Is C-41 processing of chromogenic B&W films as critical as C-41 processing of color film? Presumably you can't get a color shift, so that's not an issue but are there large denisty/contrast changes if the time/temperature is a little off? I've never done home processing of C41 color but I do all my own conventional B&W processing. I'm just wondering if home processing of chromogenic film is practical using the standard "plastic tank and kitchen sink" approach with no real active temperature control. It would be interesting to try working with chromogenic film at times and I'm wondering if the hassle of C-41 at home is worth the effort. I'm guessing that it may be easier to put up with the delay and/or expense of commercial C-41 processing, but it certainly would be more convenient to be able to home process the film.

-- Bob Atkins (bobatkins@hotmail.com), January 15, 2002

Answers

Piece'o cake. Temperature not nearly as critical as color. I'm lucky to have an excellent local processor who delivers clean, scratch-free negatives so I no longer do my own, just drop it off. The only problem in printing it is that there is virtually no grain to focus on. I prefer XP-2+ to the Kodak products because (IMHO) it has a little better mid-range contrast.

-- (bmitch@home.com), January 15, 2002.

I agree. I just want to say that if you have a good higher temp control, your time in the soup will be reduced without adverse reactions. XP2+ is the preferred film.

-- Scott Walton (scotlynn@shore.net), January 15, 2002.

C41 processing at home is easy. I use the 3 part Tetenal kit. The first step (color developer) is the only serious challenge temperature wise. The time in the color developer is short so if you get your water bath right on its not going to cause you a problem. You need to keep it at 100.4 degrees for 3:15 Thats not too hard. A big tray of water for your chemicals and your tank will do the trick. The subsequent steps can vary a bit with no harm at all. Tetenal says up to 9 degrees leeway. If you do a fair amount of C41 a Jobo CPE2 is well worth the money. Used ones go pretty cheap on ebay. If there is a downside its that the 1 liter kit is relatively expensive and the 5 liter kits might be hard to use up before they go bad.

As far as does it make sense to do it yourself, that you have to answer. If you are doing 35mm it may be hard to justify when you can get process only from any fast photo place for $2-3 a roll and never do any work at all! For roll film or sheet film I think it makes sense to do it yourself.

XP2 is a wonderful film. Good luck.

-- Henry Ambrose (henry@henryambrose.com), January 15, 2002.

I find that I can not beat my local Wal-Mart to develop 35mm. With tax it is under $2 to develop only, I wait for it and cut the negs myself and put into sleves. This is for 35mm though. For sheet film there are Kodak publications that have temp drift charts for those who have no stable temp control, these can usually be found in Kodak books in most libraries.

I have done much E-6 with a tank submerged in a large pot in the kitchen sink, though I always wondered how gas I was using to run all that hot water to keep the temp constant.

-- shannon (shannon76@angelfire.com), January 15, 2002.

Back in the dark ages I did a couple thousand rolls of XP-1 that way. It wasn't any big deal, just a wait for the chemicals to heat up in a waterbath. Figure out your cost-per-roll to do it yourself compared to the corner minilab; if you'll have only a small volume it may be less expensive to go to the minilab.

There aren't huge contrast changes with process errors.

BTW, if you try it and find that the 3'15" development time is too short, dilute the developer 1:1 and give it about five minutes.

-- John Hicks (jhicks31@bellsouth.net), January 15, 2002.

I HAVE PROCESSED MANY ROLLS OF XP1 IN 35MM, AND RECENTLY XP2 IN ROLLFILM .I HAVE ALWAYS PROCESSED AT AROUND 38 DEGREES AND ALWAYS HAD GOOD RESULTS.I USED TO PROCESS IN THE SINK WITH THE WATER BATH AT AROUND 40 DEGREES WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS.I HAVE RECENTLY BOUGHT A SMALL JOBO FILM PROCESSER AND FIND THIS MUCH MORE CONSISTENT. I HAVE ALWAYS PRESOAKED FILM TO BRING UP TO TEMP.WITHOUT PROBLEMS,BUT RECENTLY HEARD REPORTS THAT PRESOAKING SHOULD BE AVOIDED.CAN ANYONE SHED ANY LIGHT ON THIS

-- A.Woolnough (AWPianos@AOL.com), January 25, 2002.