Color C-41 and E-6 film developing at home?

[Canuk]

I have recently started shooting black and white film, both 35mm and 120. I have also been developing this film at home and doing some wet printing in my newly put together darkroom.
I also got a bunch of 120 color, neg and slide film, w/ a bundle of black and white film that I purchased in a lot.
My question is does anyone have much experience w/ the Arista E-6, 3-bath system chemicals? Is this an economical alternative? What about the Tetanol or Arista C-41 kits. I have read a lot of reviews but the opinions seem to be mixed.
My other option is to send all of the color out to be processed, and unfortunately in my area that is not that cheap at all. I do enjoy developing my B&W and would like to give the color a go, if it is at all practical.
Thanks in advance.
Brent

 

[gsgary]

All i know is it is a lot harder than b+w

 

[Canuk]

From the reading I have been doing that definately seems to be the case, but I am wondering if the extra effort is worth it in the end. I will recheck lab prices, but I believe 120 slide was going to cost upwards of $20/roll to get developed w/ shipping. It may also be one of those things that I would like to do, just to say that I have done it, lol.

 

[Light Guru]

All i know is it is a lot harder than b+w

Its actually NOT much harder.

The biggest thing is gust doing better temperature control of chemicals. This is easily done by with a water bath holding the chemicals.

There are some good videos on youtube about how to do it.

 

[Canuk]

I have seen a few of the videos on Youtube, and it didn't look all that difficult, but looks can be deceiving as well.
All of the videos I have seen, show them squeegying off the film, is this necessary? With B&W I was advised against it, does this hold true for color and slide film?

 

[Light Guru]

lots of people squeegee B&W film also.

Ive done it with 4x5 film with the mod54 holder and it was just about like doing B&W.

 

[Steve.B]

I have recently been doing a lot of c-41 colour and E-6 slide film developing at home, admittitingly I have been using a jobo processor..but would say this is not neccesary as a lot of people keep the chemical temps ok in a kitchen sink of warm water and it seems to work ok for them ( i know if my jobo packed up tomorrow it wouldn't stop me developing C-41 and E-6.)
As already said there are lots of video,s on the web showing how it's done.. I have been using the Tetenal C-41 and tetenal E-6 kits which have proved to be faultless.
There are people who squeegy the water off and people who dont, I took the advice from someone who told me to clip the neg at the top hang on my drying line then hold the bottom of the negs out at a sharp angle so as the water/stabaliser runs to the edge of the negs and runs of the bottom..it works for me..

Steve.

 

[Canuk]

Thanks for the info Steve.
The Tetenal kits are what I am looking at buying. What kind of life are you getting from the chemicals?

 

[KenC]

I've done only a little color developing and it was some time ago, but it wasn't that difficult. What would make it difficult would be trying to do it in a room that was much colder or hotter than the developing temperature. This is true to some extent for bw as well. It just makes keeping your chemicals and developing tank at the correct temperature more of a struggle.

 

[Steve.B]

Thanks for the info Steve.
The Tetenal kits are what I am looking at buying. What kind of life are you getting from the chemicals?

When I have been developing with the E-6 and C-41 kits, I have been developing films for myself and a friend, and we have been saving up a bunch of films then developing them all at once... I have been getting sixteen 120 slide films developed from a E-61 kit and eighteen to twenty 120 colour films developed from a C-41 kit which works out really cheap not only that I really enjoy the developing side of the film photography and am quite happy with the system.

So basicly when seem to open a kit I use it pretty well all at once, having said that I have opened a C-41 kit developed a couple of films left it for a month and developed the rest no problems..

 

[Canuk]

What size of kit have you been using? I'm assuming its the one litre size?

 

[Steve.B]

Sorry about that, forgot to mention.. it is indeed the 1 litre kit

 

[maris]

Doing E6 and C41 is easier than you think.

If you can do black and white then the colour processes have a similar work flow and maybe a few more steps. I reckon what puts people off is the myth of strict temperature control. Half degree or even quarter degree tolerances may be specified if you need to match control strip values under a densitometer. If you just want images that look great then a degree either way for the developing temperature is fine. If the colour transparency or colour negative is intended for scanning then the temperature tolerances are even greater because image processing software can easily deal with minor colour and contrast shifts.

I've actually done colour sheet film in open trays (E6 and C41) in the darkroom and the results were just fine even though exacting temperature control is not practically possible.

 

[Canuk]

I definately think I will have to give it a try. I recently bought a lot of expired film, quite a few slide and some color. I will try to get out and shoot some so I have something to develop.
I don't plan on wet printing color, but then again I didn't plan on developing it either, lol.
Waiting for my scanner to arrive so I can get all of my negs onto the computer.

Who knew film would be this addicting. I am thoroughly enjoying the process, and enjoy being forced to take my time. Only 12 shots on a roll of 120 makes you do that, lol.

Thanks again for all the responses!

 

[Helter]

I recently developed C-41 with regular chemicals (because I didn't know there was a difference ) but it turned out much better than expected actually. The link is to my post in the BW gallery with said accident.
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/black-white-gallery/302302-i-sick-today.html