Commercial devoloping

[beddingfield]

When film is developed in a commercial lab, are we expecting them to use the correct chemicals for EACH type of film as suggested by the film maker.

Say Kodak says to use a specific chemical for each stage of developing pro 100. Do we expect the commercial lab to follow those guidelines or do they simply get a gallon jug of "great value c-41 film developer" and use that for everything?

 

[dxqcanada]

They will use the correct chemicals for each stage to develop C-41 films ... a developer, bleach, fixer, and stabilizer.
A lab will load their film developing machines with chemicals that they choose to use ... and all types/brands of film will go through it. It would not be economical to have dozens of machines each loaded with different chemicals to match what each manufacturer recommends.

 

[webestang64]

At my job we use a controlled strip monitored Noritsu V50 C-41 processor with Kodak chemicals for all C-41 films. For BW I use Kodak D-76 and Kodak fixer for all BW films, been doing that since 1980 with no problems.
www.schillers.com

 

[beddingfield]

Then what would cause this sort of sudden change, on developed film?

Is an ISO 800 film and color plus 200 going to need different processing attention when used with the same chemicals and processed one after the other?

 

[webestang64]

Is an ISO 800 film and color plus 200 going to need different processing attention when used with the same chemicals and processed one after the other?

Nope. Only thing that would be different is if the film needed to be "pushed", say a 400 ISO shot at ISO 800, that would need more time in the developer. If your films are not consistent then the lab is doing something wrong.

 

[Derrel]

The c-41 process is fairly standardized and has been so for around 40 years, give or take. Rolls of color negative film from Fuji and Kodak and Scotch and Konica and Agfa were routinely developed at the company's in-house lab where I used to work in the late 1980s. As long as the film has been exposed at the correct ISO level, a standard c-41 process should give good results with fast film like 800 and also your slower-speed films.

 

[webestang64]

If your films are not consistent then the lab is doing something wrong.

I might add this is for fresh color print film, shot correctly. Outdated C-41 film acquires a very dark film base over time and will not yield true colors or fine details.

 

[beddingfield]

this was all fresh film. Some of it still doesn't expire until 2022