Having moved away from a professional lab, I have purchased a Jobo CPE2+ processor, and have attempted to process 5x4" Velvia.

I've had a couple of goes using PhotoColour chemicals, and although the colour seems fine, they are not as "clean" as ones processed by a pro lab. When drying, they appear to have some "runs" of a glooey substance. They also seem to pick up a lot of dust.

I don't have anywhere to dry them properly.

The first time, I processed two sheets, the second time I processed six sheets. I also used the final stabiliser.

Has anyone else come across this? Could it be sue to the chemicals, or am I doing something wrong.

Any advice on the best chemicals (I am considering Kodak 6 bath) instead of 3-bath) would be greatly appreciated.

-- David Nash (nashcom@btinternet.com), September 02, 1998

Answers

I would certainly try the Kodak chemistry. I used to run E-6 in Colenta paddle-wheel processors, and I had to modify the chemistry with sulfuric acid to compensate for the continuous agitation; the Jobo might require something similar. Ask Kodak. As for drying, a shower stall is usually the most dust-free place in the house. Also, mix all chemistry, including the stabilizer, in distilled water. Temp control is very important in the 1st Developer, less so in the Color Developer; the rest of the solutions are not critical at all. There's no reason why your results shouldn't be as good than a "pro lab", whose quality control is often indifferent, sometimes downright slipshod. I know: I used to work in many such labs in NYC. (I could tell you horror stories.) Of course, without running a control strip and analyzing it on a professional densitometer, like a Macbeth, you can't really tell for sure what's going on. Good luck!

-- Peter Hughes (leonine@redshift.com), September 08, 1998.

I haven't done color in many years, but I would call or write Jobo for their advice. As for the drying, Jobo makes a nice drying cabinet for 4x5/8x10s to help avoid all of that dust problem.

-- Michael Wellman (wellman@flash.net), September 22, 1998.