Austerby
Well-known
I've been processing b&w at home for years now but have never tried colour. I have a couple of rolls of Ektar that I'm planning on developing in the Tetenal 3-bath kit.
I feel strangely anxious about this process as I'm reverting back to a newbie: this is quite exciting!
Any tips?
I feel strangely anxious about this process as I'm reverting back to a newbie: this is quite exciting!
Any tips?
JeffL
Well-known
Like you I've been doing B+W for years but, just started doing C41 myself and am quite pleased. Follow instructions exactly and make sure your times and temps are accurate and stable. Easier than you think.
Austerby
Well-known
I needn't have worried - developed my first couple of Ektar rolls today and couldn't be more pleased. I used the Tetenal 3-bath kit which was really easy to use and I'm very happy with the results. Recommended to any home-processors who've not given it a go themselves.
damien.murphy
Damien
Hi Austerby,
Thinking of chancing my arm at developing my own C41 too, and wonder how you found the temperature control/ timing aspect of it, or maybe what you used to keep the temperature ok.
The Tetanal kit seems like a good one, I know a few people using the Rollei Digibase kit, but that is a 4 bath kit, so 1 less bath would be more than welcome
Thinking of chancing my arm at developing my own C41 too, and wonder how you found the temperature control/ timing aspect of it, or maybe what you used to keep the temperature ok.
The Tetanal kit seems like a good one, I know a few people using the Rollei Digibase kit, but that is a 4 bath kit, so 1 less bath would be more than welcome
Austerby
Well-known
The temperature control aspect is the only bit where you need to concentrate on accuracy but it's not that difficult. I used a water-bath (big old plastic crate) filled with water straight from the hot tap. That was above the 100degF/37.8degC required amount so I immersed the dev, blix and stabiliser bottles in the water and monitored the temperature. I soaked the film in warm water whilst this was happening. When the dev got to the right temp I poured out the water and poured in the dev. I kept the tank in the waterbath apart from when I was agitating it. As you only dev for 3min15s it's not going to cool down that much.
River Dog
Always looking
Tetenal is the way to go... 8 mins @ 30 degrees with a white vinegar stop bath is easy to control in a washing up bowl.
Leica CL, ZM50/2 Ektar/Tetenal
Leica CL, ZM50/2 Ektar/Tetenal
damien.murphy
Damien
Cheers for the feedback, may give it a lash one day soon, as I expose some colour negative & with RiverDogs thumbs up, another vote for the Tetanal kit.
What sort of mileage or longevity do you guys get out of the kit, and would the chemicals last a few weeks between batches, or is that an optimistic expectation..