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Adventures in Color Processing

Well, I did it.  I finally processed my first rolls of color negative film.  It was definitely easier than I thought it would be.  My results were mixed.  Although the negs came out exposed properly, I had issues with either the chemistry, or the handling.  There were streaks and black spots all along the length of both rolls of film I processed.  

I reviewed the process on line, and it may come down to washing.  My C41 Digibase kit doesn't mention washing at all.  Nor does any official process I can find.  However, some amateur users online like to wash between every step.  It's also possible I had chemicals that weren't fully mixed, as this is my first time doing this.  It may also be the lack of enough Stabilizer (see "CONS" below)

Okay, the pros and the cons of the Digibase kit:

PROS
  • Easy to mix up
  • Lower temperature required than previous C41 kits
  • Economical

CONS
  • Not enough Stabilizer to make the required amount.  All the other supplied bottles had more than enough to make solutions.  I was short about 20%.  I wound up having a diluted Stabilizer.  I don't know how they could have missed this in packaging the product.
  • Instructions not always clear in the steps.  It's obviously targeted to beginners like me, but I would appreciate some "dummy" steps and B&W comparisons.
  • In the "Troubleshooting" section, it mentions the black spots and suggests not enough washing.  However, this is the only place it mentions any washing.

Fortunately I chose consumer film to experiment with.  The Fuji color is okay, but a little grainy.  It also lacks color depth compared to Portra and Ektar.  But I'm comparing a Chevy to a Porsche, which isn't always fair.

Will I process color again?  You bet.  I still have a bunch of stock solution for about 8 more rolls.  Significantly cheaper than mail out to a lab.  If I work out the chemistry problems, I might order the Digibase again.  But, I think I'll try another kit first and see if the instructions are better.   In fact, I'll probably try E-6 (slide film) processing this winter.  There's only an extra step more than C41 (which itself has an extra step or two over B&W).  

For those of you that have a history with B&W that are wanting to try color, go for it!  If you're pretty meticulous in the darkroom already; you understand simple temperature control using coolers or trays of water; and you've experimented with different developers;  you're ready.  Also, if there are no good labs left in town that you trust with your color, then go bust through some cheap film and try a kit.  The biggest difference I saw was the hotter temperatures.  Mixing the chemicals posed some challenges, as I  had to boil water to get my distilled water up to mixing temperature.  Once there, it was all pretty easy.  The other slight difference was how fast the developer worked - 3:15.  It was over before I knew it started.  After that, it took about as long as B&W to get to the drying stage.

Oh, and the drying time is extremely short compared to B&W.  I think you could probably scan an hour later.

These shots were taken on a Canon T-90 and Minolta SRT-202.  I had some scanning issues, so these are not quality scans.  For some reason, my Plustek OpticFilm 7500i with Silverfast hates Fuji Extra film.  I could not get any dynamic range or consistent color.  I know my developing was good, as I've had this problem before.  Sometimes a film and scanner don't like each other.