Jump to content

E-6 Processing


Joachim123

Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I called the usual lab that I use to process my slide film. They told me Kodak is no longer supplying E-6 and that they no longer process slide film I don't know if this is old news, but they can just get the chemicals from Fuji.

 

Also, I recently purchased an M3 and ordered some Kodak T-400. What do most photographers do with the developed negatives? Ask the labs to provided prints or scan them to a USB or CD?

 

 

Its been a long time since I have used B&W film so I am not sure which route to take?

Link to post
Share on other sites

It is not just a question of getting the chemicals - a commercial lab has to have enough business to cover the cost of keeping the chemicals fresh.

 

My store had to drop E6 processing last year, because we just didn't get enough rolls per week to pay for filling and maintaining the machine.

 

The positive side of that (to keep plasticman happy) is that we direct E6 customers to the remaining local labs that do E6 in-house, thereby increasing their volume and viability.

 

B&W - I do it myself, so can't help on which route to take using an external lab. Our B&W customers seem to do about

 

45% - develop only (they scan or print the negs themselves)

40% - develop and scan to CD

15% - develop and print (some get both prints and scans)

Link to post
Share on other sites

For what it is worth, I use Ilford XP-2. The lab processes in C41 chemicals, and scans the negative and provides me with the negatives and fairly high resolution scans. I make few prints, but when I want one I make it in my darkroom from the original negative (that way I get a silver print, usually about 11x14, which I favour). I use the scanned image for sharing, and for planning what I want a print to look like using Silver Efex Pro. It all works exactly as I want. I have a scanner but the C41 processing price includes the scans. My lab keeps threatening to give up C41 processing, so I may have to go to the Tetenal kit sometime in the future.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Its been a long time since I have used B&W film so I am not sure which route to take?

 

It is the way many small labs are going, but on the other hand it means the mail order business is now becoming very efficient and you can pick and choose the best. In the UK there are still a lot of smaller labs surviving, but given internet comment there are a few big mail order professional labs taking over a lot of their business.

 

I process my own C41 using the Tetenal kit and it couldn't be better. If you have ever processed your own B&W negatives then C41 based processing is possibly even easier, together with the fact that you can do B&W and colour in the same tank at the same time. Following the instructions I process at 30c (86f) which gives longer development times and less likelihood of unevenness and means you have time to think. After pouring the developer back into its bottle the Bleach/Fix goes in the tank, that is decanted back into its bottle, then the Ilford archival wash method using plain water, and finally the Stabiliser. All three chemicals along with the jug of rinse water are easily kept to temperature in a washing up bowl waterbath kept at 30c with a fish tank heater.

 

 

 

Steve

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Why not process it yourself? Freestyle Photo has the E-6 chemicals you'll need:

Tetenal Colortec E-6 Kit - 1 Liter | Freestyle Photographic Supplies

 

B&W chemicals are more widely available than E-6; B&H in New York has a pretty impressive inventory: Black & White Film & Paper Chemistry | B&H Photo Video

 

Neither type of emulsion is difficult to process at home; if you follow the instructions exactly, you will get better results than most labs will give you, and it will save you some money...

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...