a try sometime- maybe a local college or high school still has darkrooms. It really is one of my favorite things to do.

 

[Morca007]

Looks great! I may have to start doing this myself.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

I never thought of that--only printing at night. Maybe I'll just do that. A friend of mine is willing to sell me his enlarger, in fact.

I'm on paid study leave from my teaching job in spring, and I'm supposed to be writing, but something tells me I'm going to be doing a hell of a lot of photography.

 

[Svitantti]

Tetenal kits will stay good long if you get the air out of the containers. We bought a 5 L E-6 kit last december or january and it is still going strong. Stored room temperature.

Also the working solutions keep better when there is no air in the containers. Never took notes of exact times between mixing and last films but must be a month or two - perfect results as far as my eye can see.

We just use Cola-bottles and push the air out and store room temperature. (Cola-bottles are PET-plastic or something like that and they let not much air throught them... Opposite to some products they sell exclusively for darkroom etc.)

 

[sepiareverb]

I'm on paid study leave from my teaching job in spring...

Wow. I lost half my classes this semester, that's why I'm in the darkroom a lot more. Using up all the odd partial boxes of paper, so I'm cleaning up in some fashion anyway.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

Wow. I lost half my classes this semester, that's why I'm in the darkroom a lot more. Using up all the odd partial boxes of paper, so I'm cleaning up in some fashion anyway.

I'm in the English department of my college (Cornell), which is a bit more stable than most art departments I think. Two more years to tenure. Hang on, mabelsound...😉

 

[Svitantti]

1 hour labs have chemicals that have to be replenished and reused for many many times. I'm pretty sure they often don't take enough care of their chemicals and that is why it could go wrong.

Also the handling of the negatives or films depends a lot on which lab is it. The films also go through many reels inside the machine, which might make scratches if they aren't clean etc... Something that doesn't happen when you process your films in a small tank instead.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

Yeah, there is no pro lab in my town, and I had been relying on the supermarket. There is a wonderful lab in Rochester, Preis Productions, but it's either a two-hour drive or a three- or four-day wait. That's where I send my velvia...though perhaps not for long!

 

[Gaspar]

In what way are the results better than the photo lab? Is it better grain, colour, what is it??

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

The colors came out more intense--results from the supermarket always seemed kind of dull to me, often with a greenish cast. Outdoor scenes appear more natural. In addition, the supermarket always used to scratch my negs. Grain appears about the same.

 

[Silva Lining]

Well as a seasoned B&W developer and printer, I too believed the stories about how hard developing Colour was. Inspired by your reports, I have bought both a C41 and an E6 kit to try - just trying to take enough colour films before I crack open the kits!

 

[Gaspar]

Yes they do scratch the negs in the lab...